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Unitil honors workers who keep the power and lights on

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LUNENBURG — Over 30,000 Unitil customers in Fitchburg, Ashby, Lunenburg and Townsend rely on both internal and third-party line crews to keep power flowing to their homes and businesses.

To recognize the importance of utility workers, Unitil joined the country in celebrating National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 18. The day commemorating the people who keep the lights and power on was passed by the 113th U.S. Congress following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

“We are so appreciative of the work our lineworkers do, especially during storms, so it is only fitting that a national day be set aside marking the important work they do keeping our lights on,” said Alec O’Meara, manager, External Affairs at Unitil.

It is following storm outages when Unitil’s Todd Gauvin and his fellow linemen feel the most appreciated.

“The vast majority of our customers are so grateful when power is restored following a storm; it provides a great deal of satisfaction,” Gauvin said.

Gauvin, who has been with the company for 12 years, said that he and his colleagues really enjoy the work because power is so central to everyday living. He hadn’t planned on getting into the industry, but it was happenstance that led him to a career as a lineman.

The Fitchburg native said it was a conversation with a coworker’s roommate and an economic downturn that plugged him into the utility business. He was finishing up his computer science degree at Fitchburg State University when the dotcom meltdown hit the industry, portending a bleak job market.

Gauvin was working full-time at a warehouse when a coworker’s roommate shared with him that he just graduated from an apprenticeship program to become a lineman. “It seemed like a great career option,” Gauvin said. He signed up for the same program through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which prepares apprentices to become a journeyman lineman.

After taking an aptitude test, IBEW set Gauvin up with paid on-the-job training, at-home study, and classroom instruction, which took about 7,000 hours over 3 ½ years to complete. “My training was with a third-party independent contractor that specialized in building new construction electrical systems for a large regional utility company,” Gauvin said. He ended up staying with the company for 10 years before joining Unitil. Gauvin also added that he was able to complete the program in less time due to accruing so many hours during the five weeks spent in New Orleans restoring power after Hurricane Katrina.

“It is rewarding and I definitely enjoy the work, especially being outdoors on most days,” Gauvin said. “It can also be challenging on cold days or when we must go out late at night or weekends, but there is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from keeping the power flowing 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

Pepperell to submit electric aggregation plan for state approval

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PEPPERELL — As costs have soared in every sector, municipalities across Massachusetts have increasingly turned to electric aggregation as a means to provide residents with some sort of financial relief.

Now, Pepperell would appear poised to do the same.

In the relatively near future, local leaders hope to save residents money each month through Pepperell Community Electricity, a program meant to leverage the town’s purchasing power to negotiate competitive energy rates compared to the basic service rate available through National Grid.

Town leaders and the Climate Change Committee are set to host a virtual information session and provide a plan overview at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, while public comment on the program is invited and encouraged through Saturday, April 29, after which the plan will be submitted to the state for final approval.

Town Administrator Andrew MacLean, who said the program was recommended in the town’s Master Plan and was voted through favorably last May, stressed PCE’s ability to provide further stability for ratepayers as continued inflation has left many residents under significant financial pressure.

“[PCE] should prove beneficial to each and every resident,” MacLean said. “The individual can’t necessarily negotiate a super competitive rate but, as a collective, the town can sort of play in that sphere and help drive energy costs down.”

“We want to do everything we can to make life a bit easier for the people of Pepperell — [PCE] is certainly a step in that direction,” he said.

PCE would not replace National Grid as the town’s electric utility — rather, it would provide residents with options as far as where their power is sourced from. National Grid would continue to deliver that power, but a separate and competitive supply rate, negotiated by the town with an outside energy company, would be reflected in residents’ energy bills.

A “three-tiered” program, MacLean said environmentally conscious residents would also be afforded the opportunity to utilize “greener” energy — energy sourced from wind, hydroelectric, nuclear, etc. — albeit at a greater cost and that PCE is “directly aligned” with community values in regard to climate change and to reduce carbon emissions.

“(Pepperell), broadly, is in favor of these type of things,” MacLean said. “We’re a green community, we have a Climate Change Committee, we’re part of our regional climate change group — it’s one of our core community values and PCE plays right into that.”

“Everybody wants to save money, right? And I certainly don’t know anybody that brags about how much they pollute. Presumably, you’re going to have greener electricity at a lower price — it’s a lot to be happy about,” he said.

In advance of April 11, MacLean touched on the importance of communication between town leaders and residents in order to ensure that everyone was “on the same page” and said there was “no such thing as too much communication.” He also urged those that may be unable to attend to reach out to those leaders with any questions.

