Establishes a transparent, competitive procurement and evaluation process for Non-Wires Alternatives in Connecticut. In this 2022 decision, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) set out how the electric utilities must identify distribution system needs (e.g., overloaded substations or reliability issues) and solicit grid edge resource proposals as alternatives to building new infrastructure . It provides a cost-benefit framework to compare grid edge resource solutions versus traditional wires solutions to ensure that ratepayer benefits are maximized . The decision covers cost allocation and recovery by allowing utilities to recover NWA project payments and rewarding them for cost-effective grid edge resource deployments (while protecting customers by only approving projects that are cheaper or more beneficial than the wires option). It is an operational roadmap for utilities to integrate grid edge resources in distribution planning, including standardized benefit-cost analysis, competitive bidding, and contractual mechanisms to fairly pay grid edge resource providers.

Provides a detailed analysis of the potential benefits (“locational value”) of aggregated grid edge resources on distribution systems and methodologies to quantify those benefits. The report describes approaches and tools for calculating grid edge resource value in specific locations and includes 24 case studies illustrating how different U.S. utilities and states evaluate grid edge resources as alternatives to infrastructure investments . This technical report is intended to inform utility planning and regulatory decisions by showing where and how grid edge resource aggregations can defer or avoid conventional grid investments.

Describes a law passed in Maine to implement non-wires alternatives (NWA) projects. The law directs the Maine Office of the Public Advocate to contract with a NWA coordinator to review utility proposals for significant transmission and distribution investments.