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On October 6, 2026 a Massachusetts DPU Hearing Officer issued a technical conference agenda for an October 21 to October 22 technical conference concerning the DPU’s investigation of time-varying rates for electricity basic default service.

“In this proceeding, the Department aims to expeditiously explore and implement TVRs, leveraging the considerable work completed by the Department, DOER, the EDCs, and stakeholders on this topic over the past 14 years. In this investigation, the Department seeks to answer the questions whose resolution will benefit from statewide consistency and collaboration across the EDCs and stakeholders. Prudent exploration and implementation of TVRs will require careful consideration of the appropriate level of complexity of any TVR design, how complexity may be added over time to improve customer and grid outcomes, and what customer protections and education are necessary and appropriate. This technical conference will aid this proceeding by gathering information and perspectives from stakeholders. Department staff intend to use the information gathered in the technical conference and the record to develop a straw TVR proposal in the coming months.”

• The Department will hold a technical conference for this investigation starting at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. The technical conference will adjourn at about 5:00 p.m. on October 21 and continue at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2026. There will be mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks of about 15 minutes, as needed, as well as a midday break for lunch.

To facilitate an active conversation, the Department encourages stakeholders to attend the technical conference in-person, if possible. Stakeholders that cannot be at the technical conference in-person will be able to participate virtually. Please note, discussions will begin with comments from in-person attendees and then move to virtual attendees, if time allows. For in-person attendees, the technical conference will be held at the Department’s offices, 1 South Station, 3rd floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.

To actively participate, both in-person and virtually, you must register via the following Microsoft Forms link no later than October 16, 2026: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/zTHAk2SbeK. You will have the option to attend in-person or virtually. Please select your preferred option.

Following the technical conference, stakeholders may submit to the Department copies of written presentation materials, comments, or other information within the scope of this agenda. These materials must be non-duplicative, responsive to this agenda’s discussion topics and questions, and submitted no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

“The Department respectfully requests that DOER provide a presentation to start the technical conference. Specifically, the Department invites DOER to present on the recommendation and analysis included in its petition filed on April 8, 2026, including its recommendations on TVR structure and rate design, customer protections, opt-out TVRs, and the benefits of TVR. The Department also requests that DOER include in its presentation supplemental information, recommendations, and analysis of:

• the potential benefits of TVR, including analysis conducted by DOER, the Massachusetts EDCs, or state agencies or EDCs in other jurisdictions;
• realized benefits of TVR, leveraging quantitative and qualitative analysis from other jurisdictions; and,
• the potential benefits of opt-out TVRs versus opt-in TVRs and any additional information, analysis, or insights related to DOER’s recommendation for an opt-out TVR including, but not limited to, the success and benefits of opt-out TVRs in other jurisdictions.”