WMECO Announces Solar Energy Plan for Western Massachusetts

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Massachusetts Electric
Company (WMECO) announced that it filed today with the Department of Public
Utilities a plan to implement an integrated, large-scale solar energy program
in its service area that can begin to generate power from photovoltaic (PV)
facilities as early as 2010.

Under the Green Communities Act, ground-breaking legislation passed in 2008,
electric distribution companies like WMECO are authorized to play a critical
role in meeting the state's solar energy goal of developing 250 megawatts (MW)
of installed solar by 2017. Under the Green Communities Act, WMECO is allowed
to own up to 50 MW of solar facilities.

"WMECO is fully committed to helping the Commonwealth meet its aggressive
policy goals for the development of large-scale solar energy, which will help
the state reduce its carbon emissions and diversify its energy sources away
from fossil fuels," said Peter Clarke, President and Chief Operating Officer
of WMECO. "Our program has been carefully designed to become a progressive
model for utility-owned solar assets," he said. "The knowledge gained from
the program also can be applied to other distributed renewable technologies,
including wind and biomass, which are equally important to the state's goals
for energy independence and energy security."

"I am pleased to see WMECO stepping forward to take advantage of this new
opportunity to contribute toward Governor Patrick's solar energy goal," said
Philip Giudice, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Energy
Resources. "This proposal for utility-owned solar power promises clean,
renewable energy for WMECO customers and a greener energy future for the
Commonwealth. I look forward to reviewing the details," he said.

Reaching the state's goal of 250 MW of installed solar capacity will require
additional efforts to increase the number and size of solar installations, and
the rate at which they are developed.

Since generating utility-scale quantities of electricity from photovoltaics is
a relatively new technology, both in Massachusetts and nationwide, the WMECO
program is designed to function as a progressive program that will help the
state answer key questions important to scaling up solar operations to serve
larger populations. Among the issues to be explored are how solar facilities
should connect to the grid most efficiently; what role smart grid technologies
will play in the use of solar power; how utilities should work with local
component manufacturers and installers of solar equipment.

In the first phase of the WMECO plan, eight locations have been identified as
potential host sites of solar facilities. These locations represent many of
the major categories of potential locations in the state.

The potential sites include:

-- The University of Massachusetts Amherst Fine Arts Center
-- The City of Pittsfield's landfill
-- Springfield Central High School
-- The former GE site now owned by the Pittsfield Economic Development
Authority
-- Ludlow Westbound Rest Area
-- Ludlow Mills
-- Utility-owned properties:
-- Silver Lake Road, Pittsfield
-- 300 Cadwell Drive, Springfield

WMECO also has received expressions of interest from Solutia, the Big E and
The Springfield Republican.

WMECO selected Springfield and Pittsfield for sites because they are the two
"Gateway Cities" in WMECO's service territory, which the state has targeted as
regional economic development priorities. These initial sites will provide
six megawatts of solar capacity at a total cost of approximately $42 million.
By adding additional sites between 2010 and 2012, WMECO's solar capacity could
expand to 15 MW, enough electricity to power 15,000 homes by the end of 2012.
Beyond 2012 WMECO could expand the number of sites to reach 50 MW.

WMECO's program has been designed to be as cost-effective as possible for
customers and the Commonwealth. WMECO will help offset the program's costs by
selling not only the electricity generated by the solar arrays but also its
environmental and other credits through programs such as Renewable Energy
Credits and New England's Forward Capacity Market. Value obtained from these
transactions as well as any grants, incentives or other sources of funds will
be used to help pay for the program. If approved, the bill impact on
customers is expected to be modest, amounting initially to less than $1 per
month for an average residential customer using 500 kilowatt hours (kWh) per
month.

Western Massachusetts Electric Company, part of the Northeast Utilities System
(NYSE: NU), serves approximately 200,000 customers in 59 communities
throughout western Massachusetts and is committed to the environment, economic
development and the health of the communities it serves. For more information
about WMECO, visit their Web site at www.wmeco.com.

SOURCE Western Massachusetts Electric Company

Sandra Ahearn, +1-413-787-1055