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Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant adopts 2026 capital and operations budget; board votes unanimously
Summary
The Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant board unanimously approved the 2026 capital and operations budget, citing a roughly $275,000 increase in expenses driven by depreciation for a substation project and ongoing capital investments in transformers and station equipment.
The Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant board unanimously adopted the authority’s 2026 capital and operations budget during a remote meeting on Jan. 28.
Chairman Bryan DiPersia introduced a presentation from Energy New England, and General Manager Matthew Brown summarized the operations budget, saying the utility expects total expenses to rise by approximately $275,000 in 2026. Brown said depreciation could increase by up to 4% this year to reflect costs tied to the substation project, while some maintenance categories will fall as tree-trimming moves to a four-year cycle.
"Total expenses are increasing approximately $275,000," Brown said, and he described the shift of certain projects — notably transformers and substation equipment — into capital accounts rather than operating expenses. He added that the utility expects developers to pay for most new-project transformer costs going forward.
The budget discussion highlighted three main drivers: higher depreciation connected to the substation project; continuing capital expenditures for station equipment and transformers; and a planned reduction in recurring maintenance outlays because tree trimming will be phased over four years, one feeder per year. Board members asked clarifying questions about which accounts cover substation equipment and whether transformer purchases remain part of capital rather than operations; Brown confirmed substation equipment is charged to RMLP capital account 3620 and transformers are recorded as capital expenditures.
Commissioner Mark Cousins moved to accept the 2026 Capital/Operations Budget; Danby Whitmore seconded. The board cast a unanimous roll-call vote in favor.
Votes at a glance: the meeting recorded three formal roll-call votes: approval of corrected minutes for Dec. 17, 2025 (unanimous), adoption of the 2026 Capital/Operations Budget (unanimous), and adjournment (unanimous).
