Berkshire Gas Recognized in Department of Public Utilities Hearing for Industry-Leading Gas System Enhancement Plan

Recent DPU hearing resulted in positive feedback for Berkshire Gas’ plan for upgrading gas infrastructure to improve safety, resiliency 

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — September 3, 2025 — Berkshire Gas, a subsidiary of Avangrid, Inc., today announced President Charlotte Ancel, along with members of Design & Delivery, Regulatory, and external legal counsel, met with the Department of Public Utilities' (DPU) Pipeline Safety Division to review and assess the Gas System Enhancement Plan (GSEP). Members of the Division appreciated Berkshire Gas’ approach and planning for GSEP, specifically mentioning that all Massachusetts operating companies should follow suit and achieve the same level of execution on their GSEP programs. 

 

“Our customers will benefit from our investments in GSEP through the increased safety and resiliency of their gas service,” said Charlotte Ancel, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Berkshire Gas. “I am proud of our team for leading the charge on modernizing infrastructure and taking action on these much-needed improvements. I appreciate the recognition from the DPU on our GSEP program.”   

 

The meeting was held for the Division to understand how Berkshire Gas, along with other gas companies operating in Massachusetts, conduct the review of their pipeline replacement plans in relation to risk ranking throughout the system. Jim Peck, Principal Engineer at Berkshire Gas, presented the Division with status and data around the GSEP milestones replaced to date, with targets forecasted for the coming years. In comments that suggested Berkshire Gas’ approach is a model for all the state’s natural gas utilities, the Division indicated they will be requesting additional information from Berkshire Gas to support any new regulations to be adopted for implementation in the near future. 

 

The GSEP program involves the replacement of aging infrastructure with a newer, modern high-density plastic, leading to increased safety and resiliency. Replacing and modernizing the older cast-iron and bare-steel pipes will improve safety and result in greater reliability for the community. 
 

Intended to ensure the safety, reliability, and resiliency of the natural gas distribution system for customers, GSEP became a rule under the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in December 2009. It requires natural gas utility companies, which are often more than 100 or even 150 years old, to replace aging natural gas pipelines with more technologically advanced corrugated plastic.