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National Grid Electricity, Gas Rates Dropping In May

National Grid is dropping its gas and electricity rates this spring.

The state has approved the utility's rates for May though October, and National Grid says average residential customers could see a 26 percent decrease in monthly electricity bills, or about $32, and a 30 percent decrease in monthly natural gas bills, or about $12.

National Grid says the drop in rates is due to fluctuations in wholesale electricity prices and a reduction in the commodity cost of natural gas — both of which the company has no control over and says it passes on to customers "without mark up."

While electricity rates are going down, National Grid says they will still be higher than they were last spring by about 12 percent.

"This is due to higher wholesale electric prices in New England brought on by natural gas interstate pipeline constraints impacting the region," the utility said in a statement.

Natural gas prices, however, are lower year over year by about 19 percent.

The Boston area is serviced by both National Grid and Eversource Energy, formerly NSTAR. Both utilities saw electricity prices spike over the winter — 29 percent for Eversource and 37 percent for National Grid.

Eversource is expected to submit its rate proposal in May, to take effect in July.

This article was originally published on March 25, 2015.

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