Rhode Island Energy Policies FAQ

Pause Green 2033 → Freeze $335M/year in surcharges. Split the savings: $200M → $16,000 Heat Pump Rebates (12,500 homes/year) $135M → Small Biz Grants ($5,000–$50,000 each)

No conflict. No new taxes.

REG + REDC Freeze = $335M/year PUC Profit Clawback = +$60M/year Total Pot = $395M/year

60% → Heat Pumps ($200M + $60M clawback = $260M) $16,000 × 16,250 homes = $260M Every homeowner qualifies — no income test. South County first — Matunuck, Peace Dale, Narragansett.

40% → Small Biz Grants ($135M) $5,000 grants → 27,000 micro-businesses $25,000 grants → 5,400 shops/restaurants $50,000 grants → 2,700 larger firms Apply at town hall — I hand you the check.

Today: $25–$30/month clean energy fees After Pause: $0 increase + $200–$300/year back With Heat Pump: $4,200/year saved on gas With Biz Grant: $5K–$50K cash to grow

Freeze = $335M stays in RI. Heat pumps AND small biz — both win. No mandates. No tricks. Sign up at my town halls — one form, two checks.

Vote Jessica Drew-Day Heat Pumps. Biz Grants. Lower Bills.

LNG stands for Liquefied Natural Gas, a form of natural gas (mostly methane) that's cooled to about -260°F (-162°C) to turn it into a clear, odorless liquid. This shrinks its volume by ~600 times, making it easier to store and ship long distances when pipelines aren't an option (like to Rhode Island during winter shortages).

• Process: Natural gas is purified, cooled in massive plants (e.g., Freeport LNG in Texas), loaded onto insulated tankers, shipped (e.g., from Trinidad or Qatar), and "regasified" at terminals like Everett, MA.
• RI Connection: With no local gas production and maxed-out pipelines, RI imports emergency LNG in cold snaps—costing $5–$12/therm vs. $1–$2 via pipe, adding 30–40% to your winter bills.
• Pros: Cleaner than coal/oil (50% less CO2), flexible for peaking power or trucks/ships.
• Cons: Energy-intensive to liquefy (uses ~10% of the gas), volatile prices, and methane leaks during handling.

In 2025, U.S. LNG exports hit record highs (~2,400 Bcf in 2023, doubling by 2027), but imports like RI's keep costs high amid global demand. If you're tying this to energy policy or bills, more pipelines could cut RI's LNG reliance—saving families ~$200–$300/year.

Rhode Island offers incentives for geothermal heat pumps (also called ground-source heat pumps), which use the earth's stable temperature for efficient heating/cooling—up to 60% savings on energy bills compared to traditional systems. These are available through state programs, utilities, and federal tax credits. Note: As of February 2025, the Clean Heat RI market-rate incentive is fully subscribed and paused for new applications (low-income still open), but other rebates remain active through 2025.

• Clean Heat RI (State Program): Up to $1,000 per ton of capacity for ground-source heat pumps (e.g., $10,000–$20,000 for a typical 4-ton system). Includes income-based boosts for low/moderate households (80–150% AMI). Paused for market-rate as of Jan 15, 2025; check for reopenings.
• Rhode Island Energy (Utility Rebate): $150–$1,000 per ton, depending on your current heating type (e.g., oil/gas replacement). Combine with state incentives.
• Federal IRA Tax Credit: 30% of installation costs (up to $2,000/year) for ENERGY STAR-certified geothermal systems—no cap for heat pumps. Point-of-sale rebates via Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) add up to $8,000 for income-qualified (paused federally but state match available).
• Other Utilities: Pascoag Utility District: $350–$700 based on specs; Block Island Power Company: $250/ton.

1. Schedule a Free Assessment: Use CleanHeatRI.com to find installers and estimate savings/eligibility.
2. Get Quotes: From certified contractors (e.g., via National Refrigeration or Abode Energy).
3. Submit: Pre-approval via program portals; rebates post-install (4–8 weeks).
4. Stack Incentives: Combine state/utility with federal for up to $20,000+ total savings.

• Clean Heat RI Program (Main Hub): cleanheatri.com – Full details, eligibility, and application forms.
• RI Office of Energy Resources Incentives Page: energy.ri.gov/incentives – State overview, including geothermal.
• Federal IRA Tax Credits: irs.gov/credits-deductions/energy-efficient-home-improvement-credit – Geothermal specifics.
• Rhode Island Energy Rebates: rhodeislandenergy.com/SaveEnergyAndMoney/Rebates – Utility-specific forms.

