Address
One South Station, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02111
- This page, Technical Session for the Department’s Investigation in DPU 25-200, is offered by
- Department of Public Utilities
Technical Session for the Department’s Investigation in DPU 25-200
Overview
The Department is conducting a hybrid technical session to discuss matters related to its investigation into gas and electric delivery charges and bill redesign. The technical session will be an opportunity for the Department to hear stakeholders’ recommendations to topics in the Agenda and to ask questions and engage in discussions. For more information, please see the Agenda below.
The public is welcome to observe the proceedings through a virtual livestream and interested stakeholders are welcome to participate in discussions. The session will take place on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. For audio-only access to the session, attendees can dial-in at 1 646-558-8656 and then enter Meeting ID# 816 1858 2454. For more information, please see the Hearing Officer Memo below.
For any questions regarding the matter, please contact stephanie.mealey@mass.gov and Jennifer.cargill@mass.gov.
Agenda
- Introductions and Opening Remarks
- Discussion Topic #1: Scope of Department Authority and Potential Mechanics of Changes to Net Metering Credit Calculation
- What rate components must statutorily remain and what rate components may be removed from the net metering credit calculation?
- Discussion Topic #2: Potential Impact of Credit Calculation Changes on Net Metering Customers, Renewable Energy Generating Facility Developers, and Ratepayers
- Net Metering Customers
- Discuss how the Department can ensure fair treatment of existing net metering customers.
- DER Developers
- Discuss how a reduction (e.g. 3.4%, 3.5%, or 5.1%) that corresponds to removing the residential assistance adjustment factor (RAAF) and other similarly categorized charges, in the net metering credit value may affect:
- The expected returns, payback periods, and overall economic viability of net metering projects.
- The number, size, and types of projects that developers choose to pursue;
- Project types and characteristics, including standalone versus behind-the-meter projects, larger versus smaller facilities, and existing versus future projects differently;
- Different customer types, specifically, any potential disproportionate impacts on income-eligible customers or customers with low electricity usage; and
- Overall renewable energy deployment in Massachusetts and progress toward the Commonwealth’s renewable energy targets.
- Discuss any specific considerations or potential impacts the Department should consider for solar projects paired with energy storage, given the interaction between net metering compensation and storage economics.
- Discuss how a reduction (e.g. 3.4%, 3.5%, or 5.1%) that corresponds to removing the residential assistance adjustment factor (RAAF) and other similarly categorized charges, in the net metering credit value may affect:
- Ratepayers
- Discuss which factors have the greatest influence on estimated ratepayer impacts (e.g., forthcoming RAAF increase, future Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) and net metering enrollment levels, electric supply rates, etc.).
- Discuss how implementation, administrative, and billing costs of future changes directed by the Legislature or the Department should be factored into the assessment of overall ratepayer impacts.
- Net Metering Customers
- Discussion Topic #3: Net Metering in Other Jurisdictions
- Discuss lessons learned from other jurisdictions that have recently made changes to net metering compensation, including reducing the credit value, and how such lessons may be applied in Massachusetts to reduce costs borne by ratepayers.
- Discussion Topic #4: Relationships between SMART and Net Metering Compensation
- In preparation for this discussion, we recommend referring to Eversource Energy’s Initial Comments at 58-60, DPU-DOER 2-1, 2-3, and DPU Electric 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, and 2-5. Please discuss:
- How changes to net metering credit compensation may reduce total costs borne by ratepayers, versus merely shifting recovery from the net metering recovery surcharge (NMRS) to the SMART Factor; and
- If shifting some portion of cost recovery from the NMRS to the SMART Factor changes the distribution of costs across customer types. If so, discuss if the impacts would differ across customer classes and usage levels.
- In preparation for this discussion, we recommend referring to Eversource Energy’s Initial Comments at 58-60, DPU-DOER 2-1, 2-3, and DPU Electric 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, and 2-5. Please discuss:
- Next Steps
Additional Resources
DPU 25-200 Hearing Officer Memo, Open PDF file, 233.07 KB
(English, PDF 233.07 KB)