Bills up. Shutoffs up. A $680 check won’t fill a $1,000 tank.

Rhode Island Energy cut off service to 18,139 customers from May 1 to Aug. 31.

We are days from Election Day. Heat should not be a luxury.

This spike is the worst since at least 2019, with time left before the winter shutoff pause starts Nov. 1. Calls to 211 for utility help are almost four times last year’s.

Prices stayed high through summer and are set to rise again this winter. The end of easier COVID-era payment rules is the biggest driver of cutoffs.

A $680 check. A $1,000 tank.

In Massachusetts, the governor declared an energy emergency. The plan includes a one-time $680 payment for about 50,000 middle-income families, more aid, and temporary cuts to certain electric charges. Heating oil is up about 73% from last year to around $6.12 a gallon, so filling a typical tank can top $1,000.

The state is adding $15 million for low-income heating help and pausing a solar fee on winter bills through a Citizens Energy partnership that runs Nov. 1 to April 30.

She also asked the Trump administration to fast-track a New England gas pipeline upgrade. It is projected to lower costs for about 600,000 customers and save around $40 million a year by swapping expensive LNG for pipeline gas. The project would not be in service until 2028, but a federal approval would allow the process to begin.

Last week we reported a court blocked a Trump mail-vote rule, so you can keep your shift. This week, it is your heat on the line.

You do not need to be a Democrat to see the gap here. Families need bills they can pay, not record shutoffs and stopgaps that cover only part of one fill.

The Republican White House decides whether to speed that approval. If you want leaders who pick your household over higher fees and more shutoffs, change who holds power in 2026.

Pick the bill-cutters.

• Check if you qualify for heating help and apply before the first cold snap.
• Call your utility to set up a payment plan or ask about medical protections before Nov. 1.
• Share this with one neighbor worrying about a shutoff before Nov. 3.
• Check your voter registration at Vote.gov

Countdown

The 2026 midterms are in 16 days.

References

RI Energy bills are crushing families. Now shutoffs are soaring – The Providence Journal. Oct 12, 2026
‘Energy emergency’: Gov. Healey proposes $680 checks for Mass. families facing higher heating bills – Boston 25 News. Oct 6, 2026
Heating bill help coming for Massachusetts families; Healey declares “energy emergency” – CBS News. Oct 5, 2026