Ads for The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department Of Public Utilities in Boston, MA

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES NOTICE OF FILING, PUBLIC HEARING, AND PROCEDURAL CONFERENCE D.P.U. 20-130 January 29, 2021 Petition of NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy for approval of its annual storm cost recovery adjustment factor. ________________________________ On October 30, 2020, NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy ("Company") filed a petition with the Department of Public Utilities ("Department") seeking approval of the Company's storm cost recovery adjustment factor ("SCRAF") for effect January 1, 2021. This filing was made pursuant to NSTAR Electric Company and Western Massachusetts Electric Company, D.P.U. 17-05 (2017), NSTAR Electric Company, D.P.U. 18-101 (2018), and the Company's SCRAF tariffs, M.D.P.U. Nos. 63D and 64C. The Department docketed this matter as D.P.U. 20-130. The Company's SCRAF tariffs provide a mechanism to adjust rates to allow for the annual recovery of eligible incremental costs associated with storm response and restoration. In its filing, the Company presents three components of its SCRAF rate calculations: (1) the Eastern Massachusetts rate calculations whereby the Company proposes to recover in calendar year 2021 approximately $28.5 million associated with 17 storm events which occurred prior to February 1, 2018; (2) the Western Massachusetts rate calculation in which the Company has closed the storm cost adjustment for 2020 and proposes to reconcile the SCRAF for any over- or under-recovery of costs for storm events prior to February 1, 2018; and (3) the Consolidated Massachusetts rate calculation whereby the Company proposes to recover in calendar year 2021 approximately $20.3 million in costs associated with three storm events collectively referred to as the March 2018 Nor'easter. The costs associated with the 17 storm events in Eastern Massachusetts were approved in NSTAR Electric Company, D.P.U. 16-74 (February 6, 2020); NSTAR Electric Company, D.P.U. 17-51 (February 6, 2020); and NSTAR Electric Company, D.P.U. 18-125 (December 12, 2020). The storms costs associated with the March 2018 Nor'easter are the subject of ongoing investigation in D.P.U. 18-125. On December 21, 2020, the Department approved the Company's SCRAF filing, subject to further investigation and reconciliation. NSTAR Electric Company, D.P.U. 20-130. In this phase of the proceeding, the Department will investigate whether the SCRAFs currently in effect includes only those costs that are allowed pursuant to the SCRAF tariffs and the Department decisions referenced above. Due to the COVID-19 state of emergency issued by Governor Baker on March 10, 2020, and certain ongoing restrictions and safety measures relating to in person events, the Department will conduct a virtual public hearing to receive comments on the Company's petition, immediately followed by a procedural conference. The Department will conduct the hearing using Zoom videoconferencing on March 4, 2021, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Attendees can join the hearing by entering the link, https://zoom.us/j/97111301046 from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. For audio only access to the hearings, attendees can dial in at (312) 626-6799 (not toll free) and then enter the Webinar ID# 971 1130 1046. If you anticipate providing comments via Zoom or via phone during the public hearing, please send an email by March 1, 2021, with your name, email address, and mailing address to tina.chin@mass.gov Alternatively, any person interested in commenting on this matter may submit electronic written comments no later than the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on March 3, 2021. At this time, all filings must be submitted only in electronic format in recognition of the difficulty that parties and the Department may have filing and receiving original copies due to the ongoing state of emergency (please see further filing instructions below). Any person who desires to participate in the evidentiary phase of this proceeding shall file a petition for leave to intervene no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 1, 2021. A petition for leave to intervene must satisfy the timing and substantive requirements of 220 CMR 1.03. Receipt by the Department, not mailing, constitutes filing and determines whether a petition has been timely filed. A petition filed late may be disallowed as untimely, unless good cause is shown for waiver under 220 CMR 1.01(4). To be allowed, a petition under 220 CMR 1.03(1) must satisfy the standing requirements of G.L. c. 30A, 10. All responses to petitions to intervene must be filed by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on the second business day after the petition to intervene was filed. All documents submitted to the Department pursuant to this Notice must be submitted in pdf format by e mail attachment to dpu.efiling@mass.gov and tina.chin@mass.gov The text of the e mail must specify: (1) the docket number of the proceeding (D.P.U. 20-130); (2) the name of the person or company submitting the filing; and (3) a brief descriptive title of the document. All documents submitted in electronic format will be posted on the Department's website as soon as practicable at http://www.mass.gov/dpu Importantly, all large files submitted must be broken down into electronic files that do not exceed 20 MB. A copy of any documents submitted to the Department also should be emailed to the Company's attorneys Danielle Winter and Kerri Mahoney at dwinter@keeganwerlin.com and kmahoney@keeganwerlin.com Ordinarily, all parties would follow Sections B.1 and B.4 of the Department's Standard Ground Rules (D.P.U. 15-184-A, App. 1 (March 4, 2020)); until further notice, however, parties must retain the original paper version and the Department will later determine when the paper version must be filed with the Department Secretary. Due to the ongoing state of emergency, a paper copy of the Company's filing will not be available for public viewing. All documents, pleadings, and filings submitted to the Department or issued by the Department related to these proceedings will be available on the Department's website at https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us /DPU/Fileroom/dockets/bynumber (enter "20-130") as soon as practicable. To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), contact the Department's ADA coordinator at DPUADACoordinator@mass.gov Any person desiring further information regarding the Company's filing should contact the Company's attorneys, Danielle Winter and Kerri Mahoney at dwinter@keeganwerlin.com and kmahoney@keeganwerlin.com or (617) 951-1400. Any person desiring further information regarding this Notice should conta