Category Archives: Announcement

Distributed Generation

Distributed Generation

(Solar, Batteries, etc.)

The Littleton Electric Light & Water Departments allows customers to install solar and other distributed generation systems on their home or business. Customers should read the Interconnection Standards for Distributed Generation and the LELWD Rate Schedules. We cannot recommend installers, but we can recommend you talk to local installers, as they are most familiar to local ordinances and regulations as well as LELWD requirements. When an installer makes a proposal/estimate, make sure they are using LELD rates and charges. There is an application fee that is required when applying for interconnection, and will only be processed when the interconnection application is approved. This fee is waived for municipal entities.

Residential Interconnection

Residential Customers have a few options when adding solar and/or a battery to their home.

Interconnection Standards for Residential
Net Metering (up to 8kW AC)

Excess energy is credited for being exported to the grid

  • Annual consumption history required for system size approval.

  • Net Metering system size calculation- The sum of the 12 month billing cycle (kwh usage) determines system size for net metered systems. If the sum is greater than 10,560 kWh (the cap), then the customer is eligible for the maximum size allowed (8kW AC). Any sum below that is limited to that sum.

    Annual consumption (kWh) / 110 kWh (industry standard) / 12 (months) = system size in kW AC

  • Eligible for the Solar Rebate, $1per Watt of AC
  • Subject to Rate 70, customers should read and fully understand that rate.
Non-Net Metering (up to 15kW AC)

Excess energy is not credited for being exported to the grid

  • A net metering debarment acknowledgement must be established.
  • System Size -The maximum allowable residential interconnection is 15 kW (AC Rating). Non-net metered systems don’t require annual consumption history.
Application Checklist for Residential Interconnection
  • $250 Application fee (check payable to “LELD”)
  • Interconnection application (Interconnection Standards)
  • One-line drawing
  • Plan View. to include- electric meter, disconnect switch and for rebate participants, an external production meter socket

Commercial Interconnection

Commercial Customers must be net metered and follow the interconnection standard based on their rate class.

Interconnecting Standards for Small Commercial Systems
Interconnecting Standards for Large Commercial Systems

Commercial customers must have net metering and are subject to Rate 70 and should read and fully understand that rate.

Rate 70

System Size -The maximum allowable small business, small commercial, or small industrial (Rate 20 – Customer Demand less than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than a system that annually produces more than 50% of the energy of the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable large business, large commercial, or large industrial (Rate 30 and Rate 40 – Customer Demand greater than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than 50% of the highest monthly peak demand from the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable municipal (Rate 50 and Rate 60) – interconnection cannot be sized larger than 100% of the previous 12 months of energy consumed.

Application Checklist for Commercial Interconnection
  • Application fee (check payable to “LELD”) The fee is waived for municipal entities
  • Interconnection application (Interconnection Standards)
  • One-line drawing
  • Plan View. to include- electric meter, disconnect switch, an external production meter socket

Solar Rebate

program has ended for 2025

 LELWD is offering a residential rebate of $1.00 per watt (AC), up to 50% of system costs, for approved net metering projects. Rebates will be dispensed on a first come, first served basis until all funds have been spent for solar projects that meet specific requirements. Rebates will be reserved for the term of the applicant’s interconnection application. The rebate is to make solar technology more affordable for our customers to transition to renewable energy.

Applicants must submit the Rebate Application and Participant’s Agreement after receiving Interconnection Application approval to reserve the rebate. After the solar project is complete and receives permission to operate from LELWD, the applicant must submit the Completion Form and a photo of the meter socket to start the rebate payment process.

Rebate Application

Participant's Agreement

Completion Form

Please download the program documents and submit them to [email protected], or deliver to LELWD at 39 Ayer Road, Littleton MA 01460.

Rebate Process

  1. Installer applies for interconnection to install with LELWD.
  2. If LELWD issues interconnection approval, the installer and customer can apply for the rebate.
  3. LELWD reviews the rebate application.
  4. If approved, LELWD returns the application with the eligible rebate amount.
  5. The installer and customer completes installation per LELWD’s interconnection standards and submits completion documents.
  6. LELWD reviews and completes final inspection of the project.
  7. Upon completion approval, LELWD will issue the rebate to the customer. 

FAQ

No, an LELD customer must own the property and the distributed generation in order to interconnect to LELD’s distribution system.  Any energy generated from a third party would have to be purchased directly by LELD through a purchased power agreement.

No, energy generated from a solar system must be applied to the meter of the account holder of record.  Applying the energy usage to another account or property is not permitted as that is considered retail wheeling and not allowed in LELD service territory.

The maximum allowable residential interconnection is 15 kW (AC Rating).  For net metered systems, a system sized estimated not to produce more annual energy than the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills, up to 8 kW (AC Rating) is eligible.

