National Grid says gas heat will cost about $9 less this winter, and electric bills a bit more. Here is where the help is.

National Grid put out its winter forecast for Upstate New York on Wednesday, October 14, along with its yearly rundown of help for customers who struggle with bills. The numbers, for the heating season of November 1 through March 31:

Natural gas: a typical residential heating customer using 713 therms over the winter should pay about $9 less than last winter, if the weather is normal.
Electricity: typical total bills are forecast to rise 3 to 5 percent, or $22 to $39 over the five months, depending on the region.

The forecasts rest on market prices as of the end of September and on a normal winter; a cold one, or a jump in wholesale gas, changes them. The company’s point in publishing early is that customers can sign up for assistance and a budget plan before the first big bill.

“We know energy affordability is a primary concern for so many families and businesses we serve, and we encourage any customer who needs assistance to contact us to understand the options available to them,” Matt Barnett, National Grid’s New York president, said in the release. The company says its current Upstate rate plan carries more than $290 million in discounts for income-eligible and vulnerable customers, and that nearly 170,000 customers received almost $50 million in credits in 2026.

Many homes in Speigletown heat with oil, propane or wood, which National Grid does not forecast, and those households are not covered by the gas figure. The electric number applies to everyone on the grid.

How the bill breaks down

A gas bill has two parts. Supply is the cost of the gas itself, bought on wholesale markets and passed through at cost; National Grid says it does not produce gas, set the wholesale price, or mark up the supply charge, and it stores gas and locks in part of its supply at fixed prices ahead of winter to soften swings. Delivery covers the pipes, the around-the-clock crews, storm response and system upgrades, and is set by the Public Service Commission in rate cases. The small drop in this year’s forecast is a supply story; delivery rates do not fall.

If the bills are a strain

HEAP, the Home Energy Assistance Program, gives grants toward heating bills that do not have to be repaid, and it covers oil, propane and wood as well as gas and electric. Apply through Rensselaer County’s Department of Social Services; the season typically opens in early November, with emergency HEAP in early January.
Enhanced Energy Affordability Program: a monthly bill credit for households that do not qualify for HEAP but have income at or below the state median.
National Grid’s Energy Affordability Program: monthly gas and electric bill credits for eligible customers, including many who qualify for HEAP.
EmPower+, NYSERDA’s free weatherization program for income-eligible households: a free home energy assessment and improvements such as insulation, efficient lighting and appliance upgrades at no cost.
Care & Share, National Grid’s hardship fund, reopens in February 2027 with grants for customers who meet HEAP income guidelines.
The Budget Plan spreads a year’s energy costs evenly across twelve months, so January and February do not land all at once.

For all of it, National Grid’s consumer line is 1-800-642-4272. The company’s consumer advocates, who handle payment plans, extra time to pay and protections for customers with serious medical needs, helped nearly 19,000 Upstate households this year.

The tips that make a difference

National Grid’s list is long; these are the ones with real money behind them in an older Speigletown house:

Each degree you set the thermostat back saves 1 to 3 percent on heating for the year. Turn it down when you leave for two hours or more and at bedtime; it costs less to reheat a cool house than to hold it warm all night. A smart thermostat that does this for you can save about 10 percent.
Sealing cracks and gaps, especially in the attic and basement, can cut heating and cooling costs about 15 percent. Pull window air conditioners for the winter, or seal around them.
Insulate the attic first; it is where the heat goes.
Open the drapes on the south side by day, close them at night.
Have the furnace or boiler serviced once a year, and clean or replace the filter monthly through the heating season. Do not try to repair a heating system yourself.
Swapping five incandescent bulbs for LEDs saves about $11 a month; unplugging electronics in standby can save up to 10 percent of a year’s electric use.

Sources: National Grid’s October 14, 2026 news release on the 2026-27 Upstate New York winter outlook and customer assistance, including the quote from New York president Matt Barnett, as reported by WNYT and other outlets; the New York State HEAP program’s usual season dates, which the state confirms each fall. The release also cites American Gas Association comparisons of gas to oil, propane and electric heating costs; those are the industry’s figures and we have not reproduced them. The note on oil, propane and wood heating in Speigletown is ours.