For context: Utilities like Eversource and National Grid don't generate power—they buy it from independent suppliers at a fixed rate locked in every six months, then pass it through to customers. The finding: Research firm Synapse compared those fixed rates to real-time spot prices and found that Massachusetts basic-service customers paid a median 43% markup, or roughly $22 in extra costs per month. This added up to >$12B in premiums paid from 2015-2024. The utility response: NRG claimed that the state's renewable mandates have contributed to cost spikes, while Eversource argued that suppliers must price in the risks of fixed rates and regional gas volatility.