Data center electricity costs for ratepayers

At a glance

Based on human-uploaded captions; names may still contain errors.

What: How to keep data center electricity demand from raising costs for other customers or straining the grid, discussed in the Docket No. 1718 hearing.
Where it stands: discussion only at the October 19, 2026 hearing; no proposal or vote.
What's next: possible work with the state utility regulator on large load tariffs; Planning's thresholds are expected to be based largely on power.
Part of Proposed ban on data centers.

Ayse Coskun proposed grid impact assessments, efficiency and power flexibility standards, and measurement and verification; flexible data centers can cut load at peak hours so utilities need less costly firm capacity.
Data center capacity is expected to roughly double in a few years; efficiency alone tends to raise demand.
A panelist recommended large load tariffs so large customers pay for the infrastructure and speculative projects do not leave costs with ratepayers; another raised decommissioning costs after an AI downturn.
Boston's net zero zoning, emissions ordinance and specialized energy code would require any new data center to be efficient and net zero on day one, according to a city panelist.
Councilors raised the East Boston substation fight as a reminder that grid capacity is already contested.
Tristan Thomas said utilities have received close to 5,000 MW of data center inquiries statewide, many speculative.

State-level rules, including Executive Order 658 and a statewide list of local moratoriums and bylaws, are on Massachusetts Data Center Policy.

About 15 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-10-19 - Planning, Development and Transportation Committee	15

2026-10-19 - 2026-10-19 - Planning, Development and Transportation Committee - Panel discussion of grid impact, power flexibility, large load tariffs and who pays for infrastructure.