The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities will open a new docket to investigate Eversource Energy’s proposed revisions to its net metering tariff to ensure compliance with legislation enacted on Aug. 9 amending the requirements for considering demand charges for net metered customers, according to an Aug. 29 memo. In January, the department approved demand charges called “monthly minimum reliability contribution” concluding that a cost shift exists between net metered and non-net metered customers. In response to the legislation, Eversource proposed revisions – to take effect Sept. 1 – clarifying that demand charges would only be applied when smart meters have been installed and customers would be informed of the date and time of the billed demand. Due to lack of adequate evidence regarding smart meter costs and the entity responsible to pay the costs, the department suspended the effective date of the tariff through Nov. 30 and asked Eversource to refile the tariff removing references to demand charges until a revised version that complies with the new law is determined.