D.P.U. 23-67: Technical session for municipal aggregation proceeding

On August 15, 2023, the Department of Public Utilities (“Department”) issued an Order opening an investigation into establishing guidelines for municipal aggregation proceedings, D.P.U. 23-67. The Department invited stakeholders to participate in this investigation and requested written comment on its proposed draft guidelines and draft template plan. D.P.U. 23-67, at 8. Initial comments were filed on or before October 6, 2023, and reply comments were filed on or before November 6, 2023. 

The Department received more than 40 initial comments and twelve reply comments from a diverse group of stakeholders. In their comments, several stakeholders requested that the Department conduct a technical session to understand the concerns and perspectives of stakeholders involved with implementing municipal aggregation programs.2 In addition, a group of 35 municipal aggregators filed a request asking that the Department conduct a technical session to address aggregation plan content, rate setting and operational adders, program launch timing, and next steps (October 27, 2023). The municipal aggregators request was supported by NRG Retail Companies (October 30, 2023).

The Department has reviewed the initial and reply comments and the requests to conduct a technical session. Based on our review of comments and requests for a technical session, the Department has determined that the appropriate next step in this investigation is to conduct a technical session.

The Department will conduct a technical session on December 20, 2023, beginning at 9:30 a.m., at the Department’s office, One South Station, 3rd Floor, Boston, Massachusetts. The technical session will be in person only. Before the technical session, the Department will issue a Hearing Officer memorandum with an agenda that will guide our discussion during the technical session.