The Future Grid from a Municipal Lens & New Customer Connections Workshop

The Future Grid from a Municipal Lens

The Grid Modernization Advisory Council (GMAC) is hosting its second in-person event in 2025 to convene municipal stakeholders and community leaders who are interested in or taking steps to decarbonize and electrify their city or town. Attendees will hear from a panel of speakers from the GMAC and electric distribution companies (EDCs) to learn about the actions Massachusetts is taking to modernize and proactively plan our electric grid, including the electric-sector modernization plans (ESMPs). Western MA municipal leaders will share their successes and challenges with navigating electrification.

Attendees will engage in facilitated breakout discussions to explore opportunities and challenges of updating our electric grid and identify priority topics for the GMAC’s future work. Additionally, attendees have the option to learn more about distribution system infrastructure through a “virtual” tour of an electric substation. Municipal and community stakeholders are invited to stay for an afternoon New Customer Connections Workshop led by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) to discuss the new customer connection process, electrification barriers, customer knowledge gaps, and potential solutions.

Come join us at UMass Amherst for an insightful event discussing the future electric grid from a municipal perspective!

Info: Doors open at 8:30 AM. Light refreshments will be served. Attendees are invited to interact with various grid planning questions posted around the room.

Info: The event will kick off with an overview of Massachusetts’ grid planning landscape, including the various processes, key players, and current state.

Info: Hear from the electric-distribution companies (EDCs) and GMAC members as they discuss and answer questions about electric grid investments and programs proposed in the ESMPs. Speakers TBA.

Info: A panel of western MA municipal representatives will each present a brief overview of a challenge or success their community is facing while navigating electrification. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask the municipal speakers questions about their experiences. Additional speakers TBA.

Info: Attendees will discuss insights from the panel discussions, explore opportunities and challenges of updating our electric grid, and identify priority topics for the GMAC’s future work.

Info: The EDCs will provide an optional presentation on how a substation operates and provide context of what upgrades are happening to substations in local western MA communities.

Info: Lunch will not be provided. Attendees are encouraged to visit a UMass Dining location!

Info: EEA will discuss their New Customer Connections Initiative and lead a guided discussion about the challenges and opportunities municipalities and community stakeholders face in connecting new electrical loads to the grid. EEA plans to use the feedback received to work with Massachusetts’ EDCs to improve to the new customer connection process, including developing additional educational materials on the grid connection process and implementing changes to enhance the customer experience.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

University of Massachusetts Amherst, 1 Campus Center Way, Amherst, United States

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