Just days after the Fiscal Alliance Foundation released a statewide poll showing that a majority of Massachusetts voters oppose “net-zero” mandates if it means higher costs, the Healey administration quietly published a new Department of Public Utilities report estimating anywhere from $23-$26 billion in transmission upgrades will be needed over the next 25 years to keep up with rising electricity demand driven by the state’s climate mandates.
As first reported by John Gately, the Advanced Transmission Solutions Report released late last week by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) acknowledges that electrifying everything from transportation to home heating and cooling will cause electricity demand to surge nearly 30 percent in summer and 74 percent in winter by 2045. The report further concedes that such “substantial additional investment will likely lead to significant increases in Massachusetts electricity bills.”
“This report confirms something we’ve been saying all along. You can’t electrify everything, shut down reliable sources of energy, and expect prices to stay low. The administration’s own report shows their mandates are going to cost tens of billions and drive up bills for everyone,” said Paul Diego Craney, Executive Director for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance.
The cost estimate cited in the DPU report only refers to grid upgrades needed to connect new generation projects such as offshore wind and large-scale solar to the power grid. It does not include the cost of the projects themselves, which the Fiscal Alliance Foundation’s 2024 study, The Staggering Costs of New England’s Green Energy Policies, estimated could total more than $400 billion.
The DPU report also acknowledges that an aging grid, where 70 percent of infrastructure is over 25 years old, is already struggling to keep pace, with more than 37 gigawatts of new projects waiting in the ISO-New England interconnection queue.
“Unfortunately, the administration’s response to this problem is to double down on the same mandates that caused it. They’re betting everything on unproven technologies and experimental policies, while families and small businesses are left paying the price,” noted Craney.
The Fiscal Alliance Foundation’s recent poll found that 53 percent of voters oppose Massachusetts’ “net-zero” goals if they lead to higher costs, while support for expansion of reliable and affordable energy options like natural gas and nuclear remains strong.
“Voters are clearly saying enough is enough. Before spending another $25 billion of ratepayers’ money and lighting it on fire, the administration should take a hard look at what’s working and what’s not. Energy policy should be about affordability and reliability, not ideology,” Craney closed.