569:
67:
288:, overhead powerlines, and underground electric lines to support the increasing electric use. In 1959 the substation on Weston Road (Station 378) was completed. This substation was modified in 1970 and completely reconstructed in 2005. In 1967 the substation on Cedar Street (Station 453) was built, and in 1968 a new substation (Station 41) was completed and began distributing power to Wellesley Hills, effectively halting the original substation's use.
520:
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334:(Station 41), and an "old" substation. As of June 2007, the current WMLP garage is scheduled for demolition and a new garage was planned for construction. The "old" substation, which is an historical building dating back to the 1920s is primarily used for storage, while the "new" substation, built in 1968, serves its respective purpose. Aside from the substation on the grounds of the WMLP, it owns two other main substations throughout
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372:. For more than 100 years, the WMLP was officially a DPW department and known as the Wellesley Electric Light Division. However, in the year of 1994, the WMLP acquired independent town department status within the municipality and is a separate entity from the DPW. The WMLP answers to the Municipal Light Plant Board while the DPW answers to the Board of Public Works.
243:), operated in Wellesley alongside the Wellesley Electric Light Division. From 1904 until 1906, BECo rendered commercial lighting services in the town. In 1906, Wellesley Electric Light took control of the commercial lighting in the town and has distributed and managed the current for commercial lighting ever since.
223:
The
Wellesley Municipal Light Plant was founded on December 13, 1892 as the Wellesley Electric Light Division of the Town of Wellesley Department of Public Works. Unlike most municipal light plants at the time, the Town of Wellesley built an entirely new plant for its new electric division instead of
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The WMLP management consists of a director, business manager, superintendent, supervisory electrical engineer, and two line supervisors (one of whom is responsible for Devens). The WMLP also employs an accountant, construction engineer, office assistant, and six customer service representatives. The
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A municipal light plant does not produce electricity on its own. Power reaches the town through substations and transforms high voltage to working home and commercial distribution within a sector. The WMLP has historically had attractive rates compared to other suppliers in the region and has had
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in the late 1990s. The WMLP is responsible for the electrical supply of the approximately 120 residences and 180 commercial enterprises. The WMLP also maintains supply lines which provide electricity to the remaining Fort Devens military establishment. This contract, however, is complex due to
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The WMLP makes it mandatory that all of its employees attend frequent safety presentations and that they practice real-world safety operations, both planned and unplanned. In addition to the various safety presentations and demonstrations, the WMLP has a safety committee that meets monthly.
202:(MEAM Mass). The WMLP has been the recipient of many awards and recognitions. It has received the NEPPA Commitment to Safety Award of 1986 - 1987, an American Public Power Association (APPA) award, and a gold award as a Reliable Public Power Provider in 2007 - 2008, to name a few.
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The WMLP retains a good safety record, with streaks of 568 days and 998 days without a work-related injury. The current record of the WMLP is 633 days (as of June 26, 2007). This is a notable feat, as electric line work is rated 8 in the top 10 most dangerous jobs in the
236:, and devoted its capabilities exclusively to street lighting. A report from the Massachusetts Commission gives the first record of service to private customers in Wellesley on July 1, 1904, almost twelve years after the foundation of Wellesley Electric Light.
231:
recorded a permanent population of 5,072 citizens. Wellesley
Electric Light, however, serviced none of these people. In the beginning, Wellesley Electric Light purchased all of its current from the Natick Gas & Electric Company in neighboring
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and is among the least expensive and cleanest in the US. Subsequently, the electric rates in
Wellesley are very cost effective and residents have attractive rates compared to other parts of the region, on a per mil watt cost per household.
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supplied from the aforementioned substations in Newton and
Needham enter Wellesley at 13,800 kV and are either distributed through the town at 13.8 kV or, through the substations and stepdown
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security concerns. The military takes control of the supply lines at a certain point along the system and maintains and operates its own electrical infrastructure within the base.
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long term contracts with major generators. Today, the WMLP works on the national grid purchasing blocks of power under contracts over time. Current power is produced from
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The WMLP serves 9,954 customers, of whom 8,812 are residential, 1,138 are commercial, and 4 are industrial. The largest customers (by electric demand) are
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With the large amounts of money
Wellesley Electric Light was accumulating, the department upgraded and built more of its electrical system with new
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operators, a full-time stockkeeper, a part-time stockkeeper, an engineering technician, a fire alarm/traffic signal specialist, and a Class A
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The
Wellesley Municipal Light Plant utilizes state of the art equipment and maintains a large facility for its machinery and stock.
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The WMLP is a town department, composed of 37 employees working in management, customer service, and electric line work positions.
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director of the WMLP is
Richard F. Joyce, the business manager is Debra J. Healy, and the superintendent is Donald H. Newell.
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and transferred to the US grid. About 80% to 90% of this power is produced via a hydro-electric dams from the
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338:. One of these substations (Station 378) was rebuilt and renovated with new equipment from 2005 to 2006.