The maximum allowable small business, small commercial, or small industrial (Rate 20 – Customer Demand less than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than a system that annually produces more than 50% of the energy of the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable large business, large commercial, or large industrial (Rate 30 and Rate 40 – Customer Demand greater than 40 kVA) interconnection cannot be sized larger than 50% of the highest monthly peak demand from the previous 12 months of the customer’s bills.

The maximum allowable municipal (Rate 50 and Rate 60) – interconnection cannot be sized larger than 100% of the previous 12 months of energy consumed.

Yes, however, if the battery is AC coupled (having it’s own inverter) then it will impact the system size allowed for total interconnection. If the battery is DC coupled, it will have no impact but should still be stated on the application.

LELD uses true bidirectional meters for distributed generation customers, not net meters. Therefore, any surplus energy that is returned to the grid is accounted for at that moment. LELD charges the customer for all of the power that’s purchased from LELD and credit the customer for all that is returned and that energy is captured in separate registers in the meter. Example, if you take 1,000 kWh from LELD in a month and give back 800 kWh, you would be charged for 1,000 kWh and credited for 800 kWh, not simply charged for 200 kWh. 

ACOUSTIC STUDY FOR THE PROPOSED LELWD PEAK POWER GENERATORS

This study’s objective is to demonstrate that the proposed future peak power generators in Littleton (the “Project”) will comply with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (“MassDEP”) Noise Policy for both broadband and tonal noise at the nearest residential property lines and residences and will comply with the Littleton Noise Bylaw.

See the full report here.

Dual Enrollment Program

The Littleton Electric Light and Water Department has partnered with Littleton High School to create a dual enrollment program for Littleton High School students who are interested in pursuing college-level courses in the fields of engineering/technology or environmental sciences.

The Dual Enrollment program provides opportunities for Littleton High School students to take college-level courses and earn credit toward their future college degrees. LELWD will cover the cost of the course as well as any books that the student may need.

Requirements:

  • Littleton High School junior or senior student with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater

Process (To be completed in this order):

  • LHS student must submit a letter of recommendation from principal, guidance counselor or teacher to LELWD.
  • LHS student to be interviewed by LELWD staff prior to being awarded.
  • Once awarded the grant, LHS student must submit an application and high school transcripts with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to the Dual Enrollment University.
  • LHS student must provide a parental signature and a guidance counselor signature allowing them to take classes on campus.
  • LHS Student must register and enroll in course. Students are limited to enrolling in 1000 and 2000 level courses in the fields of engineering/technology or environmental sciences.

Deadlines:

  • LHS student to submit a letter of recommendation from principal, guidance counselor or teacher to LELWD prior to the following dates:
    • Fall Semester – April 1st
    • Spring Semester – October 1st
    • Summer Semester – February 1st
  • LHS student will then be contacted by LELWD to set up an interview.
  • Successful LHS students will then need to complete the appropriate applications required by the college by the appropriate deadlines.
  • Upon being accepted by the Dual Enrollment University, LHS student then needs to register for classes by the Dual Enrollment University class registration deadlines.

To learn more about the process, Click Here.

To submit an online application, Click Here.

To learn about The Denise M. Pagacik Memorial Scholarship, Click Here.

Electric Rate Schedule / PPC

Purchased Power Charge (PPC)

Download PDF of Electric Rate Schedule PPC

Designation: MDPU 190

Applicable to:

All filed retail rate schedules referencing this clause.

Rate Charges:

The object of the PPC clause is to recover the total cost of power supply including losses.

The “total cost of power supply” is defined as the sum of the fixed and variable costs of power (including fuel and pool interchange net costs), and the cost of transmission of electricity by others, recorded in the FERC Uniform System of Accounts under account numbers;
555 Purchased Power;
557 Other Purchased Power; and
565 Transmission of Electricity by Others.

There shall be added to each monthly bill, for each schedule, an amount equal to the total kWh billed
during the month multiplied by the Purchased Power Charge determined as follows:

PPC = A + C

where

PPC = Purchased Power Charge
A = Estimated average cost of purchased power for the calendar year per kilowatt-hour sold as forecast by the Department, net of charges or credits for NEPOOL interchange, plus the total savings credited to Residential customers under the PASNY Power Credit Clause.
C = Adjustment for past differentials between purchased power cost incurred and Power Cost Adjustment revenues collected.

Effective: April 1, 2015

Private Area Lighting/Rate 80

Private Area Lighting

Download PDF of Electric Rate Schedule 80

Designation: MDPU 280

Superseding: MDPU 180
Applicable to:

In the Towns of Littleton and Boxborough, any customer other than the Town of Littleton, for outdoor lighting including unaccepted streets.

Character of Service:

The Department will own, install, service and energize lights of the size and type listed below, to be connected directly to the Department’s existing facilities. Light fixtures will be energized from approximately 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, about 4,200 hours annually.
Additional poles or facilities at extra cost.

Go here to apply for Private Lighting.

