Public Hearing Notice  Department-Led AMI Working Group Session (D.P.U. 21-80, 21-81, 21-82)

On May 6, 2025, the Department of Public Utilities (“Department”) will conduct via the Zoom platform a Department-led session of the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (“AMI”) Working Group established as a result of the Department’s directives in dockets D.P.U. 21‑80, D.P.U. 21‑81, and D.P.U. 21‑82.  The AMI Stakeholder Wording Group includes several parties from dockets D.P.U. 21-80, D.P.U. 21-81, and D.P.U. 21-82, as well as other interested stakeholders on AMI functionality, deployment, and data access. The electric distribution companies (Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil) and multiple stakeholders will provide presentations on relevant issues, and Department-led discussions will follow those presentations.

Any person may view the livestream of the session by entering the link, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88454385037, from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. No prior software download is required.

For audio-only access, dial (646) 931-3860 (not toll free) and then enter the Meeting ID# 884 5438 5037.

The presentations and additional details regarding topics to be addressed are available via documents accessible through the Department’s online File Room.

Agenda:

1. Introductions and guidelines for presentations and discussion
2. Companies’ presentation – Part I and discussion
   1. Reporting customer usage data
   2. Energy usage data and Green Button Connect
   3. Status update on each company’s AMI deployment schedule
3. Presentations from interested stakeholders
   1. DOER
   2. Joint Stakeholders (Mission:data, NRG Energy, and Vistra Corporation)
   3. Mission:data
4. Companies’ presentation – Part II and discussion
5. Open discussion
6. Next steps
7. Closing remarks

Background:

On November 30, 2022, the Department issued an Order on the second grid modernization plans filed by Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil. These plans included each company’s AMI implementation plan. In this Order, the Department directed the companies to convene a statewide stakeholder working group to address the following topics related to the companies’ AMI implementation plans: (1) customer and third-party access to customer usage data; (2) customer education and engagement; (3) billing of time varying rates (TVR) offered by competitive suppliers; and (4) AMI deployment strategies that may expedite the ability for competitive suppliers to offer TVR products. Additionally, the Department directed the companies to file quarterly status reports, culminating in the filing of a final report submitted on August 1, 2024. For each topic identified by the Department above, the final report presents consensus issues and unresolved “non-consensus” issues. The final report also summarizes participant positions on a load settlement issue that arose during stakeholder discussions.

On November 20, 2024, the Legislature enacted An Act Promoting a Clean Energy Grid, Advancing Equity and Protecting Ratepayers, St. 2024, c. 239 (“2024 Climate Act” or “Act”) that required the EDCs, among other things: (1) to jointly establish a centralized data repository in a cost-effective manner as approved by the Department, to allow customers and third parties, including competitive suppliers, access to detailed AMI customer data in near-real time, subject to customer approval and protections (Sections 79, 127); and (2) to submit for Department approval a plan for the implementation of AMI data access protocols not later than one year after the effective date of the Act, i.e., by February 18, 2026 (Section 128). The Act also establishes an option for electric customers to opt-out of inclusion in the implementation of AMI and requires each company to notify the Department of a customer’s decision to opt-out (Section 79). Further, the 2024 Climate Act requires the EDCs to implement accelerated supplier switching once a company fully deploys AMI pursuant to its approved grid modernization plan (Section 79).

Additional Resources

• Grid modernization and AMI resources
• 21-80 -81 -82 Joint Presentation
• DOER Presentation
• Missiondata slides
• D.P.U. 21-80-B 81-B 82-B - Track 2 Order (11.30.22)
• DPU 21-80 81 82 AMI Stakeholder Group Final Report (Final 8-1-24)
• D.P.U. 21-80 -81 -82 Procedural Memo (3.5.25)
• D.P.U. 21-80 -81 -82 - Memo re Upcoming Working Group Session (4.24.25)
• D.P.U. 21-80 -81 -82 - Procedural Memo on AMI Working Group Sessions (4.2.25)