May 2026

The Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant (HMLP) is a true partner in the Hingham community. Started and owned by Hingham residents, HMLP works to keep local control and provide reliable electric service while keeping rates low and quality high. This local partnership has given Hingham customers great benefits for over 130 years. Because HMLP is locally run, it offers lower rates, better customer service, regular maintenance, and quick assistance when needed, compared to larger, investor-owned utilities.

HMLP takes this partnership seriously in all we do, from supporting local projects and community service to being quick and helpful with customer service and always being open about how we work. This includes the HMLP Reliability Project, which is a planned and vital infrastructure improvement. In order to prepare an improved rate analysis that will allow residents to clearly assess the impacts of the Project, we decided to defer our Warrant Article for this Project from last month’s Town Meeting to an upcoming Town Meeting.

The HMLP Reliability Project has been in the development and permitting process for the past seven years. This critical project is necessary to address growing reliability concerns, as the current electric delivery system fails to meet industry standards for reliability, increasing the risk of a prolonged loss of power for all the residents and businesses of Hingham.

As part of this seven-year process, HMLP included the estimated cost of the project in the last standard rate study performed by industry consultants for HMLP three years ago. HMLP has these rate studies completed every three years, the next one to be done this June. With this latest study right around the corner, HMLP withdrew the Warrant Article until the next Town Meeting to ensure that residents would have the best and most up to date information regarding the impact on rates, whether related to the Reliability Project or other factors, before they vote to approve the funding. This Article will allow us to borrow funds to help pay for the HMLP Reliability Project.

Once we have the results of the June rate study, we will work hard to inform all residents regarding how the latest rate study results will directly affect electric rates moving forward. While the decision to push the bonding to the next Town Meeting will cause a short delay in this critical Reliability Project, HMLP believes the delay is appropriate if it means that residents and businesses have the latest information on the Reliability Project’s rate impacts.

The Reliability Project is critical to Hingham’s growth and well-being. Permitting on the state and local level will continue over the next several months. We sincerely appreciate the time and attention spent by so many in our community to learn about this critical reliability project, and we will continue to work hard over the next few months to ensure you have a clear picture of the costs associated with bringing our electric delivery system up to industry standards.

Respectfully,

Tom Morahan

General Manager

Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant

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