Fixed Monthly Charge:

For each light and pole, to recover the cost of the light fixture, hardware, pole, and maintenance.

Size
(Watts)		 Type Approx. Lumens Approx. Monthly
kWh per Fixture		 Monthly Charge
175 MV Roadway 8,000 67 $4.40
400 MV Flood 22,000 158 $8.75
1000 MV Flood 63,000 354 $15.93
50 MH Roadway 4,000 21 $4.55
100 MH Roadway 9,600 41 $5.81
400 MH Flood 32,000 157 $12.79
1000 MH Flood 140,000 385 $14.29
0 to 50 LED Roadway 2,480 10 $6.83
51 to 100 LED Roadway 4,806 30 $8.72
101 to 150 LED Flood 48 $19.19
35′ Pole N/A N/A $4.00

Purchased Power Charge:

For all kWh’s, a charge per kWh to recover the cost of purchased power and transmission in accordance with currently filed Purchased Power Charge (PPC).

Terms:

Charges for lighting services will appear as an item on a customer’s electric bill and bear the same terms as the customer’s general service rate.

Conditions:

Lamp replacement and maintenance will be performed as soon as possible following notification by customer for the need for such service. No light shall be more than 150 feet from the Department’s existing overhead distribution facilities. The customer shall agree the Department will not be required to move its facilities to another location on the customers’ premises unless the customer shall bear the cost thereof. Customer hereby agrees to take service for a minimum period of 12 months, unless the customer’s right to occupy the premises ceases during such period. This schedule reflects actual expenses incurred in operation and maintenance, including fuel.

Effective: April 1, 2015

Littleton Precipitation Totals

Littleton Precipitation Totals

The Littleton Water Department (LWD) is an active participant in the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Office of Water Resources’ Rainfall Program. As one of 150 monitoring stations across the state, LWD collects precipitation data on a daily basis that is then used in the state’s drought monitoring program. Additional information on this state program can be found at www.mass.gov.

2024 Precipitation Graph
2020 Precipitation Graph
2023 Precipitation Graph
2019 Precipitation Graph
2022 Precipitation Graph
2018 Precipitation Graph
2021 Precipitation Graph
2017 Precipitation Graph

Solar Distribution Charge Explanation

In 2011, the Littleton Electric Light Department (LELD) began to allow its customers to interconnect distributed generation to LELD’s distribution system as long as the interconnecting customers followed the requirements and process laid out in LELD’s Interconnection Standards. Since then, the use of distributed generation is growing fast, not just here in Littleton but across the entire United States. As of October 2014, there was just less than 8,000 MW of installed solar capacity across the United States on residential and commercial rooftops. This growth has been stimulated by environmental concerns, economic stimulus, and utility rate structure that have provided a benefit to solar customers. Most utilities in the U.S., including LELD, use net metering to measure and compensate customers for the generation that they produce.

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) conducted a national study that concluded that a typical residential customer uses 982 kWh of electricity per month. This typical bill can be broken into three distinct cost groups: $70 allocated to generation, $30 allocated to distribution, and $10 allocated to transmission. Transmission and distribution charges are fixed costs that do not vary on hourly customer loads, and roughly 80% of the generation costs are variable meaning that only $56 or 51% of a typical customer’s bill is variable. This is a significant dilemma, specifically with regards to grid-tied customer owned distributed generation, since LELD only charges a $5.00 base charge and collects the remainder of its fixed costs through a customer’s consumption.

Prior to May 2015, LELD’s net metering rate (rate 70) returned the full retail rate to solar customers for excess generation and did not recoup any of the fixed costs through a distribution charge. In May of 2015, the Board of Commissioners approved a new net metering rate (rate 70) that was a better balance between simplicity and accuracy, aligned costs and prices, supported environmental stewardship, and ensured that rates were well suited and equitable for all customers. This was accomplished by splitting apart the rate structure into a Purchased Power Charge (Cost of Energy) and a Distribution Charge (Fixed Costs).The net metering rate was amended to only return the Purchase Power Charge for excess generation and a solar distribution charge was introduced to recover some of the fixed costs.

The actual electricity generated by a solar PV system is a function of its size (nameplate rating), efficiency, sun exposure, and a variety of other factors. According to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, 1 kW of an optimal solar PV system will generally produce 1,320 kWh per year. This production spread over a 12 month period equates to 110 kWh per month per kW of an installed solar PV system. In the LELD net metering rate (rate 70), a solar distribution charge was established to recover some of the fixed costs that are not being recovered through customer consumption. For a residential customer the solar distribution charge is the product of 110 kWh, per 1 kW of installed distributed generation and LELD’s Distribution Energy Charge ($0.0265). According to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, residential solar PV systems are generally sized around 5 kW, which would equate to a $14.58 solar distribution charge to a LELD customer. Even with the solar distribution charge and customer base charge, LELD is only recovering approximately 37% of the fixed costs through fixed charges.