“We can never communicate enough,” MacLean said. “Every second of every day, someone is going to say ‘I didn’t hear about this,’ — all we can do is give out good, clear, consistent and frequent communication and be patient with people.”

“We hope that citizens come out with questions for us — show up and we’ll provide the information they need. And, if you can’t make it, don’t hesitate to reach out, we’re here to help,” he said.

As for when residents might start to see savings, MacLean was unsure due to the state’s inconsistent approval process. “Last time I looked into it, several communities had complained about the length of time it had taken,” he said, with some plans taking a year or longer to be reviewed.

“That’s what we’ve been told and nobody seems to know why,” MacLean said. “We’re not reinventing the wheel here, we’re giving back their sort of boilerplate proposal and showing how we’re meeting people’s needs with the program.”

“So, for now, I think our approach is going to be this is a year away and, then, we’ll try to be one of those squeaky wheels to see if we can get this moved along faster,” he said.

MacLean urged those interested in PCE to visit PepperellCommunityElectricity.com or contact the town’s program consultants at 844-202-6299. For more information, residents can also visit the town’s website, town.pepperell.ma.us/838/Pepperell-Community-Electricity.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems celebrates newest campus at Devens

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DEVENS — State and federal dignitaries gathered Friday, Feb. 10, to celebrate the launch of Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ newest campus, which is set to support the future development and deployment of commercial fusion energy.

Headlined by U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, an entourage that included energy advocates U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan toured the campus, home to CFS’s new SPARC facility. A collaborative project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, SPARC, once complete, will be the world’s first commercially viable net energy fusion machine, using high-temperature superconducting magnets to produce energy through nuclear fusion.

The facility is expected to be operational in 2025 while ARC, CFS’s future fusion power plant that will expand on SPARC technology, is expected to launch in the early 2030s, according to CFS.

CFS CEO Bob Mumgaard said the new campus represented CFS’s “commitment” to fusion energy and the fight against climate change. Granholm concurred and said both the ceremony and the state’s partnership with CFS was a “great moment” for the future of the planet.

“So, of all the things that could affect climate change, why did we choose fusion? Because the universe already chose fusion,” Mumgaard said. “Fusion is the thing that powers the stars, that built all the atoms in everything around us — when you look up into the night sky, you see fusion power plants.”

“This (new campus) is just the beginning,” he said.

“Massachusetts has such a rich history of being on the forefront: you’re the place where the first telephone call was made; the place where the typewriter was invented; the place where the industry standards for the internet happened; the place where the chocolate chip cookie was invented,” Granholm said. “You are on the cutting edge of so much — but this Commonwealth Fusion Systems effort, for the world, could be the most momentous of all.”

Traditional nuclear power has long been produced through fission, a physical process where large, unstable atoms are split into lighter nuclei. When each atom is split, a tremendous amount of energy is released; in a fission power plant, that process is used to heat water into steam, which is then used to spin a turbine and produce carbon-free electricity.

Fusion, meanwhile, is almost the inverse of the fission process; two smaller atoms are slammed together at high speeds to fuse them into a single, larger product. This process can produce even more energy than the fission process and can do so without creating highly radioactive fission products and or waste.

Previously, fusion had been an unviable energy alternative due to the tremendous amount of pressure and temperature required to fuse nuclei together. That said, scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility in California were able to produce the first fusion reaction resulting in a net energy gain last December, while CFS’s compact SPARC technology is expected to do the same.

Warren said she was “proud” of Massachusetts’ position as a “leader” in fusion technologies. Markey praised the administration of Gov. Maura Healey, which he said was “poised” to make Massachusetts the “energy innovation state for the world,” and thanked CFS for their efforts in terms of combating climate change and creating jobs.

“The Industrial Revolution started right here (in Massachusetts), so it would make sense that, where this sort of revolutionary thinking began, that we have a new kind of revolution of power that is going to be created here for the first time and commercialized,” Markey said. “We thank Commonwealth (Fusion Systems) for so much that you are doing — this is a historic breakthrough and you are going to make the difference for the future and recharting our climate trajectory.

“We thank you for building a brighter, sustainable future — not just for Devens, not just for Massachusetts, but for the planet. We have your back and we’ll continue to help you on that path,” he added.

