The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has announced public hearings to receive verbal and written comments on proposed RPS Class I and II regulations.

Last month, DOER filed draft regulations to amend portions of 225 CMR 14--Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Class I (RPS Class I) and 225 CMR 15--Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – Class II (RPS Class II). These regulations require all retail electricity suppliers selling electricity to end-use customers in the Commonwealth to obtain specific minimum percentages of their electricity supply from renewable energy generation sources. 

Included in these draft regulations is a proposal to delete the long-standing requirement that renewable “imports” be tracked and verified consistent with the NE-GIS rules. If implemented, the elimination of current delivery rules to make undocumented imports RPS eligible could facilitate a number of transactions that could seriously suppress the RPS market values. Those who depend on the Massachusetts or other New England REC markets may have serious concerns with respect to this proposal and may wish to comment, individually or on a coordinated basis.