Eversource and National Grid: Electrical Service in Massachusetts

Massachusetts electric customers are served under a regulated utility structure in which two investor-owned utilities — Eversource Energy and National Grid — hold exclusive franchise territories covering the entire state. These companies function as the point of contact for service connections, meter infrastructure, interconnection approvals, and outage response, operating under oversight by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU). Understanding how these utilities are structured, where their authority begins and ends, and how their processes interface with licensed electrical contractors is essential for navigating any residential, commercial, or industrial electrical project in the Commonwealth.

Definition and scope

Eversource Energy and National Grid are the two investor-owned electric distribution utilities franchised to serve Massachusetts under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 164. The DPU, accessible at mass.gov/orgs/department-of-public-utilities, holds regulatory authority over both companies' rates, service quality, and interconnection standards.

Eversource Energy serves approximately 1.4 million electric customers in Massachusetts, covering the eastern portion of the state including Boston, the North Shore, the South Shore, and portions of Central Massachusetts (Eversource Massachusetts Electric Service).

National Grid serves approximately 1.3 million electric customers in Massachusetts, covering Worcester County, Western Massachusetts, and portions of eastern Massachusetts including parts of Cape Cod (National Grid Massachusetts Electric Service).

The two territories are geographically exclusive — no customer is served by both companies for distribution purposes. While both companies distribute electricity across their franchise areas, neither generates the bulk of the power it delivers; generation supply is separated from distribution under Massachusetts electric deregulation, introduced through the Electric Restructuring Act of 1997 (M.G.L. c. 164, §1A).

This page covers distribution-level utility functions in Massachusetts. Transmission infrastructure operated under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction, wholesale energy markets administered by ISO New England, and retail competitive supply arrangements fall outside the scope of this page. For broader regulatory framing, see Regulatory Context for Massachusetts Electrical Systems.

How it works

The utility's role in a Massachusetts electrical project is distinct from that of the licensed electrician. The electrician — licensed under Massachusetts Board of Electricians' Examiners (MBEE) and working under 527 CMR 12.00 — is responsible for all wiring on the customer's side of the meter. The utility owns and controls everything from the distribution line through the meter socket.

The service process follows discrete phases:

1. Service application — The property owner or licensed contractor submits a new service or service upgrade application to Eversource or National Grid. Applications must include load calculations and planned equipment specifications.
2. Utility design review — The utility reviews the requested service size, transformer capacity, and point-of-connection geometry. For services above 200 amperes, engineering review timelines typically extend beyond standard residential approvals.
3. Permit and inspection — A licensed electrician pulls the required permit from the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). The local electrical inspector — appointed under M.G.L. c. 143 — must inspect and approve the customer-side installation before the utility will energize.
4. Release to energize — After the AHJ issues a release (commonly called a "green tag" or certificate of inspection), the utility schedules its crew to make the final connection at the service entrance and meter socket.
5. Meter installation and energization — The utility installs or reconnects the meter. Smart meter (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) equipment has been deployed across both Eversource and National Grid territories under DPU-approved grid modernization plans.

The electrical service entrance is the physical interface between utility infrastructure and customer wiring — the point where jurisdiction and responsibility transfer.

Common scenarios

New construction service — New buildings require a service application before construction begins. The utility will determine transformer sizing, service drop routing, and meter location. For Massachusetts electrical systems in new construction, coordination between the general contractor, electrician, and utility is time-critical because utility scheduling can affect certificate-of-occupancy timelines.

Panel upgrades and service increases — A customer upgrading from 100-ampere to 200-ampere or 400-ampere service must file a new service application with the utility. The licensed electrician installs the new panel and service entrance conductors; the utility replaces or repositions the meter socket and service drop as needed. See electrical panel upgrades in Massachusetts for the full sequence.

EV charging installation — Both Eversource and National Grid offer demand-response programs and rebates for qualifying EV charging installations in Massachusetts. Level 2 EVSE installations frequently trigger load calculations that may require a service upgrade, which then requires utility coordination.

Solar interconnection — Rooftop photovoltaic systems require interconnection approval from the serving utility before installation is complete. Both companies administer net metering programs under DPU oversight. See solar electrical systems in Massachusetts for interconnection timelines and application structures.

Generator interconnection — Standby generators above a threshold size require anti-islanding protection and, in some configurations, utility notification. See generator installation in Massachusetts for the applicable requirements under 527 CMR 12.00 and IEEE 1547.

Decision boundaries

The critical jurisdictional boundary in Massachusetts utility service is the point of demarcation: the utility owns from the distribution line through the meter socket; the customer owns from the load side of the meter socket inward. This boundary determines who is authorized to perform work, who carries liability, and which regulatory body has enforcement authority.

A second decision boundary governs service size classification. Residential services are typically 120/240V single-phase at 100, 200, or 400 amperes. Commercial and industrial customers may require 120/208V or 277/480V three-phase service, which involves separate utility engineering review and different metering infrastructure.

Disputes over utility service obligations, tariff terms, or interconnection denials are adjudicated by the Massachusetts DPU, not by local inspectors or the MBEE. Customers with grievances related to utility billing, service quality, or interconnection delays may file formal complaints with the DPU under its Electric distribution company complaint process.

For a full overview of how utility service interfaces with the broader licensing and permitting landscape, the Massachusetts Electrical Authority index provides the structured reference framework for the state's electrical sector.

References

• Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities — Electric
• Eversource Energy — Massachusetts Residential Electric Service
• National Grid — Massachusetts Electric Service Information
• Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 164 — Electric Companies
• 527 CMR 12.00 — Massachusetts Electrical Code
• Massachusetts Board of Electricians' Examiners — Division of Professional Licensure
• Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections (OPSI)
• NFPA 70 — National Electrical Code (NFPA)
• ISO New England — Regional Transmission Organization
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)