RMLD Receives National Reliability Award For 7th Straight Year

READING, MA — Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) once again has been honored for its electric reliability.

The municipally-owned utility, which provides power to Reading, Wilmington, North Reading, and Lynnfield Center, has received the 2022 Certificate of Excellence in Reliability from the American Public Power Association (APPA), a trade group that represents more than 2,000 not-for-profit, community-owned electric utilities.

This is is the seventh straight year that RMLD has received the Certificate of Excellence.

According to APPA, the organization helps electric utilities track power outage and restoration data and compares that data to national statistics for all types of electric utilities.

RMLD ranks among the top 25 percent of utilities in the nation that substantially exceed System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) when compared with that national reliability data, according to APPA.

"RMLD is proud to receive this recognition for the seventh consecutive year, which is a reflection of RMLD's versatility and continuous commitment to maintaining the highest standard of reliability possible for its customers in the towns of Reading, North Reading, Wilmington and Lynnfield Center," said Greg Phipps, General Manager at RMLD. "Infrequent power outages and fast restoration times have become a hallmark of RMLD, and RMLD works tirelessly on proactive maintenance measures and infrastructure upgrades to ensure that it achieves best-in-class reliability."

In a release, RMLD said it has been able to achieve this level of reliability thanks to a 10-point proactive maintenance program, which includes measures like: comprehensive tree maintenance, pole inspection and replacement, aged transformer replacement, regular underground distribution facility upgrades, and ongoing substation equipment testing.

RMLD was one of 14 community-owned electric utilities in Massachusetts to receive the 2022 Certificate of Excellence in Reliability. A list of all U.S. utilities that received the award is available online.

"It's encouraging to see year after year that public power's track record for providing highly reliable service is backed up by data," said Paul Zummo, APPA's director of Research and Development. "These utilities are the best of the best when it comes to keeping the lights on. And these communities should be proud of their local power providers and appreciate the hard work that goes into earning this recognition."