WALTHAM, MA – National Grid is launching BackupBattery+, a new residential battery pilot program for income-eligible customers in the Fall River area. In partnership with Haven Energy, the program will provide up to 125 income-eligible households with no-cost home battery systems of up to 45 kWh. Home batteries provide backup power during outages and can help reduce strain on the local electric grid during periods of peak demand.
BackupBattery+ is a pilot program designed to make home battery storage accessible to customers who might otherwise face significant cost barriers. The pilot will help National Grid evaluate how coordinated residential batteries perform in addressing local grid needs and whether the model can deliver broader value to customers and the electric system.
“BackupBattery+ will deliver a direct benefit to Fall River area customers, providing no-cost access to backup power and battery storage technologies that have traditionally been out of reach for many households,” said Steve Caldwell, Vice President of Energy Efficiency & Clean Programs at National Grid. “This pilot will also help us test how coordinated home batteries can address local grid needs and learn whether this model can deliver meaningful value for participating households, the local community, and the broader electric system.”
The battery systems, which can provide at least four hours of backup power and additional reserve capacity when severe weather is predicted, will be owned, operated, and maintained by Haven Energy for ten years. At the end of that period, customers can work with Haven Energy to take over ownership of the units. Haven Energy will also manage the batteries’ participation in grid-service programs. This approach removes upfront equipment costs and ongoing maintenance responsibilities for participating customers, while allowing National Grid to evaluate how coordinated home batteries can support the local electric grid.
Haven Energy delivers end-to-end battery storage development, project financing, and ‘virtual power plant’ services for utilities, public agencies, and community energy providers across the country.
“Since launching in California in 2022, we’ve seen what virtual power plants can do for homeowners and utilities alike, and we’ve built more than 10 MW of installed battery capacity with more than 50 MW in development,” said Vinnie Campo, co-founder and CEO of Haven Energy. “We’re thrilled to bring that experience to Fall River. National Grid shares our vision for a cleaner, more resilient grid, and this project gives local families reliable backup power at no cost while strengthening the grid for everyone.”
Through BackupBattery+, National Grid will evaluate customer adoption and satisfaction, community outreach and enrollment approaches, battery performance, and overall cost-effectiveness. The results will help determine whether coordinated customer batteries can complement traditional grid investments, address localized system needs, and potentially expand access to battery technology in other Massachusetts communities.
National Grid is partnering with Haven Energy and Citizens for Citizens, a local nonprofit organization, to conduct outreach to select income-eligible customers in the Fall River area. The initial phase will focus on customers who are enrolled in, or eligible for, National Grid’s discount (R2) electric rate and are on targeted local circuits. Potential participants will be contacted directly through the program’s outreach campaign over the coming weeks. Interested customers can also visit Haven Energy’s website to learn more and see if they qualify for the program. Enrollment will continue until the available spots are filled, with initial battery installations targeted to begin in spring 2027.
“Reliable backup power should be within reach for families who could not otherwise afford it,” said Sherri Bence, Municipal Energy Manager for the City of Fall River. “BackupBattery+ will help participating Fall River households keep essential appliances running during outages while supporting a stronger local electric grid. We’re proud to build on our partnership with National Grid and work alongside Haven Energy and Citizens for Citizens to help bring this opportunity to residents who need it.”
“Citizens for Citizens is proud to partner with National Grid and Haven Energy on this initiative to help bring the benefits of battery storage technology to income-eligible households in the Fall River area,” said Liz Berube, Executive Director, Citizens for Citizens, Inc. “For families facing energy affordability challenges, access to reliable backup power can provide added peace of mind during severe weather. This program offers an opportunity to explore new solutions that can support household needs, while also strengthening our local electric grid. We look forward to being a reliable resource to connect eligible residents with information about this innovative program.”
Fall River was selected as a demonstration area because of identified local reliability and capacity needs. During times of high electricity use or local grid stress, the participating batteries will be coordinated and discharged together to reduce demand on targeted electric circuits. They can then recharge when electricity demand is lower, while maintaining backup capacity for participating customers.
BackupBattery+ is funded through National Grid’s Electric Sector Modernization Plan, an effort to meet the state’s clean energy goals while also driving affordability and reliability by investing in smarter technology, efficient platforms, and innovative solutions. For more than a decade, National Grid has used customer flexibility to support the electric grid through programs such as ConnectedSolutions, which is open to all customers across the state and includes thousands of participating home batteries. National Grid has expanded these efforts to address more localized grid needs, including competitive grid-services procurements and efforts such as ConnectedSolutions+, which provides expanded incentives to customers in select regions across Massachusetts to utilize energy flexibility and reduce the impact on the grid in key locations.
