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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1693 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2155
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Susan L. Moran
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act analyzing the benefits of burying utility wires.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Susan L. MoranPlymouth and Barnstable 1 of 5
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1693 FILED ON: 1/19/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2155
By Ms. Moran, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2155) of Susan L. Moran for
legislation to analyze the benefits of burying utility wires. Telecommunications, Utilities and
Energy.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act analyzing the benefits of burying utility wires.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. There shall be a commission to study the potential net benefits of
2undergrounding utility wires in the commonwealth.
3 The commission shall be comprised of the following members: the secretary of energy
4and environmental affairs or a designee, the secretary of administration and finance or a
5designee, the secretary of housing and economic development or a designee, the secretary of
6public safety and security or a designee, the director of the department of public utilities, the
7director of the department of energy resources, a representative from Eversource, a
8representative from National Grid, a representative from the Massachusetts Municipal
9Association, a member appointed by the speaker of the house, and a member appointed by the
10president of the senate.
11 The commission shall conduct a study that compares the total cost of undergrounding
12utility lines in different regions within the commonwealth and statewide with the societal cost 2 of 5
13due to natural disasters or potential loss of power that may occur due to taking no further action
14to underground utility lines.
15 For the purposes of the study, the following words shall have the following definitions:
16 “Societal cost”, the total direct or indirect financial or abstract cost of a certain action or
17lack thereof to a community, region, or state, including:
18 (a) loss of gross domestic product;
19 (b) loss of potential future gross domestic product due to decline in tourism or any other
20cause;
21 (c) cost increases for utility customers;
22 (d) costs due to mandatory or encouraged utility rationing for utility customers;
23 (e) costs incurred from safety hazards or concerns;
24 (f) costs to property owners or renters, businesses, or any other persons or entities;
25 (g) costs incurred from inhibition of internet service; and
26 (h) any other costs which the commission identifies.
27 “Utility distribution lines”, any cables, poles, or other infrastructure used to distribute
28electricity, internet service, cable service, or other utility service between a substation and any
29residential properties. 3 of 5
30 “Utility transmission lines”, any cables, poles, or other infrastructure used to distribute
31electricity, internet service, cable service, or other utility service between a generation plant and
32a substation or substations.
33 The study shall analyze the following, and estimate only where the cost is unknown:
34 The cost of undergrounding all utility distribution lines within the commonwealth;
35 The cost of undergrounding all utility distribution lines within the following regions of
36the commonwealth:
37 The South Shore;
38 Cape Cod;
39 Western Massachusetts; and
40 Any other region that the agencies conducting the study designate;
41 The cost of undergrounding all utility transmission lines within the commonwealth;
42 The cost of undergrounding all utility transmission lines within the following regions of
43the commonwealth:
44 The South Shore;
45 Cape Cod;
46 Western Massachusetts; and
47 Any other region that the agencies conducting the study designate; 4 of 5
48 The potential safety concerns, and total future societal cost to the commonwealth and its
49citizens and businesses, of taking no further action to underground any or all utility distribution
50lines within the commonwealth;
51 The potential safety concerns, and total future societal cost to the commonwealth and its
52citizens and businesses of taking no further action to underground any or all utility distribution
53lines within the following regions of the commonwealth:
54 The South Shore;
55 Cape Cod;
56 Western Massachusetts; and
57 Any other region that the agencies conducting the study designate;
58 The potential safety concerns, and total future societal cost to the commonwealth and its
59citizens and businesses of taking no further action to underground any and all utility transmission
60lines within the commonwealth; and
61 The potential safety concerns, and total future societal cost to the commonwealth and its
62citizens and businesses of taking no further action to underground any and all utility transmission
63lines within the following regions of the commonwealth:
64 The South Shore;
65 Cape Cod;
66 Western Massachusetts; and 5 of 5
67 Any other region that the agencies conducting the study designate.
68 The study shall divide all costs analyzed in the study by responsibility, including, but not
69limited to: state costs, municipal costs, and others. The study shall divide all costs analyzed in
70the study into the total cost, and into cost time periods, based on when the cost will be realized
71by the responsible entity. The time periods shall be 10, 25, and 50 years from the date of the
72study’s completion.
73 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department
74of public utilities shall promulgate regulations to require utility companies with utility
75distribution or transmission lines in the commonwealth to establish a ranking system for their
76utility lines that measures the prudence of undergrounding each utility line. The regulations shall
77allow utility companies in the commonwealth to group utility lines together for the purpose of
78ranking, provided, however, that the smallest designated group of utility lines shall not be larger
79than the municipality in which the utility lines are located.