Letter to the Editor: RMLD Board Refuses to Consider Decision on RECs

The following was submitted by Marsie K. West:

Last night, the entire North Reading Board of Selectmen attended the RMLD Board meeting to request reconsideration of their decision to retire Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). The initial decision was made with severely limited input from the ratepayers in all communities and it was made in direct conflict with a formal RMLD Board policy to minimize rates. 

The five selectmen made it a priority to appear in person, even cancelling prior commitments, once they were made aware of the impact of the RMLD Board’s 3-2 vote to forego $31.7 million in estimated revenue to benefit ratepayers over the next 14 years. Lengthy public comment and information from the RMLD Board was not enough to convince the North Reading Selectmen that retiring the RECs was in the best interest of their constituents. Repeated requests to reconsider the initial vote were snubbed by Chairman Hahn who cited a concern of calling for an additional vote and asserted the claim that more community input was needed prior to formal reconsideration, despite the attendance of many concerned citizens and the selectmen. 

RMLD Board member Mary Ellen O’Neill adamantly refused to reconsider the motion for any reason, instead favoring the ability of RMLD to officially claim to use renewable energy over directing funds to offset the rates for consumers and businesses. In place of reconsideration, the Board offered a meaningless motion to delay selling the RECs along with a mention of gaining more input from the impacted communities, thereby disregarding the input of an entire Board of elected officials and numerous ratepayers who sat before the commissioners last night.

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) were acquired with the purchase of renewable energy contracts. RECs are used to substantiate the purchase of renewable energy and are required to be held by private utilities such as NSTAR.  However, municipal utilities such as RMLD are not bound by these regulations and they may sell RECs in the market to help reduce the overall cost of energy in their portfolio. 

The municipal utilities in Concord, Wellesley, Taunton and Ipswich have all made the decision to sell their RECs and have reduced costs for their ratepayers. Once the RECs are sold, the official claim of renewable energy goes with them, although the energy was indeed purchased and the demand was created for the renewable energy. It is laudable to increase demand by purchasing energy from renewable sources but the question remains whether it is financially responsible and in the best interest of the ratepayers to retain these RECs solely to make the claim to being “green” without a tangible benefit to the ratepayer resulting from this action.     

Marsie K. West

3 Whitehall Lane, Precinct 4, Reading

Reading Finance Committee Chairman

Candidate for Reading Municipal Light Board of Commissioners