The utility companies behind the Mass Save initiative say one Massachusetts contractor falsely collected roughly $7.7 million through heat pump rebate claims, raising concerns about trust, oversight, and the cost burdens on households that fund the program through their utility bills.
What's happening?
As reported by WCVB, the utilities that run Mass Save allege that the owner of Rockland-based MWD Heating and Air Conditioning, Mark Dyszczyk, fraudulently collected over $7.7 million through heat pump rebate claims.
These utilities are now suing Dyszczyk. They allege that his rebate applications involved heat pump projects that either were not actually completed or used equipment that did not qualify under the program's incentive requirements.
Customers currently pay for Mass Save through charges added to their electric and gas bills, meaning that everyday people could be effectively paying into fraudsters' wallets. Mass Save now operates at roughly $1.5 billion a year, even as high energy prices remain a major concern for residents and businesses, per WCVB.
After raising concerns about Dyszczyk in April, the utility sponsors, including National Grid, Eversource, and Cape Light Compact JPE, said they stopped pending payments, put his additional applications on hold, and blocked him from participating in Mass Save while the matter was investigated.
In a joint statement, these utilities wrote, per WCVB, "the defendants' conduct, which primarily involved commercial projects, undermines public trust in these vital programs and unfairly casts a shadow over the thousands of ethical, skilled contractors who deliver high-quality services to customers across Massachusetts every day."
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The allegations also tap into bigger questions about heat pump incentives, utility bills, and consumer trust.
• Watchdogs say some utility companies keep electricity bills high through schemes financed by customers.
• In Alberta, critics blasted tax dollars down the drain after a costly fossil fuel ad campaign.
• In Oregon, officials added NW Natural to a $50 billion lawsuit over heat wave-related climate harms.
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