Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 6/15/2021
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Mayor William Reichelt recently announced that since 2015, the town of West Springfield has saved over $750,000 in energy costs through its solar net metering arrangements with Kearsarge Energy.
According to the Reichelt’s Facebook page, “West Springfield has agreements that allow it to offset its electricity usage by energy generated from solar facilities in the nearby towns of Montague and Southwick.”
Scott Moore, director of West Springfield’s Central Maintenance Department said the town buys net metering credits through Kearsarge Energy.
“Net metering allows the town to generate its own energy sources to offset the electricity that it uses from the grid supplied by Eversource,” the Mayor’s post continued.
The contracts with Kearsarge were established in 2015 and 2018. Moore said, “We buy solar credits and use them to reduce electricity cost.” Overall, the town nets out 15 percent savings.
He added, “We don’t need to own the panels – we got on board early on.”
In addition, the town of West Springfield has done a lot to save money and conserve energy. In 2015, they “became green,” Moore stated. All of the streetlights have undergone light emitting diode (LED) conversion, along with converting all town buildings to LED lights.
These energy efficient changes have been funded through state grants and utility energy incentives at no cost to the town. This includes Eversource and previously Columbia Gas.
Moore said this has reduced the overall maintenance of keeping up with the lights as LEDs last much longer and are a “better quality light.”