Last month, the Massachusetts House passed H.5151 titled An Act relative to energy affordability, clean power and economic competitiveness.

The latest rendition of a sprawling, 100+ page energy bill being promoted as a response to the rising costs of energy bills.

But even House leadership has downplayed its impact. Asked about the bill in a recent interview, Speaker Ron Mariano said, "it’s not gonna help much at all."

That raises an obvious question: if this bill won’t do much, why does it make so many major changes to how Massachusetts plans, pays for, and regulates its energy system?

A new review from the Fiscal Alliance Foundation finds that H.5151 does, in fact, do quite a lot and much of it could actually increase long-term costs while shifting financial risk onto ratepayers.

👉 Read our full analysis here.

At a high level, the bill gives state government more control over energy decisions while locking in long-term commitments early. That means key choices about projects and costs are made upfront, before the full picture is clear. If costs rise or projects fall short, it becomes much harder to adjust, and ratepayers will pay for it.

One of the biggest concerns is offshore wind. The bill allows the state to help cover early development costs like permitting and site work. Traditionally, developers take on that risk. Under H.5151, ratepayers could be left on the hook if projects fail, with no clear cap on exposure.

The bill also makes changes that could quietly drive up costs over time, including restructuring existing energy programs in ways that increase pressure on electric bills without adding new supply.

Lawmakers also included a $1 billion cut to the Mass Save program. While that sounds like relief, much of that spending is already committed or tied to consumer incentives. That means the savings may be harder to achieve than advertised.

Finally, the bill adds new layers of state review to electric grid projects. While oversight is important, more red tape can mean delays, higher costs, and added uncertainty.

So again, if this bill “won’t do much,” why does it shift risk, lock in long-term decisions, and expand government control in ways that could negatively affect your energy bills for years to come?

Massachusetts residents deserve transparency about what this legislation actually does and who ultimately pays the price.