Project Overview
Unitil is planning a targeted electrification pilot as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to test alternatives to replacing aging gas infrastructure. The Department is requiring natural gas utilities to evaluate long-term alternatives to fossil-fuel infrastructure as part of an effort to achieve Massachusetts’ climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The purpose is to test whether Unitil can safely and cost-effectively replace gas service in a limited area with electric service while meeting regulatory and operational requirements. This pilot will provide practical insights into costs, customer experience, and operational considerations for future planning.
Customer Experience
During the pilot, participating customers will transition from gas to all-electric service with support from Unitil, including converting heating systems to heat pumps, gas hot water to electric hot water, and cooking and clothes drying to electric appliances.
Unitil will coordinate with qualified contractors to assess each home and determine what upgrades are needed, ensuring safety and efficiency.
This project will not affect reliability for non-participating customers.
The current location would include eight customers.
The limited size ensures Unitil can coordinate contractors, scheduling, and customer support effectively while gathering meaningful insights into feasibility, cost, and operational challenges.
Costs associated with the pilot project will be included in rates for all electric customers. For a residential customer, we estimate this pilot will increase a typical residential bill by an average of $3.00 a year (25 cents/month) during the initial five-year period.
Regulatory Approval
Subject to Department of Public Utilities Oversight
As required by the DPU, Unitil plans to file the pilot proposal in early March. The Department will review the proposal to ensure the pilot meets all regulatory requirements. Regulatory review could take several months, and the pilot would begin only after approval is received.