Trahan, whom Markey referred to as an “incredible, future-oriented” member of Congress and “leader of the Second Industrial Revolution,” said she was “giddy” to be part of the ceremony. She called CFS’s work “groundbreaking” and praised Granholm, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the congressional delegation present for their “unprecedented” support of that work across the country.

“The work being done here to get us closer to unlocking low-cost, carbon-free fusion energy is groundbreaking — and CFS is doing it in record time,” Trahan said. “Today, we find ourselves on the precipice of another revolution — a clean energy revolution — and this facility is another shining example of how Massachusetts, under the leadership of Gov. Healey and Lt. Gov. (Kim) Driscoll is going to lead the way once again.”

Beyond SPARC, the new campus is host to CFS’s corporate headquarters as well as an advanced manufacturing facility that will support both SPARC and future ARC power plants. The campus is also expected to expand in the future to include the development of additional facilities and advanced research and development projects, according to CFS.

For more information on CFS or their work, visit cfs.energy.

Fitchburg set to launch Community Electric Aggregation program in March

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FITCHBURG — As energy costs continue to rise, financial relief could come to the city this March by way of the recently announced electric aggregation program.

Fitchburg Community Electric Aggregation will afford city residents and businesses electric utility options and could leave many with extra cash each month. Partnered with the Baltimore, Maryland-based Constellation Energy Corporation, the city can now provide competitively priced rates and greater options for renewable energy compared to the local utility, Unitil Corporation.

Mayor Stephen DiNatale said the city was “hypersensitive” to the increased costs of utilities and that the CEA, a project “years in the making,” was an obvious avenue to both bring those costs down and relieve residents’ financial pressures.

“We’re doing our best and will continue to do our best to bring costs down across the board,” DiNatale said. “Energy costs right now are crazy — the cost of everything is incredibly high — so, through [the CEA], we’re trying to rein that in a bit and make life just a little bit easier for Fitchburg ratepayers.”

“Rest assured that we’re doing everything we can to make it easier on our residents and give them some sense of control when, before, they didn’t have a lot of options,” he said.

Once launched, residents will have the choice of a new standard rate as well as two optional rates that are increasingly sourced from renewable energies in addition to whatever options may be available to them through Unitil.

Each rate offered through the program is locked in for a 21-month period, after which the city can negotiate a new rate, leveraging the purchasing power of the entire municipality, with an electric company of its choosing.

The “Fitchburg Standard,” “Fitchburg 5” and “Fitchburg Plus” rates, which are set through December 2024, each prove cost-effective compared to Unitil’s current 21.429 cents per kilowatt-hour basic service rate at 17.268, 17.467 and 19.048 cents per kWh, respectively.

Ratepayers served by Unitil are automatically enrolled in the program under the “Fitchburg Standard” rate and would continue to be serviced and billed by Unitil each month, while said bill would reflect the reduced rate negotiated through the CEA. Residents that wish to withdraw from the program can do so at any time without penalty, while those that are served by a third-party utility are not automatically enrolled.

While potential savings may prove “modest” for most, DiNatale stressed that “every bit can help.” He also emphasized the fact that savings, despite those reduced rates, could not necessarily be “guaranteed” due to Unitil’s ability to alter distribution charges.

When asked about the “Fitchburg 5” and “Fitchburg Plus” options, DiNatale made it clear that the city was highly supportive of renewable, “green” energy and hoped that at least some residents would feel the same now that they have environmentally-conscious options.

“We’ve done what we can to take advantage of renewables in projects around the city,” DiNatale said. “We, as the city, are always interested in measures that can sort of decrease our impact on the environment, lessen our carbon footprint and, now, we’re giving residents the option to sort of do that as well.”

The city is set to host a second information session at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at City Hall, 718 Main St. The first one was held on Wednesday, Feb. 1. For more information on the CEA, visit fitchburgcea.com.

Fitchburg launches energy, heating assistance fund to help residents

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FITCHBURG — While temperatures have been warmer than expected this winter, Mayor Stephen DiNatale has not hesitated to help residents heat their homes.

Amidst crushing inflation and rising energy costs, DiNatale and Administrative Aide Joan David have established the Mayor’s Energy Fund to ease the financial burden for residents. The mayor said it was important to set up the financial safety net for residents given the often unpredictable nature of New England weather and in the event of unforeseen emergencies.

“This program was born out of the anticipated, extraordinarily significant increases in energy costs to heat people’s home’s this winter,” DiNatale said. “Knock on wood, the winter has been relatively mild, but it’s good to have this as a base because you just never know what might happen, weather or otherwise.”

