Reading, MA – The Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) is working with NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, to bring two solar arrays to land adjacent to the Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant, located in Seabrook, New Hampshire. RMLD executed a Power Purchase Agreement in May 2022, and the permitting process for the project is underway. The two solar arrays, Seabrook Solar 3 and Seabrook Solar 4, will have capacities of 4.5 megawatts (MWac) and 2.75 MWac respectively, and will have an expected annual output of 12,000 MW hours.
“The Seabrook solar facility will further diversify RMLD’s power supply portfolio and is another example of how RMLD is bringing reliable, non-carbon electricity to customers,” said RMLD General Manager Greg Phipps. “RMLD is pleased to further its longstanding relationship with NextEra Energy Resources, who is an industry leader in renewable energy generation, and the Town of Seabrook, which is the site of the existing Seabrook Station that has been providing reliable electricity to RMLD customers since 1990.”
The Seabrook solar facility is expected to be operational in the summer of 2024 and generate approximately 2% of RMLD’s electricity load.
“We’re pleased to be working with RMLD to bring even more clean energy generation to Seabrook and to help RMLD achieve their clean energy goals,” said Matt Ulman, vice president, distributed generation for NextEra Energy Resources. “RMLD shares our commitment to creating a more sustainable and carbon-free future by adding solar to NextEra Energy Resources’ Seabrook Station.”
Seabrook Station is a 1,245-MW nuclear generating plant. The solar arrays will be built on approximately 28 acres adjacent to the plant.
The announcement is the latest example of RMLD’s transition toward non-carbon power generation in accordance with the Massachusetts 2021 Climate Bill. The bill established first-time compliance mandates for Municipal Light Plants (MLPs), requiring that the power sold by MLPs be sourced from resources that are 50% non-carbon by 2030, 75% non-carbon by 2040 and net-zero carbon by 2050.
About Reading Municipal Light Department:
Established in 1894, Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) is a municipal electric utility serving over 70,000 residents in the towns of Reading, North Reading, Wilmington, and Lynnfield Center. RMLD has over 30,000 meter connections within its service territory.
