Consumer Advocacy
Speaking up for Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard
Protection for consumer’s energy issues can be complex and decisions made by legislators or state regulators can have far-reaching impacts on what consumers pay for their electricity. Decisions made at the state level also affect what programs are available for energy efficiency or renewable energy like solar. That’s why the Cape Light Compact has a special focus on Consumer Advocacy.
In one of our first efforts in 1999, the Compact was successful in securing $25 million to reduce electric bills of consumers on the Cape and Vineyard. We have won additional reductions since that time and maintain a steady vigilance on proposals that can affect consumers.
The Compact’s work on behalf of consumers is really important because:
- Interests of consumers on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard don’t necessarily align with the concerns of consumers in the rest of the state.
- The policy decisions made at the state level today will shape the issues we face and the costs we’ll pay far into the future.
In this section, we will try to keep you updated on what we’ve done in the past and what we’re currently doing on behalf of Cape and Vineyard consumers.
Consumer Advocacy Timeline
- Eversource Rate Case – This was filed with the DPU on January 14, 2022. This will affect all Cape and Vineyard residents and businesses. Please visit our 2022 rate case page for more information.
- Grid Modernization – This was filed with the DPU on July 2, 2021. For more information, please visit our 2021 Grid Modernization page.
- Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) (DPU docket 20-145): The Compact participated in this docket with a focus on allowing customers of municipal aggregations to benefit from the SMART program’s Low-Income Community Shared Solar incentives.
- Electric vehicles (DPU docket 21-90): The Compact participated in this docket with a focus on ensuring that Cape & Vineyard customers are able to benefit from the Make Ready incentives available to customers for installing electric vehicle supply equipment.
- Cape Cod Capital Investment Project (DPU Docket 22-55): The Compact participated in this docket advocating for the approval of Eversource’s Cape Cod Capital Investment Project (CIP). The Cape Cod CIP seeks to resolve the significant barriers to interconnection faced by distributed energy resource facilities, such as solar PV, requesting to interconnect to the electric power system in the Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard area. The DPU issued an Order approving the Cape Cod CIP in June 2024.
- Municipal Aggregation Investigation (DPU Docket 23-67): The Compact and several other Massachusetts cities and towns participated in an investigation that the DPU opened into Municipal Aggregation. Specifically, the DPU proposed a draft Guideline and Template Plan for Municipal Aggregations that the Compact viewed as being overly prescriptive. The Compact, in collaboration with a group of stakeholders, advocated for recognition of municipal control and decision-making in the operation of aggregations and was ultimately successful in securing updates to the proposed Guidelines that allow for the flexibility required to effectively operate its Program.
- Eversource Electric Sector Modernization Plan (DPU Docket 24-10): Eversource filed its Electric Sector Modernization Plan (ESMP) with the DPU in January 2024. The Compact participated in this docket, advocating for several items including ensuring a timely process for the implementation of TVR, approving the Cape Cod CIP, and directing Eversource to report on the impacts of the ESMP on double poles. In August of 2024, the DPU issued an Order approving Eversource’s ESMP. Many of the issues of interest to the Compact will be addressed through Phase II of the proceeding, which will begin in January 2025.
- Energy Burden Investigation (DPU Docket 24-15): The Compact participated in the DPU’s investigation into Energy Burden by bringing together a group of stakeholders to discuss the issue. The Compact submitted two rounds of comments focusing on energy affordability issues faced by Cape and Vineyard customers to the DPU based on its stakeholder session.
1998
Sale of Canal Electric Plant
The Compact intervened in Commonwealth Electric’s sale of the Canal Electric Plant, resulting in $25 million in savings to the Cape and Vineyard.
2002
Purchases of Municipal Streetlights
The Compact helped to negotiate municipal purchase of streetlights on the Cape and Vineyard from NSTAR. This resulted in municipal savings in operations and maintenance costs, and also made it possible for the Compact to work with the municipalities to replace streetlights with highly efficiency LED. The LEDs streetlights will save towns $800,000 per year.
2007
NSTAR Green Intervention
The Compact intervened to minimize the costs associated with the voluntary NSTAR Green Program that were being charged to all NSTAR distribution customers whether or not they were in the program. This benefitted all NSTAR distribution customers including those on the Cape and Vineyard.
2008
Advocacy for Low-Income Rate Payers
The Compact helped to ensure the eligible low-income residents on the Cape and Vineyard are able to receive discounted electric service rates.
2010-11
Protecting Consumer Interests during the NSTAR Merger
The Compact participated in meetings and briefings that followed NSTAR’s announcement of its merger with Northeast Utilities. The Compact worked to ensure that the merger did not result in increased costs, decreased reliability or other issues for consumers on the Cape and Vineyard.