For personalized help, contact OER at (401) 574-9100 or email energy@energy.ri.gov. Programs may change—verify eligibility before installing.

 A therm is a unit of heat energy used to measure natural gas on your utility bill. It’s how Rhode Island Energy (and most U.S. gas companies) charges you.

1 therm = 100,000 BTUs (BTU = British Thermal Unit — the heat needed to raise 1 pound of water by 1°F)

UseTherms per MonthHeat a small apartment (winter)40–60 thermsHeat a 3-bedroom house (winter)80–100 thermsCook on gas stove (family of 4)3–5 thermsHot water (family of 4)15–20 therms

• Price per therm: ~$3.07 (highest in U.S.)
• Average February bill: → 85 therms × $3.07 = ~$261 (just gas cost) → + $30 fixed fee + $45 surcharges = ~$720 total

• We don’t make gas here → every therm comes 300+ miles.
• Winter demand triples → forces $12/therm LNG imports.
• You pay the spike — even if you use the same amount.

Bottom Line: 1 therm = heat for ~1 hour of a 100,000 BTU furnace Your bill in therms = how much heat you used $3.07/therm = why your bill hurtsn answer to this item.

"Green 2033" is Rhode Island's 100% Renewable Energy Standard (RES) by 2033, the most aggressive renewable energy law in the U.S. Signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 29, 2022 (H.B. 7277/S.B. 2274), it requires all electricity sold in the state to be offset by renewable sources like wind, solar, hydro, and biomass by the end of 2033. It builds on the 2021 Act on Climate and accelerates earlier goals.

How It WorksUtilities and suppliers must buy Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to meet yearly targets that increase over time:

• 2023: +4% → ~32% total
• 2024: +5% → ~37%
• 2025: +6% → ~43%
• 2026–2027: +7% → ~50% (2026), ~57% (2027)
• 2028: +7.5% → ~64.5%
• 2029: +8% → ~72.5%
• 2030: +8.5% → ~81%
• 2031: +9% → ~90%
• 2032–2033: +9.5% → 100%

Eligible sources include offshore wind (like Revolution Wind, 704 MW online 2025), solar, small hydro, geothermal, and biomass. Large hydro (e.g., from Quebec) counts if paired with RECs.

Who Enforces It?The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and Office of Energy Resources (OER) oversee compliance. If utilities fall short, they pay fines that fund more renewables. Costs are passed to you through surcharges — like the Renewable Energy Growth charge, now $5.75 per month (up 43% in 2025).

Where We Stand in 2025Rhode Island is about 45% renewable, mostly from solar and the Block Island Wind Farm (30 MW, America’s first offshore). We’re on track for 43% in 2025, but PUC officials say the full 100% goal is unlikely because of a 2022 loophole: Suppliers locked in long-term contracts (some ending in 2033) before July 1, 2022, rules took effect — letting them dodge full compliance.

The Real Cost to YouThe mandate adds $335 million per year statewide — about $25–$30 per month per household, or 18–21% of your electric bill. By 2033, experts predict electric rates could rise 64.5% — turning a $200 monthly bill into $329. On the plus side, it’s created 74% green job growth since 2014.

The Problems

• Loopholes let utilities buy cheap out-of-state RECs instead of building local power.
• High surcharges hurt families already struggling with $3.07/therm gas bills.
• Rep. Charlene Lima introduced a bill (H.B. 2025-5671) to pause the 2033 goal for 10 years to protect affordability.

Bottom LineGreen 2033 aims to make Rhode Island a climate leader, but it’s costly, loophole-ridden, and possibly unreachable. You’re paying for a promise the state admits it might not keep

Nuclear power is a low-carbon energy source generated by fission—splitting atoms of uranium or plutonium in a controlled chain reaction to produce heat. This heat boils water into steam, which spins turbines to create electricity. It's one of the most reliable baseload sources (runs 24/7, unlike solar/wind), powering ~10% of global electricity with near-zero emissions during operation (though mining/waste raise concerns). Pros: Clean (avoids CO2 from fossils), high output (1 plant = 1M+ homes). Cons: High upfront costs, waste management, public safety fears (e.g., Fukushima).

• Fuel: Enriched uranium-235 in fuel rods; lasts 18–24 months per cycle.
• Safety: Modern reactors (Gen III+) have passive cooling; U.S. NRC oversight makes them safer than ever (zero deaths from radiation in 60+ years).
• Waste: Spent fuel stored on-site; recyclable but politically stalled.
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Millstone Nuclear Power Station (CT)

Millstone is Connecticut's only nuclear power plant and New England's largest, located in Waterford, CT (on Long Island Sound, ~50 miles from RI's South County). Owned by Dominion Energy, it powers ~2 million homes (~half of CT's electricity, 90%+ carbon-free). Built on a former quarry (hence the name), it spans 500 acres and supports 3,900 jobs.

