City of Cambridge, MA

09/23/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/23/2025 14:58

Cambridge Encourages Residents to Take Steps to Avoid Winter Gas Heating Price Spikes

Last winter's cold er-than-normal temperatures sent gas heating bills soaring versus prior years . Now, a proposed winter gas rate increase the City of Cambridge is urging residents to act early to plan ahead and research how they can cut costs and prepare for colder weather.

"We know rising gas prices can put a strain on families," said Cambridge Climate Chief Julie Wormser. "That's why we want residents to be aware of the programs and tax incentives that can help lower bills this winter and beyond."

Improve Efficiency

The first step in lowering winter energy heating costs is m aking your home more energy efficient. Cambridge and Massachusetts offer help to do that:

  • A no-cost Mass Save ® Home Energy Assessment can help residents find ways to make their homes more energy efficient, so they retain more heat during the winter. Assessments can be scheduled every two years, and many weatherization and air sealing upgrades are eligible for incentives that cover 75%-100% of the cost.

  • Cambridge's Electrify Cambridge program connects homeowners to free technical assistance to guide them through the process of making home energy upgrades .

Consider Heat Pumps

For , residents should consider switching from gas or oil heating to cleaner, more efficient electric heat pumps . There are incentives that

  • Federal tax credits for installing heat pumps are still available. Homeowners can save by acting before these credits expire on December 31 , 2025 .

  • Mass Save ® offers significant heat pump incentives, including substantial rebates of up to $10,000 for whole-home systems or $1,250 per ton for partial-home systems, plus 0% financing through the HEAT Loan program to cover upfront costs.

"These options not only help families save money, but they also move us toward a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Cambridge ," Wormer said.

Help with Heating Bills

For income-eligible households, Cambridge offers a Home Energy Assistance Program ( HEAP, fo to help residents pay winter heating bills between November 1 - April 30. Program staff can also help eligible applicants who are experiencing a no-heat situation or facing imm ediate utility shutoff. Applications for HEAP will open on October 1, 2025. Learn more at www.cambridgema.gov/heatinghelp .

Cambridge's One-Stop Shop for Energy Help

Residents can call the Cambridge Energy Helpline at 617-430-623 0 to talk to advisers and get connected to all these programs and more.

City of Cambridge, MA published this content on September 23, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 23, 2025 at 20:58 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]