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652:
Dorau, Herbert B., "Municipal
Ownership in the Electric Light and Power Industry of Massachusetts",
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grew rapidly. These changes provided
Wellesley Electric Light with more customers and greater
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Porter, Charles H., "A Comparison of Public and
Private Electric Utilities in Massachusetts",
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The WMLP employs 14 electric line workers. These include three crew leaders, six first class
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258:. As Wellesley's population increased and wealthier people moved into the town, Wellesley's
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and its strictly suburban feel instigated a population growth that gained intensity after
8:
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400:
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On August 2, 2006, the WMLP hit an all time electric consumption high of 65,076
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The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of Boston, or Boston Edison (BECo; now
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and cable yard, stockroom, and linemen's room), a utilities building, a "new"
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431:. In addition to the line workers, the WMLP employs a lead meter reader, two
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The WMLP fleet consists of 23 vehicles. These vehicles are: two diggers, a
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Adams, Alton D., "Municipal Gas and Electric Plants in Massachusetts",
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The WMLP buildings are composed of a garage (which includes an outside
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164:. The headquarters of the WMLP is located at 455 Worcester Street,
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Today, the WMLP has a total of 33 distribution lines throughout
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Headquarters and Town of Wellesley Department of Public Works.
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361:, a fire alarm/street light van, a meter reading van, four
28:
353:, two cable trucks (for underground electric lines), five
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661:
Publications of the American Statistical Association
673:, Vol. 7, No. 4 (November 1931), pp. 394–438.
663:, Vol. 5, No. 40 (December 1897), pp. 381–382.
380:The WMLP services the recently established town of
683:Reliable Public Power Provider recognition article
671:The Journal of Land & Public Utility Economics
654:The Journal of Land & Public Utility Economics
656:, Vol. 3, No. 3. (August 1927), pp. 298–307.
649:, Vol. 10, No. 2. (March 1902), pp. 214–229.
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442:This information is correct as of July 1, 2007.
88:Francisco Frias, Supervisory Electrical Engineer
200:Municipal Electric Association of Massachusetts
160:to the residents and businesses in the town of
427:, one lead cable splicer, and one apprentice
503:around 4:00PM, as temperatures soared to 102
472:of the WMLP is $ 74,701,176 as of July 2007.
368:The WMLP holds a unique position within the
254:, akin to most other suburbs throughout the
168:, and shares its grounds with the Wellesley
496:The WMLP's Peak Demand is 65.076 Megawatts.
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152:) is a town department responsible for the
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295:and owns nine supply lines, six from the
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590:Wellesley's Wonderful Weekend, May 2007
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303:and three from the NSTAR substation in
146:Town of Wellesley Municipal Light Plant
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22:Wellesley Municipal Light Plant (WMLP)
475:The WMLP provides broadband services.
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624:Christie, Les (September 23, 2005).
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192:Northeast Public Power Association
49:Electrical Transmission and Supply
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196:American Public Power Association
708:Companies based in Massachusetts
647:The Journal of Political Economy
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525:WMLP crews pulling cable into a
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365:, and five management vehicles.
86:Donald H. Newell, Superintendent
84:Debra J. Healy, Business Manager
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626:"America's most dangerous jobs"
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280:378 before 2005 reconstruction
92:Peter Bracken, Line Supervisor
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659:Municipal Electric Lighting,
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190:The WMLP holds membership in
187:, and Wellesley Office Park.
90:James Verner, Line Supervisor
224:buying existing facilities.
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544:being delivered to a WMLP
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137:http://www.wellesleyma.gov
82:Richard F. Joyce, Director
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713:Wellesley, Massachusetts
408:Organization of the WMLP
166:Wellesley, Massachusetts
162:Wellesley, Massachusetts
71:Wellesley, Massachusetts
703:Energy in Massachusetts
482:sales were 235,275,937.
315:, distributed at 4 kV.
208:Niagara Power of Canada
392:. A large area of the
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345:Some of the WMLP fleet
305:Needham, Massachusetts
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423:, three second class
399:was converted into a
382:Devens, Massachusetts
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301:Newton, Massachusetts
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234:Natick, Massachusetts
319:Facts about the WMLP
463:Miscellaneous facts
219:History of the WMLP
183:, Harvard Pilgrim,
124:Number of employees
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574:Reconstruction of
562:entering a manhole
446:Safety at the WMLP
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185:Sun Life Financial
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688:Town of Wellesley
578:378 in the winter
401:planned community
384:, located in the
177:Wellesley College
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101:US $ 21,649,000
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630:. Retrieved
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386:Montachusett
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62:Headquarters
36:Company type
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542:transformer
487:transformer
437:electrician
394:Fort Devens
328:transformer
286:substations
212:Great Lakes
158:electricity
697:Categories
611:References
576:Substation
546:substation
433:substation
388:region in
359:dump truck
332:substation
278:Substation
110:Net income
78:Key people
491:Megawatts
478:In 2005,
470:Net Worth
397:army base
336:Wellesley
293:Wellesley
229:Wellesley
227:In 1892,
194:(NEPPA),
128:37 (2007)
351:forklift
264:commerce
46:Industry
560:Lineman
540:New
527:manhole
429:lineman
425:linemen
421:linemen
309:voltage
268:revenue
133:Website
97:Revenue
54:Founded
512:Photos
376:Devens
307:. The
248:Boston
118:(2006)
103:(2005)
40:Public
297:NSTAR
241:NSTAR
634:2008
468:The
262:and
150:WMLP
144:The
57:1892
480:kWh
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505:°F
501:kW
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