Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Eversource’s $102 Electricity Reconnection Fee Is Unfair

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims Eversource Energy unfairly charges customers a $102 “junk fee” to have their power turned back on after an electricity shutoff.

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According to the 12-page case, the private utility’s reconnection fees are “relics of the past that serve no purpose” other than to boost its bottom line. In the past, companies had to send employees to households to manually disconnect or reconnect an electric meter, the filing explains. However, over the past two decades, electric utilities like Eversource have adopted smart metering devices that allow them to remotely terminate or reactivate service at the push of a button, at no extra cost, the lawsuit says.

“As a result, [the defendant’s] $102 ‘reconnect charges’ far exceed Eversource’s actual cost of reconnecting electric service and is nothing more than an expensive excuse to collect money from struggling consumers who can afford it the least—who are already struggling to keep the lights on,” the complaint argues.

The filing notes that many utility providers impose only a $5 fee to restore power, while others do not charge anything at all.

The suit contends that Eversource’s “staggering” fee exploits customers facing household emergencies who have no other option but to pay under extreme duress.

“When disconnection occurs, household members are essentially prevented from functioning in our modern society, and extreme risks to health, safety, and economic security occur,” the case reads. “As one might expect, electricity disconnection begins a major, all-consuming crisis for the household affected—a mad scramble to try to get power turned back on, at any cost.”

Per the complaint, Eversource also fails to adequately inform customers of its reconnection charge, and the company’s fine-print disclosures do not authorize it to assess the surprise fee.

The plaintiff, a Massachusetts resident, says she made arrangements to have her electricity turned back on after Eversource disconnected her service in August 2024. The woman had no idea she would be charged an extra $102 until she received her September electric bill, the filing shares.

“Such fees only add hardship to hardship and are unconscionable,” the case contends.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in Massachusetts who has a smart meter and, during the applicable statute of limitations period, paid Eversource a reconnect charge.

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