Amid shutdown, Rep. Pressley asks Eversource, Nat. Grid to keep lights on for federal employees
As a government shutdown drags on with no end in sight, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley has asked two of the state's biggest utility providers to impose a moratorium on shutoffs for the tens of thousands of federal workers hit by the gridlock on Capitol Hill.
Pressley, D-7th District, sent letters, shared exclusively with MassLive, to top officials at National Grid and Eversource, arguing that furloughed workers and contractors are pawns caught up in Washington's partisan derby.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, speaks at an event in Revere announcing a new study on hunger in Massachusetts conducted by the Greater Boston Food Bank and Mass General Brigham, June 17, 2025.(Will Katcher/MassLive)
"For no fault of their own, federal workers and contractors are missing wages and may be unable to pay their utility bills," the Boston lawmaker wrote.
"Terminating service due to nonpayment translates to a lack of heat, electricity, internet, and other essentials," she continued. "A disruption in service will undoubtedly disrupt learning for kids, diminish resources for elders, and endanger the health and safety of entire families."
Roughly 45,000 federal workers in Massachusetts, many of whom live in Pressley's district, have been hit by the two-week-old shutdown, she said.
Pressley asked the utility giants to offer a payment deferral program for the affected employees, adding that "such a program should not require a down payment, nor should it carry interest or fees, to fully mitigate the financial burden."
A spokesperson for National Grid told MassLive Friday that the company is monitoring the shutdown and "remains committed to providing products and services to help manage energy bills, control costs, and secure assistance."
"Customers impacted by the ongoing federal shutdown are eligible for payment holds on their account," the spokesperson, Brendan Moss, said.
The company has also offered resources on its website to federal employees who have been affected by the gridlock on Capitol Hill. And if an account is on hold because of the shutdown, it will not be turned off. Customers can call 1-800-233-5325 for more information.
A spokesperson for Eversource told MassLive that the company similarly "[remains] committed to supporting all of our customers, including federal employees, who may be experiencing financial hardship."
"We encourage any customer who is concerned about their ability to pay their energy bill to contact us directly or visit our website at www.eversource.com to explore available assistance options," spokesperson William Hinkle said in an email.
"We work with customers on a case-by-case basis to identify solutions that best meet their needs and we are here to support our customers who may be impacted by the government shutdown," Hinkle said.
Customers are not at risk of a shutoff until they are 60 days past-due on bills, and the shutdown has not yet reached that point, he noted.
Pressley's letters, meanwhile, also come amid broader legislative efforts to mitigate the impact of the shutdown for federal employees.
Legislation sponsored by Democratic U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania and Emily Randall of Washington suspends rent, student loan and mortgage payments, as well as tax bills, for impacted federal workers.
The bill also protects workers from eviction, foreclosure, credit penalties and the loss of insurance coverage, the lawmakers said in a statement.
"Federal workers should never face eviction, foreclosure, or financial ruin because of a lapse in government funding," Boyle, the top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said. "This bill makes clear that when the government shuts down, the people who keep it running deserve basic protections and peace of mind."
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey ordered the state's utility regulators to start combing through gas and electric bill charges line by line to reduce or remove any that don't provide a benefit to ratepayers as they gird for the winter heating season, MassLive previously reported.
"Everybody knows what we're dealing with. It's not just a Massachusetts issue, it's a problem throughout the Northeast, and we've just got to act with just incredible urgency to do everything we can to lower costs," the Democratic governor said Tuesday.
"And that means this as well, looking at bills, looking at charges, and getting rid of charges that aren't justified, that aren't providing that customer benefit," Healey said.
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