• Unit 1: 660 MW boiling water reactor; shut down 1998, in SAFSTOR (safe storage) until 2048.
• Unit 2: 870 MWe pressurized water reactor (PWR); started 1975 (50th anniversary Sept. 29, 2025), license to 2035.
• Unit 3: 1,237–1,280 MWe PWR (Westinghouse design); started 1986, license to 2045.
• Total Capacity: ~2 GW; generates 15% of New England's power.

• Built: 1960s–1980s by Northeast Utilities (now Dominion since 2001).
• Past Issues: 1990s safety probes led to shutdowns (1996–1999); reopened under stricter regs.
• 2025 Milestones: Unit 2's 50th anniversary; $1B investment plan over 10 years for upgrades. CT lifted its nuclear moratorium (2022), eyeing small modular reactors (SMRs) at Millstone for 10+ units. Long-term contracts (e.g., with MA municipalities) secure operations.
• Safety: NRC rates it high; earthquake risk low (1 in 66,667 for core damage). Emergency zones: 10-mile plume (123,482 people) and 50-mile ingestion radius.

Millstone supplies ~15% of New England's power, including RI—carbon-free, baseload reliability amid gas shortages and Green 2033 goals. Extending licenses could stabilize RI rates; SMRs might add local jobs. Environmental monitoring shows "virtually no impact." For tours/questions: dominionenergy.com/millstone

Quebec, with its vast network of rivers and dams, is one of the world's top hydroelectric producers, generating over 40 GW of clean, renewable energy—enough to power 8 million homes annually. Hydro-Québec, the province's crown-owned utility, has been exporting this baseload power (reliable 24/7 flow) to New England since the 1980s, delivering over 100 billion kWh to date. It's a key clean energy lifeline for RI and the region, offsetting fossil fuels and stabilizing grids amid gas shortages. But 2025 has seen disruptions from weather, politics, and delays.

• Generation: 62+ stations, mostly large dams like James Bay (world's largest underground hydro complex). Hydro accounts for 95% of Quebec's electricity, with low emissions (comparable to wind over 100 years).
• Exports to NE: Historically 1,200–1,400 MW via the Phase II line (Radisson, QC to Boston, MA), powering ~1 million homes. In 2024, exports dropped to 5,560 GWh (half of 2022 levels) due to Quebec droughts and rising domestic demand.
• 2025 Twist: Exports halted March 6 amid U.S.-Canada trade tensions (Trump's 10% tariff on Canadian energy). Hydro-Québec cites low NE prices, not politics, but it's replaced by pricier gas/oil, raising costs and emissions.

Quebec hydro reaches NE via high-voltage DC lines. Key ones:

• New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC): 1,200 MW HVDC line from QC through Maine to Lewiston (then to MA/RI grid). Powers 1.2 million homes; saves $190M/year in fuel costs. Construction started 2021; delayed by Maine politics—now slated for December 2025 commissioning (possible 6–12 month slips, adding $521M to MA rates).
• Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE): 1,250 MW underwater/underground line from QC to NYC (via Lake Champlain/Hudson River). $6B project; exports start May 2026. Could indirectly benefit NE via NY grid ties.
• Other Lines: Phase II (1,500 km, 1,200 MW to Boston); Highgate (QC to VT, smaller flows).

• Clean & Reliable: Offsets RI's gas dependency (prices at $3.07/therm); hydro provides firm power for winters, reducing blackout risks (e.g., 2019 Aquidneck outage).
• Savings: MA contracts (9.45 TWh/year for 20 years) save $3.4B over life; RI could join via ISO-NE for ~$100–$200/year per household.
• Jobs & Environment: Hydro-Québec's 2025 acquisition of 13 NE hydro stations (589 MW on CT/Deerfield Rivers) adds 213,000 homes' power and supports decarbonization. Low GHG (on par with wind long-term).

• Droughts: Low water levels cut exports (e.g., 2024 decline); climate models predict 6–8% streamflow rise by 2050, but short-term variability hurts.
• Trade/Politics: Tariffs threaten costs; NECEC delays from Maine referendums (2021 veto, 2023 settlement).
• Criticisms: Big dams flood habitats (e.g., Indigenous lands in QC); but lifecycle emissions low vs. fossils.

For RI, Quebec hydro could stabilize Green 2033 goals—advocates push ACES Act amendments for contracts. More: hydroquebec.com/clean-energy-provider