Peabody, Marblehead Issue Peak Energy Alert Amid Plant Debate

PEABODY, MA — Peabody Municipal Light Plant and Marblehead Municipal Light Department are asking residents to conserve electricity wherever possible Tuesday after so it can reduce the need for surge power that could escalate bills.

The utilities said they were expecting a "peak event" on Tuesday between 4 and 7 p.m.

"By controlling your consumption during peak events you help keep rates down," Peabody Municipal Light Plant said in a notice to residents.

Marblehead Municipal Light Department canceled its Board of Directors meeting Tuesday because of the heatwave and pressure on the grid.

"Due to the extreme heat the board felt it wasn't a good idea to have a meeting during a peak event when our ratepayers are being asked to conserve energy," The MMLD said on its Facebook page.

The "peak" event comes amid the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company's bid to build a new gas and old surge capacity plant at the Peabody Waters Street substation. The MMWEC's Project 2015A, which would serve Peabody, Marblehead and 12 other state communities, said the long-planned project would be for days like these to meet surge capacity without having to buy it off the greater grid at escalating prices.

But opponents of the plant have fought back in recent months, saying that any type of fossil fuel-powered plant contributes toward climate change, pollution and should not be an option as the state moves toward becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

The project is currently in the eighth week of a minimum "30-day pause" called for amid challenges to Project 2015A.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)

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