In short: Worcester is National Grid territory. Homes buying its power paid about 33.6¢ per kWh in 2024 and lost about 134 minutes to outages, while neighboring Shrewsbury’s town-owned utility charged about 14.3¢ and reported 17 minutes (EIA). FEMA rates Worcester County “very high” for ice storms, so winter backup matters here.
Below is what is specific to Worcester and the towns around it. Statewide rules, such as net metering, SMART 3.0, the state solar tax credit and electrician licensing, are in our Massachusetts energy guide.
Worcester at a glance
- National Grid (Massachusetts Electric): about 33.6¢ per kWh on average in 2024 for homes on its own supply. Outages averaged 134 minutes per customer counting major storms, 91 without, and about one interruption a year. These are Massachusetts-wide figures (EIA-861, 2024).
- Town light plants next door: Shrewsbury, Holden, Paxton, Boylston, West Boylston, Sterling and Princeton run their own electric utilities (MassGIS, from DPU data). Shrewsbury reported about 14.3¢ per kWh and 17 outage minutes per customer in 2024 (EIA-861).
- Supply program: Green Worcester ElectriCITY, the city’s municipal aggregation, approved by the Department of Public Utilities.
- Sun: about 3.8 kWh per square meter per day, the same as Boston on NASA’s coarse grid (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,110 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: Worcester County is “very high” for ice storms and “relatively high” for cold waves, hurricanes, lightning, inland flooding and strong wind (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
- Public charging: 409 ports at 158 locations in Worcester (AFDC, October 3, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
- National Grid (Worcester, Auburn, Millbury, Grafton, Leicester and nearby towns): state net metering rules apply. National Grid only delivers the power; in 2024 about 56% of its Massachusetts households bought supply from someone else, such as a city program or a competitive supplier (EIA-861).
- Green Worcester ElectriCITY: the city buys supply for residents at a fixed price for the contract term, with more renewable energy than the state requires. The city says savings compared with National Grid can’t be guaranteed, and you may opt out at any time with no fee or penalty (City of Worcester, October 2026). Compare offers on the DPU’s Energy Switch Massachusetts site.
- Town light plants (Shrewsbury, Holden and others): each sets its own solar credit, battery and EV rules, and SMART payments have generally not applied in light plant territory. Ask your light department before you design a system.
Backup power in Worcester
Worcester sits higher and farther inland than Boston, and its county carries the ice storm rating that matters most for outages. Ice brings down branches and lines across many streets at once, usually in the cold, when the furnace blower, boiler pumps and a sump pump all need power. National Grid’s 2024 figures work out to roughly two and a quarter hours per outage on average (our arithmetic on EIA data), but a bad ice storm can last much longer.
- Apartments and triple-deckers: a portable power station covers phones, Wi-Fi, lights and medical devices for hours.
- Houses that must stay warm: a natural gas standby generator runs the longest in a multi-day outage. A home battery is quieter and switches over by itself. Compare them in backup power and size with the generator sizing tool or the battery backup calculator.
Generator safety in winter: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, with exhaust away from doors, windows and vents, and never in a garage, even to keep it out of the snow. Use battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms. Connecting a generator to house wiring takes a transfer switch or interlock installed by a licensed electrician; see generator installation.
Solar in Worcester
At National Grid’s 2024 average price, each kW of panels making about 1,110 kWh a year is worth roughly $374 a year in avoided purchases. A 6 kW system would make about 6,680 kWh, worth about $2,245 a year at that price (estimates; your rate, roof and shade decide the real number). Winter output is low: December sunlight is about a quarter of June’s (NASA POWER), and snow can cover panels for days. Check your roof with the solar potential tool and test quotes in the solar savings calculator.
If you are in Green Worcester ElectriCITY or another supplier, value solar at your bill’s actual total price per kWh, not the National Grid average. In a light plant town such as Shrewsbury, rates are much lower, so payback is slower and the plant’s own rules apply. See solar installation for the steps.
Batteries
National Grid estimates a battery enrolled in ConnectedSolutions earns around $1,200 a year, depending on the system and settings. The program pays $275 per kW of average discharge during 30 to 60 summer events, with the rate locked for five years (program materials). Worcester and Millbury are also among the areas National Grid lists for ConnectedSolutions+, a limited-time offer with higher rewards; check the program page for current amounts and eligible streets. Events are avoided when large storms are forecast, so the battery is ready for winter outages. See home battery installation and battery cost.
EV charging
Worcester’s 409 public ports give drivers without a driveway real options. At home, at about 30 kWh per 100 miles, charging at National Grid’s 2024 average price costs roughly $10 per 100 miles, or about $1,210 for 12,000 miles a year (estimates). National Grid’s Charge Smart MA program pays $0.05 per kWh for off-peak charging from June through September and $0.03 the rest of the year. Off-peak runs from 9 p.m. to 1 p.m. the next day. If all of that charging were off-peak, the rebate would come to roughly $110 to $180 a year (our arithmetic). Try your own numbers in the EV charging cost calculator, and see EV charger installation for the permit and wiring.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Worcester: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- City of Worcester: Inspectional Services Department, 25 Meade Street. Its Building and Zoning Division issues building permits, and the department handles electrical permits. Its online permit history search shows past building and electrical permits for an address.
- Neighboring towns: your town’s building department and wiring inspector issue permits; light plant towns also require the plant’s interconnection approval.
- Electrical work: solar, batteries, generator transfer switches and EV chargers need a Massachusetts-licensed electrician, who pulls the electrical permit.
- Condos and HOAs: get written approval from the association before you sign.
Cities we cover
- Worcester
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Worcester energy FAQ
Who is the electric utility in Worcester?
National Grid delivers power in the city. Your supply may come from National Grid, from Green Worcester ElectriCITY or from a competitive supplier, and your bill shows which. Several neighboring towns, including Shrewsbury, Holden and Paxton, have their own municipal light plants instead.
Can I leave Green Worcester ElectriCITY?
Yes. The city says you may opt out at any time with no fee or penalty, and that savings compared with National Grid’s price can’t be guaranteed because National Grid’s future prices are unknown. Compare the current prices before you switch.
Is a battery worth it in Worcester?
It can be, mainly for winter backup plus ConnectedSolutions payments, which National Grid estimates at around $1,200 a year for a typical system. Worcester is also among the areas listed for the limited ConnectedSolutions+ offer. A battery is still a large purchase, so compare its cost with a generator for your must-run loads.
Do I need a permit for solar or an EV charger in Worcester?
Yes. The city’s Inspectional Services Department issues the building and electrical permits, and a licensed electrician must pull the electrical permit. Solar and batteries also need National Grid’s interconnection approval before they are switched on.
Sources
Utility prices, outages and supply choice: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. Utility by town: MassGIS Electricity Providers map (DPU data). City of Worcester municipal aggregation and Inspectional Services pages, read October 3, 2026. National Grid ConnectedSolutions and Charge Smart MA pages and ConnectedSolutions program materials, October 3, 2026. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC.