Letter from the Manager

During 2011, the Northeast, especially the New England states, experienced several weather-related events that were certainly out-of-the ordinary. A tornado in the western part of the state in June, a tropical storm in August, and an early snowstorm on Halloween taxed the resources of utilities throughout the region and beyond.

While the TMLP service area incurred some of the wrath of Tropical Storm Irene in August, our affected customers were without power for only a short period of time, while several surrounding communities were without power for more than a week.

As a customer-owned public power utility, TMLP is able to respond quickly in an emergency or outage because we’re proactive and prepared for such events. This is the benefit of having a dedicated and highly trained staff with a personal knowledge of the system. That means that TMLP crews trim trees, repair and replace underground, overhead and fiber optic lines in the 100-square mile service area on an ongoing basis. More importantly, that means that TMLP staff work exclusively for the service area. They know the lines, they know the power grid, they know the customers, and they know the electric and telecommunications systems.

In other words, TMLP crews work on the electrical and fiber optic systems throughout the year, not just when a problem occurs. These complex systems require periodic maintenance and inspection to ensure power is supplied to our customers in a safe and efficient manner. TMLP inspects these systems using a forward looking infrared camera to scan the entire system for problems before they happen. Using thermography, the crews can see potential problems before they happen.

We're fortunate that we can do this while providing reliable power at rates that are lower than our neighboring utilities. For much of the past year, TMLP has been involved in a strategic planning initiative that has enabled us to look at the operations in an effort to become more efficient and effective. Although it’s something that is continually evolving and growing, this initiative has become a solid investment in the future of how we do business at TMLP.

And that investment in the future is embraced by all TMLP departments and staff. We know our customers, their needs and their expectations. From Customer Care who works with the customers who may need new service or having difficulty, to Internet Services, which is the provider of choice for such large companies as Johnson & Johnson and Jordans Furniture, the commitment to exceed those expectations comes naturally.

During the past year, we planned improvements in the system from the Generation side to upgrade the oil storage tank coating & containment and cooling tower and a major overhaul to the Cleary-Flood Station Unit #9 combined cycle power plant. We developed an interruptible rate for our industrial customers that reduces our demand at peak times and will be negotiating agreements for large-scale solar projects that benefit our customers and the environment while reducing our load at peak times.

As TMLP enters its 115th year, we continue in the spirit of our forefathers – to provide high quality service utilizing the services of a knowledgeable and dedicated staff and investment into the system.