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ARTICLE · 16 MARCH 2016

Massachusetts DPU Moves Forward With Grid Modernization

Foley Hoag LLP
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On Tuesday, after months of waiting, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) took action on the Grid Modernization Plans filed last summer by the three Massachusetts Electric Distribution Companies...

United StatesEnergy and Natural Resources
Foley Hoag LLP
Foley Hoag LLP
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On Tuesday, after months of waiting, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) took action on the Grid Modernization Plans filed last summer by the three Massachusetts Electric Distribution Companies (EDCs), Eversource Energy, National Grid, and Unitil, calling for all interested parties to intervene in the proceedings by March 30, 2016.

The EDCs' Grid Modernization Planspropose concrete steps to modernize the electric grid, including plans to improve the integration of distributed resources into the grid and invest in technologies to optimize demand and improve the grid's resiliency and responsiveness. As part of those plans, each EDC evaluated the possibility of rolling out advanced meters to all customers. Although there is a great deal of variation among the three plans, each of the EDCs proposed significant investment in systems to collect and process information and increase the atomization of grid functions, investment in energy storage projects,

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