OUR ENERGY SUPPLY MIX

As a local distribution utility, Belmont Light purchases electricity from wholesale generating plants all over New England and delivers it to Belmont homes and businesses. We carefully manage a diverse power supply portfolio according to prices and other economic factors, reliability considerations, and the needs of our customers.

Pursuing an Increasingly Renewable Supply

Guided by our Power Supply Policy, Belmont Light has achieved a 100% non-carbon emitting power supply as of the 2022 portfolio year, while keeping our rates stable and our service safe and reliable. Our renewable goals align with those set forth for the electricity sector as stated in the Town’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) and the Belmont Roadmap for Strategic Decarbonization.

YearMinimum
Non-Emitting Target
Non-Emitting
Level Achieved
Class I RECs
Target
Class I RECs
Level Reached
201833%34.0%16%17%
201950%50.6%18%18.6%
202066%66.3%20%20.3%
202183%83.3%22%22.3%
2022100%100.3%24%24.3%
2023100%100.3%26%26.3%

2023 Power Portfolio

The pie chart below shows Belmont Light’s finalized energy supply by fuel type for 2023, the last year that information is available.

NON-CARBON EMITTING- 100.3%

Since 2022, Belmont Light has achieved a 100% non-emitting power supply in accordance with the Town Meeting-approved Climate Action Roadmap. In 2023, the non-emitting portion of our portfolio totaled 100.3%. All of the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) associated with our direct contracts for wind from the Saddleback Ridge, Spruce Mountain and Granite projects (9.1%), and for hydro from the Miller and First Light projects (21.4%) were retired to achieve our renewables goal for the year. The remaining non-emitting portion was largely reached via the retirement of RECs that Belmont Light purchased and retired through market transactions and its Green Choice Program. See below for more info on Green Choice.

Another segment of Belmont Light’s 2021 purchased power was supplied by the NYPA hydro project and leveraged as a “load reducer” to define Belmont Light’s renewables compliance load for the year. See the Power Supply Policy for more information.


Page last updated January 2025. Each year’s portfolio is finalized in June of the following year as RECs are retired in arrears.