Governor Maura Healey has settled on a re-election energy message: an “all of the above” strategy to lower bills. On March 16, she introduced an executive order requiring that the state build out 10 new gigawatts of power and 5 new gigawatts of energy storage by 2035 — both very large amounts — with the intent of lowering consumer utility bills.
In recent years, “all of the above” have been fighting words for some environmentalists — since it includes power sources like natural gas and nuclear power, in addition to wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable sources.
It also represents a shift in tone for Healey, who once aligned closely with environmental groups to block fossil fuel infrastructure.
But at this point — with energy bills rising, a predicted surge in electricity demand from electric vehicles and electrified home heating, policy tumult in Washington, and great uncertainty around the impact of AI and data centers on energy use and prices — Healey’s strategy is the right one.
It’s politically smart, too: Electric and heating bills have been identified as the number one budget stressor among Massachusetts residents. Meanwhile, in order to reach its climate goals, the state must massively expand its electric grid, with many infrastructure projects and upgrades already underway.
These upgrades will require long-term commitment, and the best way to sustain political support for such costly upgrades is to keep prices now as low as possible.
That work is much harder than it should be because the Trump administration appears hell-bent on using the federal government’s considerable power to undermine renewable power, and has successfully stalled offshore wind projects on the East Coast. The administration’s stance is short-sighted. But without the federal government’s support to complete megaprojects like offshore wind farms, the provisions in the governor’s executive order can only do so much to bring energy prices down across the state.
The war in Iran and other events totally outside the state’s control also complicate the state’s energy planning, and underscore why it should be keeping its options open. For instance, the governor has asked the Legislature to smooth the path to more nuclear power in the state, which lawmakers should approve.
“Whatever is going on in the world, Massachusetts is going to be a stable place to do business,” Rebecca Tepper, the state’s energy and environmental affairs secretary, said during the press conference announcing the governor’s executive order. “We’re going to honor our permits. We’re going to offer programs that the developers can rely on. And we’re going to be clear about what we’re working towards.”
Even before the Trump administration’s destructive policies, the slower-than-expected pace of the offshore wind industry’s growth pointed to the need for the state to hedge its energy bets.
Vineyard Wind and Revolution Wind, two industrial-scale wind farms off of New England’s coasts, finished construction this year, but only after years of delay and last-minute legal fights with the Trump administration. Federal judges were able to help the projects over the finish line, but now other wind developers are under threat — or being incentivized by the feds to scrap planned projects altogether.
After Revolution Wind, it will be years before another industrial-scale wind farm opens off New England’s coasts. The projects are notorious for their long time frames because of their political and institutional complexity; every layer of federal, state, and local government has been involved in bringing Revolution Wind online.
Certainly, the state should continue to encourage offshore wind. But it should be prepared for the possibility that Trump may succeed in wrecking the industry.
Healey’s energy pivot recognizes the needs of constituents and, if she sticks with it, should help the state build a diverse and resilient power grid in the future. And it may ultimately be the best for the environment, too: If Healey can successfully reduce costs, she may be able to protect the state’s climate policies from a popular backlash that is already rising in other states.
Editorials represent the views of the Boston Globe Editorial Board. Follow us @GlobeOpinion.