The Member & Public Relations Division promotes and supports the MMWEC organization by providing corporate communications, legislative, energy conservation and demand response services. These services are the conduit through which Member utilities, the local community, the media, legislators and other key audiences receive information about the issues and events affecting MMWEC and public power in Massachusetts. The division manages programs that provide energy conservation services to customers of municipal utilities and develops demand response initiatives that help contain costs for municipal utilities and their customers.

Corporate Communications
The MMWEC Corporate Communications Department is responsible for internal and external communications programs and services, including media and public relations, branding, publications production and the management of content and design for three corporate websites. The department provides writing and editing services to the MMWEC staff and Member utilities and works with stakeholders to promote a positive image of MMWEC among employees, municipal utilities, legislators, the financial community, regulators, local officials, the media, the general public and others.

Recent initiatives include a Members Assistance Program ( MAP) that facilitates communications between MMWEC and its Member utilities and establishment of the MMWEC Institute, which offers a forum for presentation and discussion of issues critical to public power.

Legislative Affairs and Community Relations
MMWEC is responsible for advocacy for the interests of the Massachusetts municipal utilities in a variety of legislative and regulatory forums. This representation includes meeting with members of the United States Congress, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Massachusetts Legislature, New England Power Pool / ISO New England, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, and other federal, state, and local regulatory government agencies. MMWEC, through its Legislative Committee and Board of Directors, develops policy positions on federal and state legislation and serves as an advocate on these issues by meeting with the various local, state and federal officials as well as regional and national public power organizations. MMWEC also is responsible for providing testimony on the various subjects before committees.

MMWEC maintains a strong presence within the Town of Ludlow, the community in which MMWEC is located. MMWEC provides for education programs to students in Ludlow and to the elderly. Employees of MMWEC serve on various committees within the community to show the on-going support for the community and have participated in various programs offered in the school system.

Energy Efficiency, Demand Resources and Renewable Energy
MMWEC provides the Home Energy Loss Prevention Services (HELPS) Program to seventeen municipal utilities. HELPS offers a house energy audit, appliance and lighting rebates and other incentives for installation and implementation of measures recommended in an audit. MMWEC also provides services to help municipal utilities bulk purchase energy efficient lighting, publications and other conservation products. HELPS also provides a service for large residential customers, including apartment complexes with more than four units.

MMWEC also assists members with customers wishing to participate in the Demand Response program and it provides commercial and industrial energy audits.

In addition, a new effort to promote solar photovoltaic systems is underway. This program will include demonstration projects and work with municipal utilities to implement programs to encourage customer understanding and acceptance of solar. Various demand management programs are considered in the identification of alternatives to meet Members’ power supply needs.