The Grid We Were Promised Isn’t Coming

New England was promised an energy transition. Lower emissions. More reliability. Smarter infrastructure. A fairer, more competitive energy market.

We’ve paid the price through some of the highest electricity costs in the country, delayed infrastructure, and state-led clean energy programs with billions on the table but little in the ground. Instead, we’ve gotten an aging grid, long interconnection queues, and uncertain timelines.

Meanwhile, a different kind of energy boom is happening, just not here.

Data centers, driven by AI demand and national tech expansion, are pulling in record investment. In states like Georgia, Texas, and Ohio, massive power campuses are going up by the dozen. But the side effect? They are quietly draining the global supply of the very tools we need to fix our own grid: transformers, switchgear, labor, and engineering.

The energy transition isn’t dead. It’s just not being built here.

What Most Energy Users Don’t See Coming

Large energy consumers in New England are already feeling the strain of rising costs, long lead times, and uncertain project timelines. But a bigger surprise is still ahead. The competition for infrastructure, equipment, and power is no longer local or predictable.

The largest hyperscale data centers are not being built in Massachusetts or Connecticut. They are rising in faster-moving states with lower costs and fewer barriers. Yet their demand is global in reach, quietly pulling critical resources—transformers, switchgear, skilled labor—out of our region and into projects elsewhere.

Despite years of planning and investment, we still rely on an outdated grid. The modern, flexible system we envisioned has not materialized. Costs are rising, delays are growing, and energy users are left waiting. But we are too far along to turn back. New England needs solutions that work now. Solutions that are resilient, local, and built for the realities we face.

The grid we planned for is not here, but the one we need is within reach.

The Grid We Need Is Within Reach.

1. Resilient
   Capable of delivering power through disruptions and supporting local reliability. True resilience means communities, institutions, and businesses of all sizes can participate in solutions. It ensures fair access to infrastructure and empowers users to invest in systems that strengthen their operations and neighborhoods.
2. Clean
   Aligned with climate goals and driven by measurable results. Clean energy must show year-over-year progress in reducing emissions, improving air quality, and supporting public health. Success is defined by performance, not projections.
3. Efficient
   Designed to reduce costs, accelerate deployment, and maximize the value of every investment. Efficiency means allocating market incentives where they deliver the most benefit to energy users and ratepayers, not just to the largest or loudest players.

This approach is not theoretical. It is already underway in communities that are choosing to build smarter, more local energy systems that reflect their needs

Kinsley’s Role in What Comes Next

We are not waiting for the utility. When the grid goes down, they call us. For more than 60 years, our teams and trucks have mobilized across the region to get power restored where it matters most.

Today, that same commitment is driving a new generation of solutions. We are working with energy users across New England to strengthen operations, reduce exposure to global volatility, and implement resilient systems that reflect the realities of this grid, not an idealized version years away.

We are ready to lead. Let’s build an energy system worthy of the region we call home. Start a conversation today.