Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Eversource Energy (Eversource) appears to be engaging with a mix of positive and negative positions on US climate policy, with evidence of advocacy primarily at the state level in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The company has taken a variety of positions on renewable energy legislation while advocating for a long-term role for fossil gas in the energy mix. In August 2023, Eversource publicly left the American Gas Association, an industry group that strategically campaigns against building electrification and promotes fossil gas.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Eversource seems to have limited top-line messaging on climate policy. In its 2024 sustainability report published July 2024, the company appeared to broadly support Massachusetts’ 2050 net-zero target. However, Eversource does not appear to disclose a position on the Paris Agreement.
Engagement with Climate-Related Policy: Eversource appears to be engaging on US climate-related policies with a mix of positive and negative positions. At the federal level, the company signed October 2022 joint comments and September 2023 joint comments supporting the Department of Energy’s energy conservation standards for water heaters and fossil fuel-fired stoves, respectively. Eversource also submitted November 2022 joint comments to the Internal Revenue Service that supported the Inflation Reduction Act’s energy efficiency incentives aimed at building electrification.
At the state level, Eversource has a record of advocating against distributed energy generation, including net metering policies. For example, the company submitted February 2021 testimony against Connecticut Senate Bill 220 and January 2018 testimony against New Hampshire Senate Bill 446, followed by May 2021 comments to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection that argued against raising the ambition of the state’s Clean Energy Standard. More recently, Eversource submitted March 2024 testimony that did not take a clear position on Connecticut House Bill 5004, which included provisions around commercial rooftop solar.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Eversource engages with a mix of positive and negative positions on the transition of the energy mix, appearing to be less vocal in promoting fossil gas in recent years. At the federal level, the company signed a May 2022 joint letter to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development that advocated for increased research and development funding toward fossil gas. In Connecticut, Eversource submitted March 2024 testimony on House Bill 5004 that appeared to emphasize concerns with heat pump deployment while not taking a clear position on the long-term role of fossil gas in the state.
Previously, Eversource appeared to be active in advocacy to block fossil gas bans in the region. In spring 2020, the company conducted a survey in Massachusetts to scope out local opinions on fossil gas bans. As reported by E&E News in June 2021, Eversource later brought these survey materials to a November 2020 Energy Solutions Center (ESC) strategy meeting on anti-electrification messaging. In April 2021, the Boston Globe reported that Eversource had delivered a presentation on opposing “anti-gas pressure” at an ESC consortium meeting in March and that in response to subsequent negative public opinion, had withdrawn its membership from the group.
Industry Association Governance: Eversource discloses its industry association membership on its website, but does not appear to disclose an account of its industry associations’ climate policy positions or engagement activities. Eversource is a member of the Edison Electric Institute, which demonstrates a mix of positive and negative positions on climate policy and legally challenged the Biden administration’s finalized power plant carbon standards. In August 2023, Eversource left the American Gas Association, which continues to strategically oppose building electrification policy and advocate for fossil gas infrastructure.
This summary was last updated in Q2 2025.