While there is much debate about whether the GOP tax plan will, in fact, provide economic benefits for employees and consumers in America, one clear benefit should be captured immediately: the reduction in utility rates from the reduction in the corporate income tax rate. Utilities pay taxes like any other corporation, and they will see […]
Over the years, the four major groups representing commercial and industrial (C&I) customers in proceedings before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU)—Associated Industries of Massachusetts, The Energy Consortium, The Western Massachusetts Industrial Group and PowerOptions—have actively participated in numerous dockets, presenting a unique C&I customer-oriented perspective, only to have their positions dismissed with little […]
Last fall, in the midst of the multitude of year-end utility filings, Eversource filed a request with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities for a $20 million surcharge, on top of its energy efficiency charge, to fund its dabbling in demand reduction demonstration projects. I say “dabbling” because the filing is little more than a […]
The Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General (IG) issued the “Advisory for Municipalities and Other Public Awarding Authorities Using Energy Broker Services” on October 20, 2016. The result of a two-year review, it offers guidance and best practices in selecting and managing energy professionals. Although written primarily for cities, towns and housing authorities, the recommendations […]
There is much pondering happening these days about what a Donald Trump presidency will mean for national and regional energy policy, particularly now that former Governor Rick Perry has been named as Secretary of Energy. One thing is clear, however. Certain New England states cannot be sanguine in thinking that they will be able to […]
Recently, the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) released its long-anticipated report on energy storage, State of Charge. The report forecasts a promising future for the emerging technology, predicting up to 600 megawatts installed in Massachusetts alone by 2025 that could potentially result in $800 million in system benefits to customers. This report sets the […]
