Category: Uncategorized

83C Round 5 Request for Public Comment

May 22, 2025

Request for Public Comment on 83C Round 5 Offshore Wind Solicitation by the Massachusetts Distribution Companies & the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the Massachusetts Electric
Distribution Companies (EDCs), and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) (collectively “RFP
Drafting Parties”) welcome public comments on the following areas relevant to the issuance of a
Request for Proposals (RFP) for a fifth-round solicitation for offshore wind energy projects under
Section 83C (Section 83C Round 5). The RFP Drafting Parties provide the questions below to
solicit input from interested parties and stakeholders on specific questions of interest related to
Section 83C Round 5.

Interested parties and stakeholders are invited to provide comments in response to the prompts
below and/or on any other topics related to Section 83C Round 5. Comments are also welcomed
with specific reference to sections of the last RFP solicitation, Section 83C Round 4, available
here. Whenever possible, please provide explanations or justifications for any recommendations
provided. Please note that the RFP Drafting Parties will consider comments in drafting the RFP
but not otherwise respond to comments received.

Submission Instructions: Please submit all comments via email to Chris Connolly (Clean Energy
Coordinator at DOER) at Chris.Connolly2@mass.gov and marfp83C@gmail.com as soon as
possible, but no later than 5:00 PM on June 13, 2025. Please include “83C Round 5 Comments”
and the name of the individual or organization submitting comments in the subject line.

Confidentiality: Please note that all comments received will be posted publicly on the
MACleanEnergy.com webpage following the submission deadline; unless a party indicates its
submission contains proprietary or commercially sensitive business information that should be
treated as confidential energy information, to the extent permitted by law. Such submissions
should be clearly marked “CONFIDENTIAL” and submitted along with a public version with any
such confidential information redacted. Commenters are encouraged to limit redactions to the
extent possible. Pursuant to DOER’s authority under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 25A,
Section 7, and Section 83C certain energy and other information collected by DOER can be
maintained for the sole and confidential use of the Commonwealth, its agencies, and offices. DOER
may also apply any applicable exemption under the Commonwealth’s public records law. DOER
shall also confidentially provide any and all confidential comments or responses to the
Massachusetts Electric Distribution Companies, the Office of the Attorney General, the
Independent Evaluator (DOER’s procurement consultant), and possibly to the Massachusetts
Department of Public Utilities (collectively, the “Massachusetts Parties”) in a manner as
determined by DOER, in its sole discretion. In the event confidential information is submitted to
DOER and confidential treatment is not afforded for any reason, by a governmental agency or
otherwise, or any confidential information is inadvertently made public, DOER and the
Massachusetts Parties shall not be held responsible.

Link to prompts

Request for Approval of 83E RFP Filed with Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities

On May 5, 2025 the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) in coordination with Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company d/b/a Unitil, Massachusetts Electric Company and Nantucket Electric Company, each d/b/a National Grid, NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy, (collectively, Distribution Companies), jointly requested the Department of Public Utilities approve a request for proposals (RFP) to solicit and enter into cost-effective Long-Term Contracts for Energy Storage Systems and associated Environmental Attributes, pursuant to Chapter 239 of the Acts of 2024 (Section 83E).

The proposed RFP and supporting documents have been posted to the 83E Documents section of macleanenergy.com.

Section 83C Round IV Update on contract execution date

The 83C Round 4 Evaluation Team is notifying stakeholders that the Electric Distribution Companies have filed a letter with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities regarding a change in the anticipated contract execution date. The contracting parties have not yet completed their contract negotiations and are now targeting the completion of negotiations and execution of contracts with the two counterparties on or before June 30, 2025. Accordingly, the Evaluation Team is now targeting the filing of contracts with the Department on or before August 25, 2025.