Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant, the public power utility serving the Massachusetts communities of Templeton, East Templeton, Baldwinville and Otter River, has joined the NextZero program’s commercial and industrial energy efficiency and decarbonization programs.
TMLWP, a member of the Commonwealth’s designated joint action agency for municipal utilities, the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company, has been a longtime participant in MMWEC’s NextZero residential energy efficiency and decarbonization programs.
TMLWP joined the NextZero commercial and industrial programs on August 1, 2025.
TMLWP commercial and industrial customers now have access to all four commercial and industrial programs offered under NextZero: Prescriptive Lighting, Prescriptive HVAC, New Construction and Major Renovations, and Custom Retrofit.
The NextZero Prescriptive Lighting and HVAC programs are fast-track processes for reviewing and implementing lighting and HVAC projects. The programs are ideal for customers who have identified lighting or HVAC improvement projects and have procured cost quotations from licensed installers. Qualified customers may be eligible for up to $1,000 in incentives for lighting improvements and up to $5,000 for HVAC projects.
The NextZero Custom Retrofit Program is intended for commercial and industrial customers interested in exploring options for energy efficiency measures but aren’t sure where to start.
Once enrolled, the NextZero team works with the customer and their preferred contractors to define work scopes for recommended projects, and produces a cost-effectiveness evaluation based on estimated annual energy savings.
TMLWP commercial and industrial customers may be eligible for up to a $5,000 rebate under this program.
Under the New Construction and Major Renovation Program, the NextZero team works with applicants to develop a customized plan that may consist of co-funded technical services, custom or prescriptive rebates, or both.
The plan is developed to provide maximum value to the customer in their project planning process. Customers may be eligible for up to a $5,000 rebate under this program.
“Templeton has for many years now participated in MMWEC’s NextZero (formerly HELPS) program which offer incentives and rebates to our residential customers on home heating and cooling measures in addition to a multitude of home energy efficiency programs,” said John Driscoll, TMLWP General Manager. “Because both Templeton Light and our residential customers have been so pleased with the programs, we have decided to expand our NextZero participation to now include our commercial and industrial customer base as well. We are pleased that our commercial and industrial customer will now be able to benefit from MMWEC’s multi-tiered approach to energy conservation and efficiency via their NextZero program.”
"Templeton Municipal Light and Water Plant has diligently offered many NextZero residential rebate and incentive programs over the years, and we are excited to now administer commercial offerings as well,” said Zoe Eckert, MMWEC Sustainable Energy Policy & Program Senior Manager. “With these incentive measures, businesses under the Light Plant will have more access to energy saving projects."
