Overview
Municipalities may own, maintain and operate a municipal light plant (MLP) in order to provide electric and/or gas services to their citizens.
Forty-one communities have established MLPs that serve all or part of 50 municipalities for electric service.
Generally, MLPs are run by municipal light boards or commissions in a municipality, or by the mayor/board of selectmen.
The Department of Public Utilities' role in regulating MLPs is limited since MLP's rates are set by municipal officials. The MLP provides both distribution and supply service to its customers.
Towns served by MLPs (A-G)
| Town Name | Municipal Light Plant |
|---|---|
| Ashburnham | Ashburnham Municipal Light Plant |
| Belmont | Belmont Municipal Light Department |
| Berkley | Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Boxborough | Littleton Electric Light & Water Department |
| Boylston | Boylston Municipal Light Department |
| Braintree | Braintree Electric Light Department |
| Chester | Chester Municipal Electric Light Department |
| Chicopee | Chicopee Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Concord | Concord Municipal Light Plant |
| Danvers | Danvers Electric Division |
| Dighton | Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Georgetown | Georgetown Municipal Light Department |
| Gosnold | Gosnold Electric Light Company |
| Groton | Groton Electric Light Department |
| Groveland | Groveland Municipal Light Department |
Towns served by MLPs (H-N)
| Town Name | Municipal Light Plant |
|---|---|
| Hingham | Hingham Municipal Light Plant |
| Holden | Holden Municipal Light Department |
| Holyoke | Holyoke Gas & Electric Department |
| Hudson | Hudson Light and Power Department |
| Hull | Hull Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Ipswich | Ipswich Municipal Light Department |
| Lakeville | Middleboro Gas and Electric Department |
| Littleton | Littleton Electric Light & Water Department |
| Lynnfield | Reading Municipal Light Plant/Peabody Municipal Light Plant |
| Mansfield | Mansfield Municipal Electric Department |
| Marblehead | Marblehead Municipal Light Department |
| Merrimac | Merrimac Municipal Light Department |
| Middleborough | Middleborough Gas & Electric Department |
| Middleton | Middleton Municipal Light Department |
| North Attleborough | North Attleborough Electric Department |
| North Reading | Reading Municipal Light Plant |
| Norwood | Norwood Municipal Light Department |
Towns served by MLPs (O-Z)
| Town Name | Municipal Light Plant |
|---|---|
| Paxton | Paxton Municipal Light Department |
| Peabody | Peabody Municipal Light Plant |
| Princeton | Princeton Municipal Light Department |
| Raynham | Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Reading | Reading Municipal Light Department |
| Rowley | Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Russell (northern part of town) | Russell Municipal Lighting Company |
| Shrewsbury | Shrewsbury's Electric Light Plant |
| South Hadley | South Hadley Electric Light Department |
| Sterling | Sterling Municipal Light Department |
| Stow | Hudson Light and Power Department |
| Taunton | Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Templeton | Templeton Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Wakefield | Wakefield Municipal Light Department |
| Wellesley | Wellesley Municipal Light Plant |
| West Boylston | West Boylston Municipal Lighting Plant |
| Westfield | Westfield Gas and Electric Light Department |
| Wilmington | Reading Municipal Light Plant |