On December 30, 2021, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities issued an Order directing the load serving entities to publish an updated SMART Provision. This had the effect of expanding the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) program from 1,600 to 3,200 MW of solar capacity. The Utilities subsequently filed an updated SMART Provision (clean) (redline) on January 24, 2022.
The Order and updated Provision is a welcome development to the thousands of Megawatts of solar projects that have been left in limbo by the long duration between effective SMART provisions. The SMART Program reached a statutory limit of 400 MW of approved capacity in 2019, at which point the Provision was required to be reviewed. Since then the industry has been waiting for further updates to the SMART Provision that would allow for expanded capacity to qualify. Projects that qualify and have submitted completed applications have been waiting in the “400 MW holding queue”.
It is anticipated that Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) will resume issuing preliminary statements of qualification (PSOQs) some time in the first quarter of 2022.
Update February 6, 2022: the DPU Hearing Officer has requested in a memorandum that the Utilities amend their Redline document to reflect prior proposed changes as well as differences between the previous SMART Provision and the new Provision. The utilities have until Monday, February 7 to do so and a Conference Call to discuss clarifications is scheduled for February 10th.
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