In Case You Missed It: Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities Approves Eversource Electric Sector Modernization Plan

September 05, 2024 at 12:32 PM EDT

Eversource ESMP Details Comprehensive Roadmap to Enhance Grid Resiliency and Reliability for Customers, Foster Community Engagement, and Achieve Commonwealth’s Clean Energy Goals

Affirming the commonwealth’s leadership on a strategic approach to the clean energy transition, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities' (DPU) recently approved Electric Sector Modernization Plans (ESMP) proposed by Eversource and other utilities to develop the clean energy infrastructure needed to meet decarbonization goals while ensuring safe, reliable service for customers. The DPU’s order builds on Massachusetts’ proactive, equity-focused work to advance a sustainable energy future, reflecting a strong commitment to responsibly investing in more resilient, flexible infrastructure to combat the impacts of climate change, enable electrification, increase renewable energy production and meet the future energy needs of customers.

“We appreciate the department’s constructive consideration and the thoughtful collaboration with stakeholders across Massachusetts on our Electric Sector Modernization Plan, which is a transformative roadmap that paves the way for a modernized electric distribution system that strengthens the grid’s resiliency and reliability for our customers while helping meet the commonwealth’s decarbonization goals with enhanced community and stakeholder engagement,” said Eversource Senior Vice President of Engineering and System Planning Digaunto Chatterjee.

The department’s order and Eversource’s ESMP demonstrate a strong commitment to a clean energy future that spurs economic development, creates jobs, and encourages more investment in Massachusetts. Importantly, it also affords all customers effective and equitable opportunities to access and participate in the process to develop clean energy infrastructure projects through multiple forums including the Grid Mod Advisory Council, Equity Working Group, and the establishment of a Community Engagement Stakeholder Advisory Group (CESAG). The newly established CESAG will bring together members from community-based organizations across the state to collaboratively create a statewide stakeholder engagement framework that will be implemented before the development of clean energy projects.

“We are eager to move forward with our ESMP to maintain safe and reliable service as we transition to a clean energy future that ensures meaningful opportunities for all customers to participate in the development of clean energy projects and share in their benefits,” Chatterjee continued. “By investing in innovative technologies and more resilient infrastructure while engaging with our communities, we are committed to supporting the commonwealth's decarbonization goals and ensuring all customers share in our collective progress – reinforcing Massachusetts’ leadership in responsibly advancing a sustainable energy future.”

Among other highlights, Eversource’s ESMP will significantly increase electrification hosting capacity to accommodate 2.5 million electric vehicles, 1 million residential heat pumps, and an additional 2.2 GW of new solar power, which are essential for achieving the commonwealth's ambitious electrification and decarbonization targets. It also focuses on enhancing grid resiliency in environmental justice communities by prioritizing these areas for proactive grid upgrades to mitigate potential future climate impacts. Working collaboratively with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) and other stakeholders, Eversource will increase the use of local clean energy resources as virtual power plant (VPP) alternatives to address grid needs, defer system upgrades when possible, and help lower costs for customers.

“As the commonwealth continues to pursue this transformative energy transition, investments in clean energy infrastructure must achieve both equity and decarbonization objectives while focusing on affordability for customers,” said Eversource Vice President for Grid Modernization Jen Schilling. “Collaboration and stakeholder input is at the heart of our ESMP, and we look forward to working with MassCEC on a study to quantify the local reliability value of virtual power plan alternatives.”

More information on Eversource’s ESMP can be found on the company’s website.

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its corporate citizenship, is among the top energy companies in Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for 2024 and recognized as a Five-Year Champion, appearing in every edition of the list. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas and supplies water to 1.8 million customers throughout Massachusetts, including approximately 1.42 million electric customers in 157 communities, 656,000 gas customers in 122 communities, and 11,500 water customers in five communities. Eversource harnesses the commitment of approximately 9,900 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 energy efficiency provider in the nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like a first-in-the-nation networked geothermal pilot project, solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com, and follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.