National Grid

National Grid is committed to delivering safe and reliable energy to the customers and communities we serve. National Grid is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the US — serving more than 20 million people throughout New York and Massachusetts.
Competitions will be launching in January 2023.

Notices

November 29, 2022
Upcoming opportunities
Upcoming opportunities

North Lakeville (New York)

  • Stage: Upcoming Opportunity
  • RFP/RFI status: Pending
  • Need timing: 2025

Gilmantown (New York)

  • Stage: Upcoming Opportunity
  • RFP/RFI status: Pending
  • Need timing: 2025–2026

Documents pertaining to current opportunities will be published soon.

What is an NWA?

Non-Wires Alternative (NWA) is the inclusive term for any electrical grid investment that is intended to defer or remove the need to construct or upgrade components of a distribution and/or transmission system, or “wires investment”.

These NWA investments are required to be cost-effective compared to the wires investment and are required to meet the specified electrical grid need.

An NWA can include any action, strategy, program, or technology that meets this definition and these requirements.

Some technologies and methodologies that can be applicable as an NWA investment include demand response, solar, energy storage, combined heat and power (CHP), microgrid, conservation or energy efficiency measure, and other distributed energy resources (DERs) or distributed generation (DG).  NWA projects can include these and other investments individually or in combination to meet the specified need in a cost-effective manner.

NWA Solutions

To identify potential solutions, National Grid issues requests for proposals (RFPs) which are open to all NWA solution approaches. We encourage potential bidders to consider the following solution approaches when developing a proposal:

Standard solution approach: Solutions that contain a single technology in a single bid proposal.

Portfolio solution approach: Solutions that contain multiple technologies (i.e., solar and storage, targeted demand response and wind, etc.) in a holistic, integrated manner as part of a single bid proposal.

Partial solution approach: Partial solutions that provide a portion of the solution requirements may be considered where National Grid can independently identify other partners to formulate a full solution.

Partnership solution approach: A solution approach where bidders team up as appropriate to offer a multifaceted, multi-bidder solution using multiple technologies as a joint, integrated proposal set, if this would provide the best-value proposition.

The Company may combine multiple, partial Proposals to meet the full need, where a single Proposal alone does not meet the full need, or Bidders could collaborate and submit a combined Proposal, consisting of several partial solutions, that together meet the full need.

National Grid has several long-term goals in consideration, including commitments and environmental considerations stated in the National Grid Responsible Business Charter 20201, which are in alignment with state, federal, and internal drive factors, that impact the viability of any given proposal.

Proposed technologies and methodologies should have the capability to address the electrical grid need and increase grid reliability while being cost-effective in comparison to the wires investment as stated in each RFP. Proposed solutions that meet all the requirements stipulated in an RFP are preferred, by any of the solution approaches detailed above. Please note that National Grid is seeking solutions that currently exist to solve the stated need.







Business Partners - Discover information for trade partners and professionals, energy supply companies, suppliers and vendors, and about NWAs and the system data portals.

Suppliers and Vendors - Find everything from how to become a supplier to enrollment for new vendors as well as FAQs, forms, and applications for current vendors and suppliers.

Explore the links below for information specific to each of our jurisdictions.

Interactive mapping tools

Visibility into the electric grid distribution system in National Grid’s service territories:

Massachusetts System Data Portal

New York System Data Portal

State initiatives

Initiatives that engage and enable NWA solutions:

MA Bill H.1725

NY REV Connect

Explore the regulatory landscape.  

Access useful dockets and information regarding NWA activities and proposals in each state:

MA Department of Public Utilities

NY Department of Public Service

Tariff provisions

Learn about tariff provisions for each of National Grid’s service territories:

MA Tariff Provisions

NY Tariff Provisions

Analyze benefit-cost analysis

BCA information and references relevant to NWA for each state:

NY BCA Handbook