Proximity analysis for siting in Massachusetts

Using GIS, we identified and mapped existing and proposed utility-scale electricity generation units, existing and proposed substations, and EJ populations as defined by Massachusetts law. We used S&P Global data for existing and proposed generation units and Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data (HIFLD) for existing substations. For prospective substations, the state’s largest utilities have proposed hundreds of new and upgraded electricity infrastructure projects—including electrical substations—in their Electric Sector Modernization Plans (ESMPs). Data in these plans name likely locations—within a city or two—for new substations but lack specific coordinates for these projects. To further refine this data to identify specific mapping coordinates, we examined the proposed new substations included in Eversource’s latest rate case, the utilities’ Local System Plans (LSPs), and information from additional online research. In addition, we assessed the proximity of electricity infrastructure to EJ neighborhoods using three categories of distance: within an EJ neighborhood, within one mile of an EJ neighborhood, and within five miles of an EJ neighborhood.