Hydropower to flow to 13 more Massachusetts municipalities

Massachusetts moves a step closer to meeting its requirement for utilities to obtain 50% of supply from carbon-free sources, with FirstLight’s power purchase agreement (PPA) with thirteen utilities for hydro power. FirstLight Power signed the agreement with Energy New England (ENE) for more than 100 GWh of hydroelectric power produced by Shepaug Generating Station in Southbury, Conn. and Stevenson Generating Station in Monroe, Conn.

“We are pleased to build on our successful collaboration with Energy New England by expanding our power purchase agreements with Massachusetts municipal utilities. These thirteen communities are showing tremendous climate leadership by choosing locally produced, cost-competitive, and clean hydropower to advance their own clean energy goals,” said Alicia Barton, president and CEO of FirstLight Power. “Long-term clean power commitments such as these agreements not only bolster our region’s ability to decarbonize the electric grid, but they also lock in affordable energy supply for Massachusetts homes and businesses at a time when fossil fuel prices are driving customer bills up.”

FirstLight Power is a clean power producer, developer, and energy storage company with a portfolio that includes over 1.4 GW of operating renewable energy that include hybrid solutions that pair hydroelectric, pumped-hydro storage, utility-scale solar, large-scale battery, and offshore wind assets. Headquartered in Burlington, Mass., FirstLight is a steward of more than 14,000 acres and hundreds of miles of shoreline along rivers and lakes in the Northeast.

ENE is a wholesale risk management and energy trading organization that serves the needs of municipal utilities in New England. ENE reports that it helps promote the principles of conservation, efficiency, and environmental stewardship, and offers sustainability planning including home energy audit programs, electric vehicle programs, wholesale energy procurement and risk management programs, regulatory and lobbying services.

This is the second such PPA between First Light and ENE, bringing the total number of municipal utilities served to 34. Working in collaboration with ENE, the new power purchase agreement will run from 2024 through 2030.

“We are excited to expand our collaboration with FirstLight Power, and we are incredibly proud that our members continue to lead the way by aggressively procuring new sources of clean energy to meet Massachusetts’ 2030 requirements for municipal utilities,” said John Tzimorangas, president and CEO of Energy New England. “Not only have our members made major strides in meeting the state’s goals; they have also shown that these long-term procurements help deliver safe, reliable, and cost-competitive electricity to ratepayers across the Commonwealth.”

The public power entities participating in the most recent PPA include: Belmont Municipal Light Department, Braintree Electric Light Department, Concord Municipal Light Plant, Danvers Electric Division, Groveland Municipal Light Department, Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant, Mass Development Finance Agency (MDFA)/Devens Utilities, Merrimac Municipal Light Department, Norwood Municipal Light Department, Reading Municipal Light Department, Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant, Wellesley Municipal Light Plant, and Westfield Gas & Electric.