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Massachusetts Grid Modernization

Building Tomorrow’s Smarter, Stronger, Cleaner Grid Today

Read our Future Grid Executive Summary (Jan. 2024) 

Massachusetts leads the nation in driving the clean energy transition and combatting climate change.  The Commonwealth has set ambitious targets to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 prioritizing energy efficiency and electrification powered by solar and wind and reducing fossil fuel use in all sectors of the economy, while building a more resilient energy system for all Bay Staters.

At National Grid, we are committed to delivering the clean energy transition affordably, fairly and reliably.  To do that, we are building a smarter, stronger and cleaner energy system to connect more clean and renewable energy to the grid and to connect our customers to innovative energy solutions that meet their needs.

 

How Does the Grid Work and How is it Changing?

First, it’s important to understand how our electric grid operates and how it is changing. For decades, to deliver power to your home or business, there are three primary components: generation, transmission and distribution.

Generation
windmill next to house

Generation is the production of electrical energy from various energy sources.

Transmission

transmission lines

Transmission involves the movement of this energy over very long distance with very high voltage.

Distribution

substation with transmission lines

Distribution takes high voltage electricity and passes it though substations, reducing the voltage to levels that can be delivered safely to your home or business.

 

The combination of these components is what is known as the grid. It is changing from a one-way system designed to carry electricity from generating units to homes and businesses, to a smarter, two-way super-highway with many on-ramps and off-ramps.

Video in [Spanish] [Portuguese] [Mandarin].

 

What is Grid Modernization?

We’re developing plans to achieve the Commonwealth’s goal for each electric company to develop an electric-sector modernization plan (ESMP).

Our five-year, ten-year and long-range plans and forecasts focus on:

  • improving grid reliability, communications, and resiliency;
  • enabling increased, timely adoption of renewable energy and distributed energy resources;
  • promoting energy storage and electrification technologies necessary to decarbonize the environment and economy;
  • preparing for future climate-driven impacts on the transmission and distribution systems;
  • accommodating increased transportation electrification, increased building electrification, and other potential future demands on distribution and, where applicable, transmission systems; and
  • minimizing or mitigating impacts on the ratepayers of the commonwealth.

Engaging our Customers and Communities

At National Grid, we consider our customers and communities an integral partner in developing and implementing our clean energy transition plans. We continue to build relationships by listening, learning, and incorporating your feedback into our planning process.

You are invited to listen in to the upcoming stakeholder workshops and technical conferences, learn more about the ESMPs, and the transition to clean energy, and hear firsthand from a broad range of stakeholders representing organizations and customers from across the state.

Information Session

National Grid will hold an information session about the Future Grid plan to answer questions and provide an overview of the ESMP.

ESMP Virtual Public Information Session

 

ESMP Stakeholder Meeting and Technical Conference #1: Demand Forecast and Infrastructure Needs
Presentation [PDF] | Video [English] [Spanish] [Portuguese (European)] [Portuguese (Brazilian)] [Mandarin]

 

In addition, you can submit your feedback, questions, and comments via Future.Grid@Nationalgrid.com.

Learn More

 

Fact Sheet: Our Future Grid
[English] [Spanish] [Portuguese] [Mandarin] [French/Haitian Creole] [Khmer]

Fact Sheet: National Grid – Delivering for You
[English] [Spanish] [Portuguese] [Mandarin] [French/Haitian Creole] [Khmer]

Fact Sheet: National Grid – Delivering Progress
[English] [Spanish] [Portuguese] [Mandarin] [French/Haitian Creole] [Khmer]