So, each month National Grid places a "Delivery Rate Adjustment" (DRA) as part of its gas delivery rate. It does not define the term, but the internet says the DRA is the amount by which the utility adjusts its rates when its operating costs are over or under its projections.

This month (covering the month of March) the DRA is about $.38. 

As we know, we pay for residential gas delivery in three tiers: the first three or so therms are included in a basic charge, the next 45 therms (let's call it mid-tier) have one rate ($1.98 on my bill this month), and further therms (let's call it the discount tier) have a rate less than half of the mid-tier rate ($.79 for me).

The added 38 cents this month drives the mid-tier rate up by 19%, and the drives the discount tier rate up by 51%. So, it is a pretty substantial increase on the effective bill, especially for on those who need gas for heat.

When I look back at a years worth of bills, I see that National Grid has added something to its rate every month except December, which was -$.02). Over the past 12 months, the average adjustment has been +$.17. That's alot to just add to all of our bills, and this month's is 2.5x higher than the average of the DRAs over the prior eleven months.

I'd bet that this practice is perfectly legal and compliant. I'd also bet that the practice could use more oversight, but that very few of our state electeds actually understand utilities well enough to make any informed intervention. But we should demand they learn.

National Grid adds 38 cents per therm this month