Participants in demand response programs reduced demand by an estimated 227 megawatts, supporting reliable service during peak conditions

BOSTON, Mass. (July 14, 2026) – When extreme heat drove electricity demand to near-record levels prior to the July 4 holiday, including the second-highest peak demand day seen in the last six years, Eversource and its customers helped significantly reduce energy use and supported reliability when demand was skyrocketing through Eversource’s ConnectedSolutions demand response program, with additional contributions from its new ConnectedSolutions+ pilot.

On July 2, 2026, from 5–8 p.m., customers enrolled in Eversource’s ConnectedSolutions helped reduce demand by an estimated 225 megawatts, alongside approximately 2 megawatts from Eversource’s ConnectedSolutions+ pilot, for a combined reduction of 227 megawatts – or an impact on the electric system equivalent to 45,000 homes during peak demand. These programs, which function like virtual power plants, support Eversource’s efforts to manage demand during high-use periods and maintain reliable service for customers across its service territory.

Eversource's ConnectedSolutions is a demand response program that enables residential and business customers to reduce or shift energy use during peak periods in exchange for incentives, using technologies such as smart thermostats and battery storage. Over 83,500 residential customers (for thermostats and batteries) and over 320 commercial and industrial customers have enrolled across Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Operational steps taken by Commercial and Industrial customers to reduce usage were the largest contributor to Eversource's ConnectedSolutions program on July 2, resulting in more than 100 megawatts of the 227 megawatts of demand reduction, followed closely by residential thermostats at 82 megawatts.

Eversource’s ConnectedSolutions+ builds on that foundation as a targeted pilot in select Massachusetts communities, including Cambridge’s Alewife district, areas of Hyde Park, Dorchester, and Milton and select towns in Southeastern Massachusetts, designed to test more localized and flexible ways to reduce demand and support specific areas of the electric system during high-use periods.

The program also builds on Massachusetts' long-standing leadership in demand response and energy efficiency innovation. In 2019, Massachusetts became the first state to include behind-the-meter battery storage in its energy efficiency plan, making battery storage eligible for energy efficiency incentives and creating a new funding pathway for distributed battery deployment. ConnectedSolutions+ is the latest example of that approach evolving to meet today's grid reliability needs.

"Peak demand events are moments when simple actions across many homes and businesses can make a real difference for the electric system and our customers," said Tilak Subrahmanian, Eversource Vice President of Energy Efficiency and Electric Mobility. "We're grateful to the customers who participated in our demand response programs like ConnectedSolutions during this heat wave. When people refer to a virtual power plant, this is that kind of innovation at work. Participating customers' flexibility helped lower demand at a critical time and supported reliable service across our communities. The early contributions from Eversource's ConnectedSolutions+ also give us a clearer view of how more targeted customer flexibility can help address local system needs during high-use periods."

Initial event results include:

• Total demand reduction: 227 MW during July 2, 2026, from 5–8 p.m.
• Total targeted devices: 127,617 devices enrolled by over 83,500 residential customers (in addition to measures taken by over 320 C&I customers, including curtailment, building management controls and more)
• Peak load context: Projected peak load was 25,850 MW, and actual peak reached was 25,289.37 MW at 7 p.m. on July 2 – one of the highest peak demand days seen in the past six years, second only to June 24, 2025, which peaked at just over 26,000 MW

Massachusetts customers can learn more about eligibility and enrolling in Eversource’s ConnectedSolutions+ pilot here.

Customers across all Eversource territories can learn more about Eversource’s ConnectedSolutions demand response program for smart thermostats and home batteries, as well as Connecticut’s Energy Storage Solutions program, here.

Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its commitment to sustainability and corporate citizenship, is named among America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek for 2026 and recognized as the #1 utility on USA Today’s list of America’s Climate Leaders for 2025. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas to more than 2 million customers throughout Massachusetts, including approximately 1.62 million electric customers in 159 communities and 641,000 gas customers in 122 communities. Eversource harnesses the commitment of more than 10,300 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 Energy Efficiency Provider in the Nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like a first-in-the-nation networked geothermal pilot project, solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information, please visit eversource.com, and follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

CONTACT:
Olessa Stepanova
781-441-8952
olessa.stepanova@eversource.com

Kaitlyn Woods
508-895-4888
kaitlyn.woods@eversource.com