Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities
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State Intelligence
Updated May 26, 2026Utility Landscape
Eversource Energy (NSTAR Electric / Western Massachusetts Electric)
IOUEastern Massachusetts including Greater Boston, and portions of western Massachusetts; largest electric distribution utility in the state
Eversource has faced sustained DPU scrutiny over storm response performance and vegetation management following major outage events; its electric distribution rate case activity and grid modernization plan filings have drawn significant intervenor opposition regarding cost recovery timelines and shareholder incentives.
National Grid (Massachusetts Electric / Nantucket Electric)
IOUCentral and northeastern Massachusetts, including Cape Ann and Nantucket; second-largest electric distribution utility in the state
National Grid has been actively pursuing grid modernization investment recovery and has engaged in ongoing DPU proceedings around EV charging infrastructure cost allocation and the integration of distributed energy resources under its Grid Modernization Plan.
Eversource Energy Gas (NSTAR Gas / Yankee Gas)
IOUEastern Massachusetts gas distribution and portions of central Massachusetts through legacy Yankee Gas integration
Eversource Gas faces increasing regulatory pressure tied to Massachusetts's climate mandates, particularly around natural gas system expansion moratoriums, pipeline safety replacement cost recovery, and the DPU's Gas System Enhancement Plan review process.
National Grid Gas (Bay State Gas / Columbia Gas successor)
IOUCentral and southeastern Massachusetts gas distribution, including legacy Columbia Gas territories acquired following the 2018 Merrimack Valley gas disaster and divestiture
Bay State Gas, now operating under the National Grid umbrella, continues to operate under enhanced safety oversight stemming from the Merrimack Valley incident; the DPU has imposed ongoing compliance reporting requirements and the utility faces long-term decarbonization transition planning obligations.
Unitil (Fitchburg Gas and Electric)
IOUFitchburg and surrounding north-central Massachusetts communities; smaller combined gas and electric distribution utility
Unitil's Massachusetts subsidiary operates under legacy DPU rate structures and has recently sought cost recovery for infrastructure upgrades; its small scale makes it a frequent subject of DPU proceedings examining whether statewide grid modernization standards can be cost-effectively applied to smaller distribution companies.
New England Gas Company
IOUFall River, Somerset, and southeastern Massachusetts communities; small natural gas distribution utility
New England Gas has remained subject to ongoing DPU oversight regarding pipeline infrastructure integrity and faces transition questions related to Massachusetts's broader gas decarbonization policy trajectory, including potential future service territory shrinkage.
Key Issues
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Gas decarbonization and managed decline of natural gas distribution: The DPU's 2024 order in D.P.U. 20-80 (Gas System Planning) established a framework requiring gas distribution companies to submit integrated system plans accounting for declining load under state climate mandates; utilities and environmental advocates remain in active dispute over the pace of infrastructure retirement, stranded cost recovery mechanisms, and whether ratepayers should fund pipeline replacement in areas targeted for building electrification.
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Electric grid modernization plan (GMP) second-generation filings: Eversource and National Grid are advancing second-generation Grid Modernization Plans before the DPU, with contested issues centering on cost caps for EV make-ready and managed charging programs, performance-based ratemaking metrics, and the appropriate level of utility ownership versus third-party provision of distributed flexibility resources.
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Offshore wind transmission cost allocation and interconnection: As Massachusetts moves to procure additional offshore wind capacity under the Act 2050 clean energy mandates, the DPU and DOER are engaged in overlapping proceedings on how transmission costs from projects such as SouthCoast Wind and additional solicitation winners will be allocated across the ratepayer base, with particular tension over socialization of upgrade costs on the regional ISO-NE system.
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Electric vehicle infrastructure cost recovery and program design: The DPU is actively reviewing utility proposals for Level 2 and DCFC make-ready programs under D.P.U. 22-22 and successor dockets; contested issues include whether utilities may earn a return on EV charging equipment, the role of competitive providers, and income-qualified customer access requirements under Executive Order climate equity directives.
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Storm resilience and service quality performance standards: Following multi-day outages during 2023 winter storms, the DPU opened a rulemaking to strengthen service quality regulations, including potential automatic bill credits, enhanced vegetation management audit requirements, and revised metrics for acceptable outage duration and frequency that would apply to Eversource and National Grid with financial penalty exposure.
Upcoming
Estimated deadline for Eversource Electric and National Grid to submit updated Grid Modernization Plan annual progress reports to the DPU, per standard GMP compliance schedules; filings expected to address EV program enrollment metrics, non-wires alternatives deployment, and AMI data utilization milestones.
Estimated DPU deliberative session or order expected on pending gas system planning integrated resource filing compliance submissions; order anticipated to address stranded asset cost recovery framework and whether utilities must model accelerated electrification scenarios in future capital planning documents.
Estimated deadline for Massachusetts electric distribution companies to submit next-cycle offshore wind cost allocation compliance filings following any DOER solicitation award decisions; DPU review of tariff treatment for new transmission costs tied to 2024-2025 offshore wind contract awards anticipated to commence in fall 2026.
Estimated issuance of DPU final rulemaking order on revised service quality and storm resilience standards (anticipated successor to investigation opened in 2024); order expected to establish binding outage duration benchmarks, automatic customer credit thresholds, and enhanced audit obligations for Eversource and National Grid distribution operations.
Commissioner Watch
View all ↗Limited public information is available to confirm the full regulatory background and appointment details of Jeremy McDiarmid as Chair of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
Limited public information is available about Liz Anderson's background prior to or at the time of her appointment to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.
Limited public information is available about Staci Rubin's specific background and appointment details at the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, though environmental justice advocacy has been associated with her profile in some sources.
Staff
65| Name | Title | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth A. Cellucci | Director, Transportation Oversight Division | (617) 305-3559 |
| Christopher Chan | Director, Electric Power Division | (617) 305-3575 |
| Teddy Echeverria | Chief of Staff | (617) 305-3500 |
| Richard Enright | Director, Pipeline Safety Division | (617) 305-3500 |
| Andrew Greene | Director, Siting Division | (617) 305-3525 |
| Ryan Hawkins | Director, TNC Division | (617) 305-3569 |
| Iqbal Iqbal | Assistant Director -EPD | (617) 305-3557 |
| Theresa Kelly | Director, Consumer and Administrative Affairs | (617) 305-3500 |
| Emily Luksha | Director, Rates Division | (617) 305-3565 |
| Mark Marini | Department Secretary | (617) 305-3500 |
| Andreas D. Thanos | Gas Policy Specialist | (617) 305-3545 |
| George Yiankos | Director, Gas Division | (617) 305-3545 |
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