The Generation Services Division provides a wide range of engineering services, oversight of MMWEC’s ownership interest in five power plants and technical services to support the Stony Brook Energy Center generation facilities, which are operated by MMWEC. The division also is responsible for the development of new power generation resources, including traditional and renewable energy resources.

Engineering Services
The Engineering Services department is responsible for providing the engineering, environmental, and technical services required for operation and maintenance of the Stony Brook power plant and its associated facilities, including a natural gas pipeline, fuel oil pipeline, and electric transmission facilities. The department provides extensive environmental compliance services and support to MMWEC Member utilities for meeting various environmental and regulatory requirements. In addition, the department provides Members with engineering services and technical support for a variety of special projects.

Engineering Services also is responsible for the development, implementation and maintenance of safety programs for compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements. Staff coordinates safety training programs to ensure that employees and contractors are fully trained in safety requirements.

MMWEC Funded Projects Oversight
This function of the Generation Services Division involves the oversight of MMWEC’s joint ownership interests in various generating facilities, including the Stony Brook Intermediate and Peaking Units, Seabrook Station, Millstone Unit No. 3 and Wyman Unit No. 4. This oversight helps to ensure that these facilities are operated as economically and efficiently as possible, and in the best interests of MMWEC’s Power Supply Project Participants.

Project Development
Project Development activities involve the development of generating resources needed to meet the needs of MMWEC’s Member utilities. Two power generation projects are currently under active development..

Stony Brook Unit No. 3 is a 280-megawatt, combined-cycle generating unit proposed by MMWEC for construction at the Stony Brook site in Ludlow. The Generation Services Division is responsible for acquiring the dozens of permits and approvals required for the project, writing design and engineering specifications, contracting for required services, and coordinating overall project development activities, including work with MMWEC’s Financial & Risk Management Services to secure financing for the project.

Generation Services also is working to acquire and develop the Berkshire Wind Project, a partially developed wind generating facility located in Hancock, MA. MMWEC is pursuing the ten-turbine Berkshire Wind Project on behalf of 15 Massachusetts municipal utilities.

In addition, Generation Services is involved with a number of other renewable energy projects that are owned by MMWEC Member systems and is investigating the development of additional renewable energy resources.

Stony Brook Energy Center (SBEC) Operations
SBEC staff operates and maintains all of the Stony Brook power plant facilities, including a 354-megawatt combined-cycle Intermediate Unit, the 173-megawatt Peaking Unit and a 4-megawatt diesel plant. Certain of these Stony Brook facilities provide black-start capability to ISO New England to re-energize the regional power grid in the event of a system blackout. The diesel plant and a backup generator at MMWEC’s administrative office building also participate in the ISO’s Demand Response Program. SBEC staff partners with the MMWEC Market Management & Planning Division for bidding the various services provided by the Stony Brook plant into the wholesale power market to maximize the value of these facilities.