PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island residents and businesses would again see their electric rates go up this winter, although they won’t be paying as much as last winter, under a new proposal by National Grid Rhode Island.
The company said on July 21 it has submitted its standard offer services – the electricity rates offered to residential, commercial and industrial customers – for the six months starting Oct. 1 to the R.I. Public Utilities Commission for approval.
The proposed rates would increase average monthly rates, although the rates are lower than those set for the same time last year.
The proposed residential rate of 10.37 cents per kilowatt hour would increase average bills by $10.78 compared with the current “summer rate,” about a 10% increase. The “winter rate” last year averaged 10.96 cents per kilowatt hour.
Commercial and industrial customers in the state would see their bills increase between 6% and 11% depending on their size and usage based on an average proposed fixed-price of 9.33 cents per kilowatt hour.