Please visit our platform for the most up-to-date list and details of current opportunities. As of July 2023, current opportunities in New York State include:
Follow the below steps to participate in National Grid’s NWA procurement process:
Standard services contract, RFP documents for individual competitions, and other supporting documentation to be provided as soon as they are published - please stay tuned!
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.
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.
Please visit the press releases for more information:
If you have any questions or need any help, please send an email to flex-usa@piclo.energy.
We are compiling frequently asked questions and will publish them soon.
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
State initiatives
Initiatives that engage and enable NWA solutions:
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:
Analyze benefit-cost analysis
BCA information and references relevant to NWA for each state: