Electrifying New England’s transportation and heating sectors will lead to a potential 17 percent increase in power demand by 2033, the region’s grid operator said.
The upward trend is putting pressure on developers and regulators to accelerate new generation and transmission projects.
Annual power demand in New England will climb largely because of the adoption of electric vehicles and heat pumps, according to a report released this month by ISO New England. The grid operator’s territory stretches across six states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The independent system operator is “forecasting steady growth in net annual energy use as state policy goals for carbon emissions reductions drive the increased electrification of heating systems and transportation in the region,” ISO-NE said in an online post.
