ENERGY

Narragansett & South Kingstown pay the highest heating costs in America.

• $3.07 per therm — #1 in the continental U.S. (82% above national average of $14.93 per thousand cubic feet in August 2024, with winter peaks higher).
• Average February bill: $720 for a 3-bedroom home (85 therms × $3.07 + $30 fixed fees + $45 in surcharges; annual typical: $1,785 for 845 therms, up 4.4% to $1,864 proposed for 2025).
• Real example: A Matunuck family on Matunuck Beach Road got a $742 February 2025 bill — up 38% from last year, mirroring statewide spikes from pipeline constraints and cold snaps (e.g., one resident's bill jumped from $98 Nov to $404 March).
• South Kingstown senior in Peace Dale: $680 bill, skipped meds to pay it—echoing elderly couples at hearings who "could not pay for medicine, utilities, taxes, and food" while working full-time.

“We heat two rooms and wear coats inside. It’s not right.” — Narragansett-area resident, March 10, 2025, PUC hearing (nearly 200 attendees packed Warwick offices, booing utility reps amid overcrowding).

Why It’s So Bad Here?

• No local gas — 100% imported via maxed-out Algonquin pipeline (1,100-mile line from Pennsylvania, carrying 3.1 billion cubic feet/day but at capacity for New England's 6 states; RI at the end, forcing LNG reliance).
• Winter demand triples — forces $12/therm LNG from Everett, MA (emergency shipments that add 30–40% to peak bills; 1.6% rate hike approved Nov 2024–Oct 2025).
• State green fees — $0.50/therm for 2033 mandate — $42/month on your bill (Renewable Energy Growth charge up 43% to $5.75/month; total clean energy add-ons ~$25–$30, or 18–21% of bill).
• Utility monopoly — Rhode Island Energy’s 9.275% guaranteed profit cap (actual 2023: 4% electric/5.3% gas, ~$24.8M total; proposals to cap at 4% could return $60M+ to ratepayers).

My 5-Point South County Relief Plan?

(All within state authority — I’ll file these bills Day 1)

1. Cap Winter Gas Spikes → No more 40% jumps — GCR limited to +15%/season (current: up to 40% winter hikes; aligns with 2025 proposals for low-income caps).
2. $16,000 Heat Pump Rebates → 80–150% AMI gets full system free — $4,200 saved/year (Clean Heat RI: up to $1,000/ton or $10k max; enhanced $16k for moderate-income + $600 water heaters; 60% gas reduction; low-income full coverage still open as of Feb 2025).
3. Amend ACES Act for Pipeline Upgrades & Nuclear and Hydro Power → Force multi-state bids on Algonquin expansions  (e.g., +75 million cf/d or 400–600 million cf/d by 2029 via AGT Enhancement; RI Energy contracting 30%, saving $50M statewide via reduced LNG).→ Include nuclear & hydro contracts — I'll push to add clean nuclear (e.g., long-term deals with Millstone CT plant, 2,100 MW, expiring 2029) and Quebec hydro imports (like Champlain Hudson Express line) to the ACES framework, stabilizing prices with 24/7 carbon-free power (no major 2025 amendments yet, but ties to ongoing reliability bids).
4. Cut Utility Profits to 8% → $60M back to ratepayers — $200/household (from current 9.275% cap; 2025 bills propose 4% cap to redirect $60M+; actual 2023 profits $24.8M).
5. Year-Round Fixed Rates → PUC mandate — no budget billing traps (builds on 2025 proposals for fixed protections; current averaged payments often hide spikes).

I’ll Bring the Fight Home

• Monthly town halls in South Kingstown Library & Narragansett Community Center
• Bring your bill — I’ll file complaints and demand refunds
• Partner with local contractors for free heat pump assessments (via Clean Heat RI program).

Narragansett & South Kingstown pay the highest heating costs in America.

• $3.07 per therm — #1 in the continental U.S. (82% above national average of $14.93 per thousand cubic feet in August 2024, with winter peaks higher).
• Average February bill: $720 for a 3-bedroom home (85 therms × $3.07 + $30 fixed fees + $45 in surcharges; annual typical: $1,785 for 845 therms, up 4.4% to $1,864 proposed for 2025).
• Real example: A Matunuck family on Matunuck Beach Road got a $742 February 2025 bill — up 38% from last year, mirroring statewide spikes from pipeline constraints and cold snaps (e.g., one resident's bill jumped from $98 Nov to $404 March).
• South Kingstown senior in Peace Dale: $680 bill, skipped meds to pay it—echoing elderly couples at hearings who "could not pay for medicine, utilities, taxes, and food" while working full-time.

