Whately Energy Committee Backs Feasibility Study for Town Building Upgrades

Other Committee · Meeting of February 23, 2026

Whately's Energy Committee agreed to pursue a state Green Communities technical assistance grant to fund a decarbonization feasibility study for the town offices and Whately Elementary School. Colonial Power representative Pete explained that a mid-contract rate adjustment to the town's community electricity aggregation program was driven by the Day Ahead Ancillary Services Initiative, or DASI, which caused costs to spike during a high-demand heating season; the increase amounts to less than one dollar per month for the average customer. The committee weighed dropping the default program tier to cut costs further but concluded the savings would be just 56 cents per month per household — not enough to abandon the 100-percent renewable default.

Committee member or staffer Jess Waigley, who recently met with Green Communities regional coordinator Mark Rabinski, said grant applications for technical assistance open every six months; the committee's next meeting is set for March 9 to continue the discussion with absent member Nat, described as a Smith College physics professor with geothermal experience.

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Source: the Other Committee meeting of February 23, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.