“We are considering whether to limit the percentage of people’s income spent on energy bills. We have an energy burden docket considering tiered discount rates or targeting the largest bill discounts to customers most in need, and changes to utility service disconnection practices.”

“The next five years are going to be significant on the gas side as we continue to guide the transition of the industry, and on the electric side as we implement AMI and roll out time-varying rates. We need to do a lot on rate design, affordability, and heat pump rates.”

The DPU is led by Chair James Van Nostrand along with Commissioners Cecile Fraser and Staci Rubin. The PUF team discussed with them the latest events in regulation, as well as where the Bay State is headed in its energy transition. DPU Staff provided updates on what is going on in their divisions, and as a bonus, PUF Executive Editor Steve Mitnick talked with Secretary of Energy for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Rebecca Tepper.

PUF is proud to announce that it will give this year’s Fortnightly Top Innovator Awards to 24 innovators or teams of innovators at 20 different utilities.

“Most utilities are accustomed to smart meters providing 15-minute interval data — sometimes every hour. But for grid modernization to succeed in a decentralized energy economy, that’s not fast enough. BEC’s Apolloware operates with 1-2 second data resolution, enabling near-instantaneous visibility.”

“Developed in collaboration with over forty electric companies and one hundred organizations, EPRI released the Climate READi: Power Framework in May 2025. This framework provides guidance, references, and tools to assess asset and system risks to physical climate conditions.”

“Europe is making carbon-free energy not just a national priority but a daily experience for all its residents and visitors. As U.S. policymakers and regulators continue charting our own clean energy future, there are powerful lessons in what I observed abroad.”

The United States Energy Association held an Advanced Energy and Technology Showcase in Washington, D.C.