“We heat two rooms and wear coats inside. It’s not right.” — Narragansett-area resident, March 10, 2025, PUC hearing (nearly 200 attendees packed Warwick offices, booing utility reps amid overcrowding).

Why It’s So Bad Here?

• No local gas — 100% imported via maxed-out Algonquin pipeline (1,100-mile line from Pennsylvania, carrying 3.1 billion cubic feet/day but at capacity for New England's 6 states; RI at the end, forcing LNG reliance).
• Winter demand triples — forces $12/therm LNG from Everett, MA (emergency shipments that add 30–40% to peak bills; 1.6% rate hike approved Nov 2024–Oct 2025).
• State green fees — $0.50/therm for 2033 mandate — $42/month on your bill (Renewable Energy Growth charge up 43% to $5.75/month; total clean energy add-ons ~$25–$30, or 18–21% of bill).
• Utility monopoly — Rhode Island Energy’s 9.275% guaranteed profit cap (actual 2023: 4% electric/5.3% gas, ~$24.8M total; proposals to cap at 4% could return $60M+ to ratepayers).

My 5-Point South County Relief Plan?

(All within state authority — I’ll file these bills Day 1)

1. Cap Winter Gas Spikes → No more 40% jumps — GCR limited to +15%/season (current: up to 40% winter hikes; aligns with 2025 proposals for low-income caps).
2. $16,000 Heat Pump Rebates → 80–150% AMI gets full system free — $4,200 saved/year (Clean Heat RI: up to $1,000/ton or $10k max; enhanced $16k for moderate-income + $600 water heaters; 60% gas reduction; low-income full coverage still open as of Feb 2025).
3. Amend ACES Act for Pipeline Upgrades & Nuclear and Hydro Power → Force multi-state bids on Algonquin expansions  (e.g., +75 million cf/d or 400–600 million cf/d by 2029 via AGT Enhancement; RI Energy contracting 30%, saving $50M statewide via reduced LNG).→ Include nuclear & hydro contracts — I'll push to add clean nuclear (e.g., long-term deals with Millstone CT plant, 2,100 MW, expiring 2029) and Quebec hydro imports (like Champlain Hudson Express line) to the ACES framework, stabilizing prices with 24/7 carbon-free power (no major 2025 amendments yet, but ties to ongoing reliability bids).
4. Cut Utility Profits to 8% → $60M back to ratepayers — $200/household (from current 9.275% cap; 2025 bills propose 4% cap to redirect $60M+; actual 2023 profits $24.8M).
5. Year-Round Fixed Rates → PUC mandate — no budget billing traps (builds on 2025 proposals for fixed protections; current averaged payments often hide spikes).

I’ll Bring the Fight Home

• Monthly town halls in South Kingstown Library & Narragansett Community Center
• Bring your bill — I’ll file complaints and demand refunds
• Partner with local contractors for free heat pump assessments (via Clean Heat RI program).

 The Truth: We Need ALL Energy — Not Just Mandates

You’re 20. You want reliable power that doesn’t bankrupt you. Rhode Island’s Green 2033 Mandate says: “No more natural gas by 2033 — even if it’s cheaper and works 24/7.”That’s not smart. That’s ideology over reality.

I’m Pro-Energy Choice — Here’s What That Means

• Energy Source, My Stance Why It Helps You Natural Gas Keep it flowing Cheapest, most reliable winter heat. RI uses zero local gas — we’re forced to pay $12/therm for emergency LNG. I’ll expand pipelines (Algonquin +400–600 million cf/d by 2027) to drop prices $1–$2/therm.
• Heat Pumps $16,000 rebates for all Cut gas use 60% — save $4,200/year. I’ll make them income-blind so every renter gets one.
• Nuclear Count it as clean Millstone (CT) gives 2,100 MW of carbon-free, 24/7 power. I’ll amend RES to include it — no more pretending it doesn’t exist. 
• HydroImport Quebec powerChamplain Hudson Express = clean, cheap, reliable. I’ll fast-track ACES Act bids to lock it in. 
• Wind/Solar Only if local & affordable. No out-of-state REC scams. 75% in-state only — real jobs, not paper credits.  No Ocean wind turbines! They’re expensive, disrupt fishing, and threaten our beaches. I’ll fight to keep our coastline clean while still cutting emissions — the smart way.

