Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) holding rates steady through the end of the year and enhancing rebates effective April 1
RMLD continues to deliver on its core mission to provide reliable, low cost, and increasingly non-carbon energy.
READING, MA – Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) announced that there will be no distribution rate increase in the spring of 2026. With careful planning and proactive resource management, RMLD offers rate stability to customers in a time of ever-rising daily living costs.
RMLD customer bills remain 50-60% lower than those of investor-owned utilities (IOUs) in Massachusetts. A typical RMLD monthly bill was approximately $161 in 2025. Comparable IOU bills were typically $262 to $355 in 2024. (Source: MMWEC 2024 Rate Comparisons)
RMLD also expanded key rebate programs effective April 1, 2026, to help customers manage costs as they upgrade to energy efficient and renewable technologies. RMLD has increased incentives on the following residential and commercial rebate programs:
Solar Rebates for Residential and Commercial Customers: Eligible customers can now receive $1,200 per kilowatt for eligible new solar systems installed. Accordingly, the maximum incentive for each rebate has increased to $24,000 and $120,000 respectively.
Commercial Custom Rebate: The maximum incentive has doubled from $50,000 to $100,000 up to 20% of the total project cost.
*New* Commercial Heat Pump Rebate: RMLD has introduced a new heat pump rebate for commercial customers up to 5,000 sq. ft. Eligible customers can receive $1,000 per ton for new systems, with a maximum rebate of $6,000. Customers larger than 5,000 sq. ft. are still eligible for the RMLD Commercial Custom Rebate.
By pairing the rates freeze with expanded cost-saving programs, RMLD makes it easier and more cost effective for customers to upgrade to energy efficient equipment and reduce their carbon footprint.
Explore RMLD rebates, program requirements, and apply at www.rmld.com.
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About Reading Municipal Light Department
Established in 1894, Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) is a municipal electric utility serving over 70,000 residents in Reading, North Reading, Wilmington, and Lynnfield Center, Massachusetts. RMLD is the largest of the 40 municipal light departments in Massachusetts based on electricity load, is not-for-profit and is locally owned and controlled. RMLD is committed to serving our customers with reliable, low-cost, and increasingly non-carbon energy. For more information visit: rmld.com