EEAC Meeting

Summary

The EEAC (Energy Efficiency Advisory Council) held its regular monthly meeting chaired by JoAnn Bodemer, Director of Energy Efficiency at DOE. The meeting covered a range of topics including public comments, council updates, program performance results, and planning activities for the upcoming 2028-2030 MassSave three-year plan. A featured presentation by Anna Johnson of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) made the case for energy efficiency as an affordability tool. She presented data showing Massachusetts has ranked first or second in the nation on ACEEE's state efficiency scorecard since 2009, and that despite high energy prices, Massachusetts residents pay roughly $700 less annually for energy than New Hampshire residents due to decades of efficiency investment. The council also received Q1 2026 performance data from the consultant team. Key findings included strong commercial and industrial (C&I) sector performance, particularly in electrification and small business programs, while residential and low-income sectors showed a slower-than-expected start — especially for moderate-income and low-income heat pump installations. Weatherization activity in designated equity communities showed positive trends. The meeting concluded with program administrators presenting their budget forecasts and a detailed presentation from National Grid on the 2026 Weatherization Services Pricing RFQ process. The RFQ results prompted significant pushback from council members and public commenters representing contractors, who argued the competitive bidding structure suppresses prices to unsustainable levels and effectively harms the contractor workforce.

This summary and transcript are generated by AI. They may contain errors and are not an official record of the meeting.