CLICK TO READ NATIONAL GRID UPDATE:
"INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO NANTUCKET’S RAPIDLY INCREASING ENERGY NEEDS"
POSTPONING NEED FOR A 3RD UNDERSEA CABLE:
NON-WIRES ALTERNATIVE PROJECT
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The National Grid Nantucket NWA Project
In the summer of 2013, Nantucket's energy use hit an all-time high--45 Megawatts--a 12.5% increase from the previous record high in the summer of 2012. Nantucket’s most recent load forecast indicates that it will have very high load growth in the near term and moderately high load growth in the long term, leading to a need for a third undersea cable within National Grid's long term planning horizon of twenty years. National Grid has identified that Nantucket’s forecasted peak load situation presents itself as an excellent opportunity to pilot an NWA project in Massachusetts. Through targeted initiatives, the goals of the NWA project are to create economic, comfort-related and environmental benefits for customers through enhanced installation of energy efficiency, new technology adoption, minimizing use of diesel generation as contingency support should one of the undersea cables fail, and efforts to defer the construction of a third undersea cable. Based on the historical load growth and the most recent load forecasts, the Company estimates that an additional undersea cable will be needed to reliably serve the electric demand on Nantucket during a contingency period by approximately 2028. Although by their nature, long term forecasts such as these contain a level of uncertainty, the Company believes that taking action now will maximize the opportunity for the NWA project to defer the third cable. This initial effort will be dominated by energy efficiency (EE) initiatives as EE represents one of the most cost effective and well-known methods for promoting conservation. Additionally, because energy efficiency money is already allocated through the statewide EE programs National Grid administers for Nantucket, the Company is coordinating this NWA project with those programs as much as possible to limit the incremental budget of the NWA project. The Company will continually evaluate the project’s costs and savings potential as new information about the long term load forecasts and new technologies becomes available, in order to achieve the load reduction targets in an economic manner. Deferring a capital investment may result in cost savings to customers through the use of strategies to reduce usage and peak demand that cost less than capital investments, such as energy efficiency and demand response. The capital investment also may be avoided altogether if localized load patterns change in significant and unanticipated ways (such as may occur with the departure of a major customers from the area), which also would result in lower costs to customers. Additionally, deferring a capital investment until such as it will be more fully utilized provides for a more effective and efficient use of the distribution system. Finally, deferring capital investments in areas where the capacity needs can be temporarily satisfied through other means (such as active load management by customers) allows the Company to better utilize its capital and construction resources. This allows the Company to focus increased attention on areas where there may be a greater need, or where the need cannot effectively be satisfied through other means, in order to better serve its customers. The Town of Nantucket is concerned about the possible implications of an increased cable surcharge on our year-round community. If we can act now to slow the growth of electricity demand on Nantucket through energy efficiency and other sustainable practices, we may be able to defer the third cable, perhaps indefinitely. |
Recent Press, Etc.:
June 14, 2016: Presentation to the Board of Selectmen on Upgrading Nantucket's Electric Grid: Meeting Nantucket’s demand for electricity, today and tomorrow. Turer, Matt. "National Grid Exploring Need for Third Cable". Inquirer & Mirror. 6 August 2015.
September 22, 2014: Community Forum
Working Together toward a Sound Energy Future: Long-term Energy & Sustainability Planning 
May 12, 2014:
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For more information about the research project, please contact:
Lauren Sinatra
Energy Coordinator
Town of Nantucket; Energy Office
Office: 508-325-5379
[email protected]
The Town of Nantucket and National Grid are committed to working together to promote a sustainable environment in Nantucket through energy efficiency and environmental responsibility
Lauren Sinatra
Energy Coordinator
Town of Nantucket; Energy Office
Office: 508-325-5379
[email protected]
The Town of Nantucket and National Grid are committed to working together to promote a sustainable environment in Nantucket through energy efficiency and environmental responsibility
