Contact Eversource

Residential customer service

1-800-592-2000

Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET

Power outage (24/7)

1-800-592-3000

Report downed wires, ask about restoration

Gas emergency / odor (24/7)

1-800-286-2000

Smell gas? Leave the building first, then call.

Payment mailing address

Eversource
P.O. Box 56007
Boston, MA 02205-6007

Company fact sheet

Legal name
Eversource Energy
Formerly
NSTAR + Northeast Utilities (merged 2012, rebranded 2015)
Ticker
NYSE: ES
States served
MA, CT, NH
MA electric customers
~1.5 million
MA gas customers
~330,000
Regulator
MA DPU (state) + FERC (federal)
Headquarters
Boston, MA & Hartford, CT

Quick actions

  • 1

    Start service

    Call 1-800-592-2000 at least 3 business days before move-in. Have your new address, move-in date, and SSN or ID ready.

  • 2

    Stop service when moving out

    Same line. The final bill is sent to your forwarding address.

  • 3

    Compare supply rates

    In MA you can keep Basic Service from Eversource or pick a competitive supplier. See our MA supply guide.

Compare MA suppliers

About Eversource

Eversource is a New England utility holding company that owns separate electric and gas operating subsidiaries in each state. In Massachusetts it delivers electricity to about 1.5 million homes and businesses and natural gas to roughly 330,000 customers.

~4.4M

Total customers (3 states)

1.5M

MA electric meters

330K

MA gas meters

140+

Cities and towns served in MA

The company was created in 2012 when Northeast Utilities (which owned Connecticut Light & Power, Public Service of New Hampshire, Western Massachusetts Electric, and Yankee Gas) merged with NSTAR (the parent of the old Boston Edison, Commonwealth Electric, and Cambridge Electric). The whole group rebranded as Eversource Energy in 2015. Locals still call it NSTAR, but on your bill, it has been Eversource for over a decade.

In Massachusetts, Eversource is regulated by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU). The DPU sets the delivery rates Eversource is allowed to charge and approves the wholesale price it passes through as Basic Service.

CallMePower explains

How your Eversource bill is built

Every MA electric bill has two big pieces: supply (the energy itself) and delivery (the wires that bring it). Eversource is always the delivery company. You can choose who handles supply.

Supply

The price of the kilowatt-hours (kWh) you actually use. Charged in ¢/kWh.

  • Basic Service if you do nothing. Eversource buys power in bulk at auction and resells it at cost. The rate is reset every 6 months (residential).
  • Competitive supplier if you shop. Same kWh, just a different price on this one line of the bill.
  • Municipal aggregation if your town runs one (Boston Community Choice Electricity, Cambridge CCE, etc.). You can opt out anytime.

Delivery

The cost of moving electricity through Eversource's wires and meters. This part cannot be shopped.

  • Customer charge, a fixed monthly fee, like a subscription. You pay it even if you use zero kWh.
  • Distribution, the actual ¢/kWh wires charge.
  • Transmission, transition, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and distributed solar charges, small per-kWh adders set by the DPU.

Why this matters: Most door-to-door supplier pitches advertise only the supply rate, then customers end up paying more after the first few months. The delivery half of the bill never changes when you switch. Always compare a competitive offer to the current Eversource Basic Service rate, not last winter's.

Eversource service area in Massachusetts

Eversource is the electric utility in two non-touching pieces of Massachusetts. Customers in those areas have Eversource for delivery, no matter who supplies their power.

Eastern Massachusetts (former NSTAR)

Greater Boston, the South Shore, the Cape, and Martha's Vineyard. Includes Boston, Cambridge, Newton, Quincy, Brockton, New Bedford, Plymouth, and Hyannis.

~1.4 million electric meters in this footprint.

Western Massachusetts (former WMECO)

The Pioneer Valley and Berkshires. Includes Springfield, Pittsfield, Greenfield, Westfield, and most of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties.

~217,000 electric meters in this footprint.

Massachusetts

Interactive Eversource service territory map of Massachusetts Hover the colored regions to see which Eversource service applies. Light green is electric-only (Western MA), blue is gas-only (central MA), dark green is combined electric and gas (Greater Boston, the South Shore, Cape Cod and the islands). Western MA Gas zone Greater Boston Cape Cod Vineyard Nantucket

How to pay your Eversource bill

Eversource gives you six ways to pay. Most are free; one charges a small fee.

Auto-pay (free)

Direct debit from your checking account. Set up in your online account.

Online portal (free)

Pay one-off from your bank account at eversource.com.

Mobile app (free)

The Eversource app on iOS and Android. Same checking-account payments, no fee.

By mail (free)

Check or money order to P.O. Box 56007, Boston, MA 02205-6007.

Credit / debit card (small fee)

Through KUBRA EZ-PAY (Eversource's processor). A flat convenience fee applies per transaction.

Cash at a payment agent (free)

CheckFreePay locations across MA (CVS, some grocery stores). Bring the bill stub.

Insider tip

Basic Service is not "the default cheap option"

Basic Service is the supply price Eversource charges customers who haven't picked a competitive supplier. It is set by the DPU every six months for residential customers (every three months for commercial). Eversource buys the power at auction and resells it at cost. There is no profit margin.

The catch: because Eversource locks the rate in advance, Basic Service tracks where wholesale prices were several months ago. After a cold winter, Basic Service rates can stay elevated through summer, while the spot market has already fallen. After a mild winter, the reverse happens.

What that means for you: Basic Service is not automatically the cheapest. It is also not automatically the most expensive. Compare it to fixed-rate competitive offers at the start of each new Basic Service period (1 January and 1 July for residential). If a competitive 12-month fixed rate beats Basic Service by more than 0.5 ¢/kWh, with no big termination fee or hidden monthly fee, it usually pays to switch.

Frequently asked questions

Is NSTAR the same company as Eversource?
Yes. NSTAR merged with Northeast Utilities in 2012 and the combined group rebranded as Eversource Energy in 2015. Your old NSTAR account is your Eversource account.
If I pick a competitive supplier, does Eversource still deliver my power?
Yes. Eversource owns the wires that bring power to your home. The supplier change only affects the "supply" line on the bill. Your meter, your wires, the outage line, and bill format do not change.
My power is out. Who do I call?
Eversource, always. Call the 24/7 outage line at 1-800-592-3000 or text OUT to 23129 if you're registered for text alerts. Never call your competitive supplier for an outage.
Can I get help paying my Eversource bill?
Yes. Ask Eversource about the Residential Assistance Discount (an income-based bill discount of 25 percent to 42 percent depending on hardship). Also check LIHEAP (the federal heating assistance program, administered in MA by local Community Action Agencies), apply between November and April.
When does the Basic Service rate change?
For residential customers in Eastern and Western MA, Eversource sets a new Basic Service rate every 1 January and 1 July. Commercial customers see new rates quarterly (1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October). The DPU posts the auction results before each change.
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