Otis Singleton
The Electric Company was an American educational children's television series that aired on PBS from 1971 to 1977. It was co-created by Paul Dooley, Joan Ganz Cooney, and Lloyd Morrisett, and employed sketch comedy to help elementary school children develop their grammar and reading skills. The original cast included Morgan Freeman, Rita Moreno, Bill Cosby, Judy Graubart, Lee Chamberlin, and Skip Hinnant. The show was cancelled in 1977 at the height of its popularity and has since been re-run on various channels. In Massachusetts, some of the major electric utility companies include Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil Corporation. These companies provide electric service to cities and towns across the state, with Eversource being the oldest and second-largest utility company in Massachusetts.
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What You'll Learn
- The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) regulates investor-owned electric companies in Massachusetts
- Municipal Light Plants (MLPs) are run by municipal light boards or commissions in a municipality, or by the mayor/board of selectmen
- Unitil Corporation is a New England utility company serving customers throughout Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire
- Eversource is Massachusetts' oldest and second-largest utility company, serving 1.3 million electricity customers across 140 communities
- National Grid is the largest electric utility in Massachusetts, serving over 3.3 million customers in nearly 900 cities throughout New England and New York
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) regulates investor-owned electric companies in Massachusetts
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is a state agency in Massachusetts that regulates investor-owned electric companies in the state. The DPU also regulates natural gas and privately-owned water companies, as well as the safety of bus companies, moving companies, and transportation network companies. The DPU's mission is to ensure that consumers' rights are protected and that utility companies provide the most reliable service at the lowest possible cost.
The DPU has a Consumer Division that can help with billing issues and other concerns. The division is staffed by individuals trained to help consumers when companies do not follow the law or refuse to make reasonable agreements. However, it is important to note that DPU staff are not lawyers and will not represent consumers. Nevertheless, they often successfully resolve many of the problems that customers have with utility companies.
The DPU also has a role in regulating municipal light plants (MLPs), which provide electric and/or gas services in some Massachusetts locations. Forty-one communities have established MLPs, serving all or part of 50 municipalities for electric service. MLPs are typically run by municipal light boards or commissions or by the mayor/board of selectmen. While the DPU's role in regulating MLPs is limited, MLPs must file a municipal light plant financial and operating annual return with the DPU.
The DPU is an adjudicatory agency overseen by a three-member Commission. It is responsible for developing alternatives to traditional regulation, monitoring service quality, and regulating safety in the transportation and gas pipeline areas, as well as the siting of energy facilities.
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Municipal Light Plants (MLPs) are run by municipal light boards or commissions in a municipality, or by the mayor/board of selectmen
Municipal Light Plants (MLPs) are a legal and financial structure under Massachusetts law that allows municipalities to operate utilities with a balance of town oversight and business flexibility. MLPs are generally run by municipal light boards or commissions in a municipality, or by the mayor/board of selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen (BOS), mayor, or municipal light board has exclusive managerial power over the municipal light department. In some municipalities, the BOS may serve as the light board, while in others, there are elected light boards. However, even when the BOS serves as the light board, it must act in accordance with G.L. c. 164 and the interests of the light department and its ratepayers.
The role of municipal light boards and the BOS acting as light boards is generally to establish policy rather than engage in the actual mechanics of operating light departments. The manager of the light department is responsible for its operation and the decisions that go into it. The municipal light board or BOS appoints this manager, who possesses the technical ability to run the daily operations of the light department.
MLPs are non-profit, publicly owned entities that provide utility services such as electricity, cable TV, and fiber optic internet connectivity to about 50 communities in Massachusetts. They are governed by a Municipal Light Board (MLB), which may be the Select Board acting as the MLB or an independently elected MLB. The MLP appoints a manager to run operations and provide detailed operational and financial statements annually.
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Unitil Corporation is a New England utility company serving customers throughout Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire
Unitil Corporation is a New England utility company that serves customers in Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire. It is an investor-owned public utility company that provides electricity and natural gas services to its customers. The company was established in 1984 and is based in New Hampshire. Unitil's earliest predecessor company, the Portland Gas Light Company, was founded in Maine in 1849.
Unitil Corporation has four segments: three wholly-owned distribution utilities and five subsidiaries. The three distribution utilities are Unitil Energy Systems, Inc., Fitchburg Gas and Electric Light Company, and Northern Utilities, Inc. The company's subsidiaries include U-source, a national energy brokering and consulting company, and Usource LLC, which provides energy brokerage services to large energy users in the northeast.
Unitil Corporation serves both residential and commercial customers. Its service territory includes business districts, recreational centers, and commercial and industrial businesses, such as electronic component manufacturers and educational institutes. The company is committed to delivering energy safely and reliably, and with top-tier customer service. They offer a Budget Billing Program to help residential customers manage their energy bills, especially during the colder months when energy usage tends to be higher.
Unitil Corporation is constantly exploring new technologies and initiatives to modernize energy distribution and improve the customer experience. The company has a strong focus on technological advancement, aiming to be the most technologically advanced utility in the region. In 2014, Unitil announced plans to invest $570 million to expand its distribution infrastructure and serve a larger number of customers. This expansion was driven by increased demand during the winter months, which also led to a request for a price increase in some areas, which was approved by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
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Eversource is Massachusetts' oldest and second-largest utility company, serving 1.3 million electricity customers across 140 communities
Eversource Energy is Massachusetts' oldest and second-largest utility company, serving 1.3 million electricity customers across 140 communities in the state. The company is publicly traded and is also a Fortune 500 energy company. It is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, and Hartford, Connecticut, and serves around 4 million customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.
Eversource Energy was formed following a merger with Boston-based NSTAR in 2012. The company and its subsidiaries rebranded as Eversource Energy in 2015. Before the rebranding, Eversource operated six main subsidiaries, including Western Massachusetts Electric Company (WMECO).
Eversource Energy provides retail electricity, natural gas, and water services to its customers. The company has taken initiatives to support electric vehicles, committing to spend $45 million over five years to install over 400 electric vehicle charging stations in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) regulates investor-owned electric and gas companies in the state, including Eversource Energy. The DPU also has limited oversight of municipal light plants (MLPs), which are owned and operated by municipalities to provide electric and/or gas services to their citizens.
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National Grid is the largest electric utility in Massachusetts, serving over 3.3 million customers in nearly 900 cities throughout New England and New York
National Grid is an international energy delivery company that delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, making it the largest electric utility in the state. It also serves New Hampshire, New York, and Rhode Island, and manages the electricity network on Long Island through an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA).
National Grid is focused on building a smarter, more reliable, and cleaner energy future. The company aims to transform its networks with more resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition to electricity, National Grid also provides natural gas and clean energy delivery services to its customers. The company serves more than 20 million people through its networks in New York and Massachusetts combined.
In Massachusetts specifically, National Grid has been working to restore power to thousands of customers affected by severe weather events, such as thunderstorms, and has provided guidance on how to stay safe during power outages. The company also encourages customers who depend on electric-powered life support equipment to register with their Customer Service Center.
National Grid is subject to regulation and oversight by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) in Massachusetts, which also oversees other investor-owned electric and gas companies, as well as some privately-owned water companies in the state.
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