Last updated: · Sources verified
In Massachusetts, the best-documented heat pump benefit in 2026 is on your electric bill: Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil charge a much lower distribution rate from November 1 to April 30 to homes heated by heat pumps. Mass Save runs the state’s heat pump rebates, so check its site for current amounts. HEAR and HOMES don’t have a public launch date yet.
HEAR and HOMES in Massachusetts
HEAR and HOMES are the federal rebate programs that replaced most of the help from the expired heat pump tax credit. Each state runs its own version. How HEAR and HOMES work nationwide.
| Program | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| HEAR (electrification rebates) | Check current availability | DOER applied for HEAR and HOMES funding; its public updates page doesn’t show a launch date. Check with Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). |
| HOMES (whole-home efficiency rebates) | Check current availability | DOER applied for HEAR and HOMES funding; its public updates page doesn’t show a launch date. Check with Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). |
Heat pump rebates and incentives in Massachusetts
| Program | Amount | Who qualifies | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal heat pump electricity rate Open (source) | Lower base distribution rate Nov 1–Apr 30: Eversource $0.02052/kWh (vs. $0.06264), National Grid $0.02440/kWh (vs. $0.06677), Unitil $0.03633/kWh (vs. $0.10176). Eversource also lowers transmission to $0.01492/kWh (vs. $0.04545) | Residential and residential low-income customers | Your home must be heated (at least partly) by a heat pump; heat pump water heaters alone don’t qualify. Automatic enrollment if you got a Mass Save heat pump rebate since January 1, 2019; otherwise self-enroll with your utility Combine with others: Yes: it’s a rate, not a rebate |
| Mass Save heat pump rebates Check current availability (source) | Check current amounts with Mass Save. Check current amounts with Mass Save sponsors | Check with Mass Save | Check with Mass Save |
Example: what a typical household could get
Example: an Eversource customer heated by a heat pump uses 7,000 kWh from November through April. The lower base distribution rate saves $0.04212 per kWh ($0.06264 − $0.02052), about $295, and the lower transmission rate saves $0.03053 per kWh ($0.04545 − $0.01492), about $214. That’s roughly $509 over the winter. The 7,000 kWh figure is only an illustration, so plug in your own November–April usage from your bills. These are only two parts of your bill; other charges stay the same.
How to apply, step by step
- Check Mass Save’s heat pump rebates for current amounts and requirements before you sign a contract: Mass Save air-source heat pumps.
- Install your heat pump with a contractor that meets Mass Save’s requirements, and keep your rebate paperwork.
- Get on the heat pump rate. If you received a Mass Save heat pump rebate (or live somewhere that did) since January 1, 2019, your utility enrolls you automatically and gives you a chance to opt out.
- Not enrolled automatically? Self-enroll: Eversource and National Grid have online forms, and Unitil customers can call 1-888-301-7700.
- Watch for HEAR and HOMES. Check the Department of Energy Resources for launch updates.
Choosing a heat pump for Massachusetts’s climate
Massachusetts winters call for a cold-climate heat pump. The state notes these systems work down to sub-zero temperatures, and many homes keep their existing oil or propane system as a backup for the coldest days.
The winter heat pump rate makes running the heat pump as your main heat source cheaper: once you’re enrolled, the lower rate applies to all of your household’s electricity use from November 1 through April 30, not just the heat pump. From May to October you pay the normal residential rate.
Massachusetts heat pump rebate FAQ
What is the Massachusetts heat pump electricity rate?
A lower seasonal rate from Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil for residential customers who heat with a heat pump. From November 1 to April 30, the base distribution rate drops, for example from $0.06264 to $0.02052 per kWh at Eversource, and Eversource also lowers its transmission rate.
Do I have to sign up for the heat pump rate?
Usually not. If you or your address got a Mass Save heat pump rebate since January 1, 2019, you’re enrolled automatically. Otherwise, self-enroll with your electric company.
Does a heat pump water heater qualify for the lower rate?
No, unless it also provides space heating. The rate is for homes heated by a heat pump.
Are HEAR and HOMES available in Massachusetts?
Not as a public offer we could verify. The Department of Energy Resources applied for the funding, but its updates page doesn’t show a launch date. Check with DOER for the latest.
Rebates in nearby states
- Heat pump rebates in New Hampshire
- Heat pump rebates in Vermont
- Heat pump rebates in New York
- Heat pump rebates in Rhode Island
- All states: heat pump tax credit and rebates guide
Sources
- Massachusetts DOER: Federal Funding Updates
- Mass.gov: Residential electric seasonal heat pump rates
- Mass Save: Air-source heat pumps
Programs change often. We verify every figure against the official source listed above; if something looks out of date, let us know.