Reliability

Transmission & Distribution:

We know our customers rely on us to deliver their electricity and internet service safely efficiently…. and reliably. That's an awesome responsibility that we don't take lightly. TMLP's forward-thinking and proactive approaches throughout the year were key in ensuring that these services kept the lights on and the information flowing to homes and businesses in the six communities in the 100-square miles of service territory.

Not only do we use thermoimaging to scan the lines for problems on a regular basis, TMLP has an aggressive and ongoing preventative maintenance program. TMLP crews re-conductored 3 ½ miles of overhead primary lines, 2 ½ miles of overhead secondary lines, and 1.75 miles of underground primary lines; replaced two (2) network transformers at Broadway Arcade and St. Mary's; upgraded 97 transformers; installed 67 new poles, and replaced 123 poles during the past year.

And while the majority of 2011 was uneventful thanks to prevention, the service area saw its share of storm and weather-related damage caused by trees and branches falling onto the poles and wires, most notably during Tropical Storm Irene in August. TMLP crews repaired 13,800-volt and 4160-volt primaries, single and three-phase secondaries along the road, single phase secondaries to homes, and three phase secondaries to commercial properties during the storm, along with re-setting five poles. While neighboring communities were without power for many days, most affected TMLP customers were only without power for a matter of hours… a true testament to the crews' hard work and dedication to maintaining a reliable system.

TMLP crews provided mutual aid to the following cities, towns and utilities in 2011:

  • July 2011 - tornado damage - Chicopee
  • August 2011 - tropical storm damage - NSTAR
  • October 2011 – snow storm:
    • Shrewsbury
    • Reading
    • Chicopee
Internet Services Group:

All public power utilities are unique. TMLP is even more so because of its Internet Services Group which provides Internet services not only to TMLP, but also to many businesses, nonprofits and residential customers in the service area, including the City of Taunton. Like their colleagues in the electric side of TMLP, ISG staff work to provide reliable and uninterrupted service to all customers.

Reliable service doesn't just mean making sure that the connection is made to a home or business, it also means constant updating and upgrading the network to ensure that our customers can have high speed access and a larger bandwidth to handle their needs. To this end, ISG completed its first network connection with OSHEAN in 2011, becoming a member of their consortium and allowing for access to wholesale bandwidth, Internet access redundancy, I2 services and access to many network based services and applications to further enable TMLP to support educational and medical high-tech needs.

To maintain the online connection between TMLP operations and TMLP electric and internet customers, the ISG staff worked throughout the past year with TMLP teams to enhance and expand the utility's online presence by redesigning and updating TMLP's website. MIS (Management Information System) completed its full corporate data network and Gigabit network speed upgrades, and upgraded the corporate firewall to ensure internal data integrity and security for all customer information and transactions.

ISG staff also supported TMLP's net metering technological needs, and were part of the total team effort throughout the August 2011 storm that left poles and lines down, including those providing internet service to TMLP customers. ISG worked beside all TMLP departments throughout the storm to restore service.

On-going work…

….Continued preparations for development and implementation of WiMax trial project by building out the distribution nodes in anticipation of the antenna installations.

…Continued working with OSHEAN toward the build out of the BEACON 2.0 network covering Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Special Projects

Like all utilities, TMLP staff work on a host of multi-discipline projects and services to keep the utility running smoothly and keeping electricity and Internet services flowing to customers.

During the past year, Special Projects staff worked with all TMLP departments and staff on several major projects, including developing engineering and procurement documents for bidding structural improvement work at the West Water Street facility. Special Projects also reviewed and worked with State and Federal regulating bodies regarding air and water discharges from the Cleary-Flood generating station.

Special Projects also worked with ISG to support high tech systems and operations which affect commercial, business and residential Internet customers, including managing all severs for the City of Taunton. This includes all city offices, departments and 16 schools in the system.

Line Crews Photo