After Smart Meters Installed, Nantucket Residents Say Electric Bills Have Skyrocketed

Are National Grid’s smart meters causing electricity bills to increase? Dozens of Nantucket homeowners think so, but National Grid denies their claims.

Over the phone, via email, and on social media, many homeowners have told the Current that their energy bills soared immediately after the installation of the new electricity meters, which provide near real-time energy data and are intended to help customers manage usage and reduce bills. The utility company began installing them on the island in October 2024, and has been making its way into many neighborhoods around Nantucket to its 14,390 customers.

In some cases, bills shot up by more than 500 percent. The bills rose primarily because of higher reported usage totals, not because electricity prices increased. One homeowner reported energy bills up nearly 70 percent despite spending most of the month off-island. The Current was able to verify the increase.

National Grid says that “increases are not related to the installation of smart meter devices.”

National Grid routinely tests the accuracy of smart meters, and the tests are overseen by independent regulators. National Grid representatives claim that the meters have an accuracy rate of 99.96 percent.

Instead, National Grid representatives have repeatedly turned to two alternative explanations: an unusually cold winter, and choices made by individual homeowners.

According to National Grid, this winter has been around 12 percent colder than average, and total electricity usage on-island has jumped by 6 percent. Neither of these numbers comes close to approaching the scope of the increases reported by local homeowners. Additionally, in several cases reviewed by the Current, the smart meters were installed in the fall, and electricity bills increased dramatically before the cold snap.

Bill Marasco, who owns a home in the mid-island area, had his meter replaced in October. He says his bills then increased tenfold. He claims that when he reached out to National Grid, they told him it was his fault for not having an energy-efficient home.

“You talk to them and it’s always your fault,” he said. “You know how it is, you get paranoid. You think geez, did I do something wrong?”

Several homeowners said that National Grid responded to their concerns the same way. National Grid representatives initially responded in a similar fashion when reached by the Current.

“At [Marasco’s] request, the meter was tested on Jan. 12, 2026 and it was found to be accurate,” a National Grid representative told the Current. “Subsequently, at the request of the customer, the existing smart meter was exchanged on Feb. 9, 2026 for another one.”

If the cold can’t account for the increase, maybe personal choices can. The use of space heaters, poorly sealed windows, and incandescent light bulbs all lead to higher energy use and high bills. Many homeowners who spoke with the Current said that their behavior was unchanged, but their claims could not be independently verified.

It’s also possible that the new meters are accurate, but the old meters were inaccurate, leading to homeowners seeing artificially low bills for years. At least two homeowners told the Current that National Grid representatives had suggested this to them over the phone, but National Grid did not address this possibility in discussions with the Current beyond mentioning that legacy meters are also regularly tested for accuracy.

“National Grid is committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable energy to the customers and communities we serve,” National Grid said in a statement provided to the Current. “Colder‑than‑normal weather across Massachusetts has led to higher energy use and increased winter bills for many customers. Our customer service teams have responded to customers from across the state, including Nantucket, and are here to help residents manage seasonal energy costs and connect with bill‑assistance and money‑saving programs. We encourage customers to contact us with any concerns, at 1-800-322-3223.”

National Grid did admit one possible issue with smart meter installation. When a new electricity meter is installed, whether it is a smart meter or a legacy meter, it has to connect to the network and become registered. Occasionally, this can take as long as a month. When that happens, bills will be estimated, and could diverge significantly from actual values. The estimated bill will eventually be replaced with the actual bill once connectivity is restored.