The plan submitted today incorporates recommendations from the GMAC along with feedback from hundreds of customers and stakeholders from across the Commonwealth. The company submitted an initial draft of this Future Grid Plan to the Grid Modernization Advisory Council (GMAC) in September 2023. The plan details National Grid’s commitment to delivering a fair, affordable, and clean energy future for all its customers while meeting the goals set out in the state’s 2050 Clean Energy and Climate Plan (2050 CECP). The plan outlines a path to upgrade and expand the capacity of the electric distribution grid, ensure reliability, accelerate the connection of more solar, storage and electrified heating and transportation, empower smart customer choices, and enable a just and equitable transition away from a fossil-based economy. The proposed investments in the plan are foundational to meeting electric demand that is projected to more than double by 2050, due primarily to the electrification of heating and transportation. WALTHAM, Mass /CSRwire/ - National Grid submitted its Electric Sector Modernization Plan – the Future Grid Plan - to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) outlining the critical investments needed in the local electric distribution system over the next five and ten years to meet Massachusetts’ nation-leading climate change, clean energy, and equity goals. Supports more than $500 million in increased incremental economic activity and 3,900 jobs by 2030, and $1.1 billion in increased incremental economic activity and additional 8,700 jobs by 2035.Commits to increased stakeholder engagement and outreach, with a focus on environmental justice communities, through the launch of a new Equity and Environmental Justice Policy and Stakeholder Engagement Framework and Community Engagement and Stakeholder Advisory Group.Proposes a program offering to avoid costs and enhance resiliency for income-eligible customers through use of batteries to create a virtual power plant (VPP).Leverages energy efficiency, distributed energy resources and demand response to manage costs and defer investments through innovative non-wire alternative (NWA) solutions.
Enables more than 31.3 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions.Expands system capacity by nearly 3 GW by 2035, to support the connection of 3 GW more solar and storage to the grid and EV charging along Mass Pike.Increases capacity of the distribution grid by 1 GW by 2030 to support building and vehicle electrification, including enabling 492,000 more EVs and 84,000 more electric heat pumps.