My 5-Point “All-of-the-Above” Plan

(State bills — Day 1)

1. Pause Green 2033  → Cap renewable hikes at 2%/year — save $100–$150/year now.
2. Expand Gas Pipelines → Force Algonquin upgrades via ACES — $50M saved statewide, $200–$300 back per household.
3. $16,000 Heat Pump Rebates — No Income Test → Every home gets one — $4,200 saved/year, 60% less gas.
4. Count Nuclear & Hydro in RES → Millstone + Quebec = 24/7 clean power, no blackouts, lower rates.
5. Cap Utility Profits & Refund → Cut 9.275% cap to 8% — $60M back, $200 per household.

I’m Not Anti-Green — I’m Pro-You

I support clean energy — but not at gunpoint. No more Providence forcing South County to freeze or go broke.

Vote Jessica Drew-Day Gas. Pumps. Nuclear. Hydro. Choice.

I’m for Clean Energy — On Land, Not at Sea

Ocean wind turbines? No thanks.They’re expensive, disrupt fishing, and threaten our beaches. 

I’ll fight to keep our coastline clean while still cutting emissions — the smart way.

My Land-Based, Ocean-Free Green Plan

• Solar on Roofs & Brownfields → $10,000 rebates for home solar — no panels on the ocean. → Use old landfills and industrial sites in South County — clean power, no view ruined.
• Geothermal Heat Pumps → $16,000 rebates (already available) — heats & cools with underground energy, not gas or wind. → Zero emissions, 60% cheaper than oil — works in winter.
• Nuclear Power → Millstone (CT) gives 2,100 MW of clean, reliable power — 24/7, no weather worries. → I’ll amend RES law to count nuclear — stop pretending it’s not green.
• Hydro from Quebec → Champlain Hudson Express — clean, cheap, steady power from Canada. → No turbines off Matunuck — just wires underground.
• Battery Storage & Microgrids → $20M for home batteries — store solar for blackout-proof nights. → Community microgrids in Peace Dale & Narragansett — local power, local control.

No More Ocean Wind — Ever

• Block new offshore leases in RI waters.
• Redirect $100M+ in wind surcharges to solar, geothermal, and nuclear.
• Protect fishing, tourism, and our beaches —
•  South County’s economy depends on it.

Green Yes. Ocean Wind No.

I’ll deliver clean, affordable, reliable energy — without one blade in the water.

Last summer’s July 3–4 storm left 65,000 Rhode Islanders in the dark — including thousands in Narragansett and South Kingstown.

• The outage map crashed for hours.
• No alerts. No updates. No power.
• Some waited 4+ days while Rhode Island Energy was unprepared — no out-of-state crews on standby.

This isn’t just weather. It’s old wires, weak planning, and a grid at the breaking point.

My 5-Point Plan to Fix the Grid — Day 1 in Providence

1. Mandate Smart Grid Tech → Require smart switches & circuit breakers statewide — already cut outages in half during the 2025 storm. → $50M state grant from IIJA funds to upgrade South County first.
2. Build Backup Power That Works → $20M for microgrids & home batteries in Matunuck, Peace Dale, and Narragansett. → Fast-track nuclear & hydro (Millstone CT + Quebec) — 24/7 power, no blackouts.
3. Hold the Utility Accountable → Cut profit cap from 9.275% to 8% — $60M back to fund tree-trimming and storm crews. → $2M fines for every major failure — money goes to you, not their shareholders.
4. Launch a South County Resilience Task Force → Monthly town halls — bring your outage story, I’ll fight it. → Work with RIEMA & neighbors (MA/CT) for shared crews and wind power.

I’m Not Waiting for the Next Storm

No more frozen food, dark nights, or $1,000 generator bills. We deserve a grid that works — reliable, affordable, and ready.

Vote Jessica Drew-Day Power On. Lights On. South County Strong.

Natural gas is already cleaner than coal or oil (producing ~50% less CO2 per unit of energy), but "clean" tech focuses on slashing emissions further through capture, renewables integration, and efficiency. In 2025, advancements emphasize renewable natural gas (RNG), carbon capture and storage (CCS), and blue hydrogen—driven by policies like the U.S. One Big Beautiful Act and global methane pledges. These techs aim for net-zero compatibility without ditching gas's reliability.