2011
Standards for Long-Term Renewable Energy Contracts
As required by statute, NSTAR enters into long-term renewable energy contracts. NSTAR’s proposed recovery mechanism would have passed on savings from the contract only to its Basic Service customers. The Compact proposed an alternative approach designed to share savings from the contracts with all NSTAR customers. The DPU adopted this approach and continues to use a similar approach with other long-term contracts. For this contract, $111 million in savings was shifted from NSTAR’s basic service customers (which does not include all NSTAR customers) to NSTAR’s distribution customers, which includes all NSTAR customers including Compact customers.
2012
Promoting Grid Modernization
The DPU is developing a plan for implementing “smart grid” elements, as part of overall “Grid Modernization”. Grid Modernization has the potential for great savings for consumers, but can also require large expenditures. The Compact focuses on ensuring that investments are made in technologies that provide benefits to consumers that justify costs, and that utilities are properly incentivized and not overly compensated for their participation.
Promoting Standards for Distributed Generation
The Compact plays a strong, active role in developing standards for allowing distributed generation facilities to interconnect to local distribution systems. The interconnection of distributed generation systems helps to achieve the Commonwealth’s renewable energy goals, increase fuel diversity, and increase the resiliency of the local distribution system.
2013
Challenge to NSTAR Cost Recovery Proposal
Through a DPU proceeding, the Compact challenged aspects of NSTAR’s proposal to recover costs from NSTAR distribution customers. NSTAR’s proposed changes would have increased distribution charges to residential customers. The DPU agreed with the Compact’s objection, preventing the increase in residential rates.
2015
Participation in Grid Modernization Proceeding
The Compact participated in Eversource’s grid modernization proceedings to ensure its understanding of Eversource’s grid modernization plan (GMP) and the potential impacts on Compact energy efficiency offerings. The Compact was active in supporting the establishment of grid modernization performance metrics and grid modernization annual report templates.
2017
Participation in Eversource Rate Case
The Compact intervened in Eversource’s electric distribution rate case to, among other things, ensure transparency in certain aspects of Eversource’s decoupling activities (to argue that Eversource should not claim lost base revenue for the Compact’s energy reductions), to address Eversource’s proposed return on equity, to address the impacts of the rate case on competitive markets and to ensure geographical equity in cost allocation.
2021
Participation in Electric Vehicle Proceeding
The Compact participated in Eversource’s Electric Vehicle Proceeding to ensure that its customers are able to participate in Eversource’s Residential Make-Ready and Charger Rebate offerings to receive incentives for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). The Compact sought coordination between Eversource and the Compact to carry out the Eversource offerings for the benefit of all customers.
Participation in Grid Modernization Proceeding
The Compact participated in Eversource’s grid modernization proceeding to support customers in the Compact’s energy efficiency program that may be affected by Eversource’s proposed customer-facing investments, including advanced metering infrastructure (“AMI”).
2022
Participation in Eversource Rate Case
The Compact intervened in Eversource’s electric distribution rate case to advocate for the just administration for low-income customers of an energy efficiency charges tariff, to protect its own energy efficiency program and also energy efficiency generally as Eversource proposed to revise its performance based ratemaking metrics.
2024
Electric Sector Modernization Plan
The Compact is participating in the review of Eversource’s Electric Sector Modernization Plan (ESMP) by the Grid Modernization Advisory Council (GMAC). The proceeding addresses matters of time varying rates, interconnection of distributed generation, substation upgrades and other investments on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, rate design, metrics and double poles. In addition, how the ESMP incorporates energy efficiency and demand response will have an impact on the Compact’s energy efficiency and demand response programs.
Energy Affordability Investigation
The Compact is participating in the DPU’s investigation into energy affordability, which has a special focus on residential customers. The investigation is exploring how customers are enrolled into, verified for and educated about electric discount rate programs and establishing tiered electric discount programs. The investigation also explores the way energy efficiency programs, consumption reduction, investment in residential loan programs for solar PV and battery storage installations and targeted educational programs may play a role in energy affordability.
2025
Seasonal Heat Pump Rate Investigation and Eversource Residential Seasonal Heat Pump Rate
The Compact is participating in DPU’s investigation into an optional seasonal heat pump rate, as recommended by the Interagency Rates Working Group. The Compact is also a limited participant in Eversource’s proposal for a seasonal heat pump rate. Seasonal heat pump rates may encourage adoption of heat pumps in the Commonwealth to support electrification efforts and help the Commonwealth achieve its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. The Compact is participating to ensure that its customers will be included in the marketing and educational outreach for seasonal heat pump rate offerings and that Eversource will collaborate with the Compact for rate offerings that are available to Compact customers.