“Heating and energy costs, even without it being exceptionally cold, are extraordinarily high. So, however much or little it might do, we’re doing this to help out the citizens of Fitchburg,” he said.

Eligibility for the program, which could contribute as much as $400 to a resident’s oil, gas or electric heating costs, is determined by income and other federal Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines, according to David. Those that are interested can apply through an application that is available outside of DiNatale’s office at City Hall.

Through the application, residents provide the amount of their latest bill, whether through Unitil Corporation or another utility provider, as well as information on their income and a means to verify that income, such as a paystub or W-2 form. If approved, City Hall would send a check directly to the utility company to be disbursed to the applicant’s account within a two-week period.

David said a potential online application would be “something we could discuss in the future.”

DiNatale said work on the fund began late in 2022 ahead of what was projected to be a particularly harsh winter. He and David took inspiration from a similar program in Leominster and collaborated with local social service agencies such as United Way of North Central Massachusetts, Making Opportunity Count and others to build something that could “work for as many people as possible.”

Both thanked those local organizations for their aid and their “continued commitment” to Fitchburg residents.

“I reached out to some nonprofits in the community, United Way [of North Central Massachusetts], MOC, and said let’s get together and strategize on how best to meet what could be a significant problem for a lot of people,” he said. “We couldn’t be more thankful to them and what they’ve provided and continue to provide to us and the community.”

As of now, the program is funded solely by a $5,000 donation made by IC Federal Credit Union last December, a donation that was approved for use by City Council on Tuesday, Dec. 17. In the future, DiNatale and David said the fund would consist mostly of “public and private donations” from other local institutions, but that the city would also look for other opportunities to fundraise.

David also said the city applied for a HUD Community Development Block Grant but, if awarded, such funds would be unavailable until next winter.

Both DiNatalie and David stressed the importance of such a fund as many struggle to keep up, financially. David said even minimal financial relief could make a huge difference for some families, while DiNatale said the city would “do our best” to help those in need and urged residents to come his office and apply.

“It might not seem like a lot, but I think this fund could do a lot of good,” David said. “If we can help even just a little, pick up at least part of someone’s bill so they have a bit extra to spend on groceries or whatever else they might need, it could mean a world of difference for a lot of people.”

“We work for the people of Fitchburg, we’re here to help them however we can,” DiNatalie said. “So please, reach out, come to City Hall and, if we can, we’ll certainly do our best to help.”

Community Electric Aggregation Program still active in Shirley

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SHIRLEY — The Electric Aggregation Program the town signed up for several years ago remains in effect, Town Administrator Mike McGovern told the Select Board last week. And residents who didn’t opt out then are still in it now.

That is, if they were National Grid customers and hadn’t already switched to another service provider.

A letter sent to every business and household in town that was on National Grid’s customer list at the time explained that, going forward, Dynergy would be their new energy provider, per a contract with the town. The switch was automatic, but they could opt out. Those who wanted to stick with National Grid could do so by returning a form included with the letter. Otherwise, no response was required.

If there’s confusion about the program now, that seamless transition could help explain it.

Some residents may not know whether they are part of the program or not. The answer to that question is that if you didn’t opt out, you’re in. Unless you signed on with another provider. To confirm, those in the program will see ”Dynergy” listed as supplier, on page 2 of their electric bills, McGovern said.

But the arrangement isn’t set in stone, one way or the other.

“The best thing to do,” is to visit the town website and click on the link to “Dynergy,” McGovern said. There you will find a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about the program, including how it works, what it means to be part of it and how to get in, or out.

The notification letter that spelled out the details in the first place, for example, why was it sent?

It was the result of a contract the town signed with Dynergy, a competitive supplier, on behalf of the Community Electric Aggregation Program, only those on National Grid’s customer list received the letter. Those listed with another competitive supplier did not.

When the town decided to go all in for the aggregation plan, a consultant was hired to find a supplier and broker a deal. As explained at a town meeting when the plan was proposed, the goal was to offer residents a money-saving alternative to National Grid.

The consultant said his job was to seek out the best deal, spreading a country-wide net and marketing Shirley’s pool of National Grid customers as a group to “competitive suppliers” that offered better electric rates in return, lower than National Grid’s rates, which tend to rise and fall seasonally.

The agreed-upon, “aggregate” rate would be locked in for a specified period, per the contract.

The Dynergy contract expires in March, McGovern said.

Then what? The town will either re-up with Dynergy or find another company for a similar deal. Either way, residents currently in the program who want to stay on board don’t have to do anything, he said.