SOUTH HADLEY — When voters head to the polls on April 13 in South Hadley, contested Select Board and School Committee races will appear at the top of town ballots.
But there’s another competitive race for the South Hadley Electric Light Department’s Municipal Light Board, where four candidates are running for two seats. SHELD board incumbents Gregory Dubreuil and Peter McAvoy are seeking reelection against challengers Carl Cameron and Joel Patruno.
Election day is next Tuesday, and in-person voting hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. All voting will take place at South Hadley High School. Absentee and mail-in ballots must be received by the town clerk by 6 p.m. on that day.
The four candidates for Municipal Light Board introduced themselves at a candidate forum hosted on April 1 by the civic organization Know Your Town.
Currently the chief operating officer of Valley Health Systems, Carl Cameron said he recognizes how important it is that South Hadley owns and operates its own municipal electric utility.
“If elected as a SHELD commissioner, I promise to bring you energy, insight, vision and experience to help the department thrive in today’s changing environment,” Cameron said.
Cameron said SHELD can continue to leverage its existing power assets while pursuing other economically and environmentally beneficial power sources. He said he would advocate for renewable energy options, digitalization and the continued expansion of high-speed internet service for all town residents.
Cameron said his experience at Valley Health includes directing a $100 million, multi-department budget and capital projects from concept to construction. He also noted that he played a role in bringing a municipal fiber-optic network to Holyoke in 1997 and 1998.
Cameron said he understands the importance of communicating complex concepts and collaborating with those who have different points of view, and that if elected his fiduciary duty would be to keep rates low while continuing to provide highly reliable electric service.
Gregory Dubreuil is the controller at construction contractor Daniel O’Connell’s Sons and described himself as “data-driven.” He was elected to the SHELD board in 2016.
“I take that responsibility seriously and have always acted in what I believe to be the best interest of those I serve,” he said.
Dubreuil said some of the board’s accomplishments in those five years include building redundancies into the SHELD system, launching a fibersonic project, better focus on customers, getting 90% of energy from non-carbon-emitting sources, and committing to community investment in renewable energy. He also highlighted what he said is enhanced transparency and fiscal responsibility.
“Most importantly, we continue to offer some of the lowest and most stable rates in the state, and our current power supply positions us to keep them that way,” he said.
Among the challenges Dubreuil identified were shrinking electric revenue resulting at times in an over-purchased commodity position. He said that to avoid rate increases, the SHELD needs to diversify revenue sources, like fiber-optic internet introduction to homes, and be cautious about adding additional generation services.
Peter McAvoy, a SHELD commissioner since 2018, said his mission on the board is battling climate change by promoting renewable energy.
“That is my life’s purpose,” he said. “SHELD is in a position now to set the course for the future, and if we don’t do it now it won’t get done.”
McAvoy said he plans to accelerate the fibersonic installation in town so that investments can be then be made in building a grid infrastructure to be able to use renewable energy as the power source for the town.
McAvoy also noted that the town relies on the output of two nuclear reactors in the region that are operating in an extended phase past their lifetime designs.
“There have been difficulties with how those nuclear power reactors operate since 2012, and it’s time to lay the groundwork, preserve investments, for a renewable energy future. It matters.”
Joel Patruno is a licensed electrical engineer who works as a senior electrical design engineer at the University of Massachusetts and has previously designed and built residential and commercial projects and utility-scale power and solar systems.
“If elected, I’ll prioritize expanding our energy portfolio to bring solar power and battery technology to our town,” Patruno said. “It can be done in a way that puts the ownership of resources into the hands of our residents and benefits our residents now and into the future.”
Patruno said that work can be done strategically to account for the existing power contracts of the utility, but that it needs to be done with long-term vision. He said South Hadley has to start developing new sources of energy now.
“The technology is mature, it’s here and now,” Patruno said. He said that technology can be used to put money into citizens’ pockets instead of being increasingly reliant on the energy market. “We have to leave a cleaner world for our sons and daughters. And we can do it in an economically sound way to benefit all of us in South Hadley.”
Dusty Christensen can be reached at dchristensen@gazettenet.com.