This is our second blog post discussing provisions in the 2024 Massachusetts Clean Energy Bill promoting the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure.
As referenced in our first post, some of the Clean Energy Bill's key EV-related provisions involve the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Coordinating Council (EVICC or "Council"), its new leadership and coordination responsibilities relating to EV infrastructure deployment, its EV charging infrastructure assessments to be issued every 2 years, and the resulting actions to be taken by the Council and electric distribution companies following issuance of each assessment.
Below, we examine these provisions in more detail, which aim to achieve a more coordinated long-term approach to the deployment of EV charging infrastructure.
New Leadership and Coordination Responsibilities
The EVICC was first established pursuant to St. 2022 c. 179 ยง 81, An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, which tasked it with developing and implementing an electric vehicle charging infrastructure deployment plan. The Clean Energy Bill expanded the Council's mandate, making it now "responsible for providing leadership and direction for the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and electric vehicle chargers and shall strive to ensure a network of convenient, affordable, reliable and equitable electric vehicle chargers in the commonwealth."
In this role, the Council is directed to facilitate intergovernmental coordination to achieve Massachusetts's EV goals. The Council is also directed to monitor the preparedness, staffing level, staff training, and overall effectiveness of both public and private efforts to site, permit, finance, install, inspect, maintain, or protect consumer interactions with EV chargers in the Commonwealth.
EV Charging Infrastructure Assessments
In addition to taking on the above responsibilities, the EVICC is also directed to issue regular assessments regarding EV charging demand and associated grid impacts. The first assessment must be issued within 12 months after the Clean Energy Bill's effective date (i.e., by February 19, 2026) and again every 2 years thereafter. The assessment shall (i) forecast EV charging demand for the next 10 years, (ii) forecast the impacts of such demand on the electric grid, and (iii) identify areas of the grid that may need to be modified due to such impacts.
Actions Triggered by Assessments
The EVICC's issuance of each EV charging infrastructure assessment triggers certain actions by the Council and electric distribution companies (EDCs).
First, within 6 months of completing each assessment, the Council (in coordination with the Department of Energy Resources, Department of Transportation, and other key stakeholders) must identify optimal sites along Commonwealth highways and major roadways to install EV fast charging hubs and fleet depots.
Second, within 12 months of completing each assessment, each EDC operating in Massachusetts must develop a plan for additional electric distribution infrastructure investments necessary to satisfy the 10-year charging demand projected in the assessment. In developing these plans, each EDC must consider the increased demand associated with heating and cooling electrification and the hosting capacity for distributed energy resources.
The Clean Energy Bill allows the EDCs to file an application with the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) to increase their base rates to account for these additional infrastructure investments. Under the bill, the EDCs are entitled to full cost recovery for all such investments deemed prudent by the DPU upon its review.
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Stay tuned as we round out our series on the Clean Energy Bill's EV provisions.
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