October 22, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) initiated this proceeding to investigate utility distributed energy resource planning and the assignment and recovery of costs associated with the distributed generation interconnection process and system modifications needed for interconnection. The DPU’s straw proposal requires utilities to conduct an annual ten-year assessment of their distribution systems to identify system upgrades necessary to accommodate the interconnection of distributed generation facilities. The DPU’s proposal also includes ratemaking treatment for projects that meet its resource planning goals.