Burlington Electric Department

What Burlington Electric Department does

Burlington Electric Department (BED) is a municipally-owned electric utility founded in 1905 that serves as the exclusive provider of electricity to approximately 21,800 customers across the City of Burlington, Vermont (~16 square miles) and Burlington International Airport in South Burlington. BED owns and operates a diversified generation portfolio including a 50% stake in the 50 MW McNeil biomass plant (jointly with Green Mountain Power and Vermont Public Power Supply Authority), the 7.4 MW Winooski One hydroelectric facility, a 22 MW gas turbine, and 0.6 MW of solar arrays, supplemented by long-term power purchase agreements with Hydro-Québec, Sheffield Wind, Georgia Mountain Community Wind, Hancock Wind, NYPA, South Forty Solar, and others. BED was the first US city to source 100% of its electricity from renewable generation and operates under a Smart Electric Power Alliance-recognized Net Zero Energy 2030 roadmap covering electric, thermal, and ground transportation sectors.

BED's commercial offering combines regulated electricity distribution across residential and commercial rate classes (Standard Residential, Time-of-Use, Small/Large General, Primary Service) with a suite of electrification incentive programs — including EV rebates (up to $5,700 for income-qualified buyers), heat pump rebates (up to $12,000), solar net metering, EV charging stations, the Energy Assistance Program (12.5% bill discount), and demand response programs (Building GIANTS). Revenue is generated primarily through PUC-regulated usage-based retail electricity sales (energy charges, customer charges, demand charges for large users, EEC charges, and franchise fees), supplemented by wholesale power sales through ISO-NE and joint-ownership revenue share from McNeil. Distribution is exclusively direct via BED's owned poles, wires, and AMI-enabled smart meters, with no third-party resellers within the franchise territory.

The company is governed by a five-member Board of Electric Commissioners and led by General Manager Darren Springer. A $20M voter-approved Net Zero Energy and Grid Reliability Revenue Bond (issued March 2026) is funding grid capacity expansion from ~80 MW to 90 MW, Winooski One hydro relicensing, additional EV chargers, and energy transformation incentives. The customer base of ~21,800 is structurally non-concentrated due to the regulated monopoly model, with two primary segments (Residential and Commercial & Industrial) and a smaller Income-Qualified/Non-Profit segment added in December 2025.

Name

Burlington Electric Department

Legal name

Burlington Electric Department

Website

https://burlingtonelectric.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Burlington Electric Department is Vermont's largest municipal electric utility, serving approximately 21,800 customers across Burlington and Burlington International Airport as the exclusive franchised provider. It owns generation assets including a 50 MW biomass plant and 7.4 MW hydro facility, and operates the nation's first 100% renewable-sourced municipal grid under a Net Zero Energy 2030 roadmap.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211), Utilities (22)

SIC

Electric Services (4911), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal Electric Utilities (Munis) (EUADABAB)

Keywords

• Municipal electric utility
• Renewable electricity generation
• Residential electric service
• Demand response programs
• Energy efficiency rebates

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Electricity Sales: BED generates revenue primarily through retail electricity sales to approximately 21,800 customers in Burlington, VT across residential, commercial, industrial, and street lighting rate categories. Rates are regulated by the Vermont Public Utility Commission and include customer charges, energy charges (kWh), demand charges (for large users), franchise fees, and efficiency charges.
2. Power Sale Agreements (Wholesale): BED sells excess power back to the grid through ISO-NE exchange and can sell excess electricity generated from its owned assets (McNeil, hydro, solar) and customer programs. Also receives short-term purchases and engages in net exchange settlements.
3. McNeil Joint Ownership Revenue Share: BED operates and holds 50% ownership of the 50 MW Joseph C. McNeil Generating Station; the remaining 31% is owned by Green Mountain Power and 19% by Vermont Public Power Supply Authority. Revenue sharing occurs through joint ownership arrangements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Burlington Electric Department generates, distributes, and retails electricity to approximately 21,000 residential, commercial, industrial, and street-lighting customers in Burlington, Vermont and at Burlington International Airport. The utility operates owned renewable generation (biomass, hydro, solar) supported by long-term renewable contracts, offers multiple rate classes including residential, time-of-use, small/large general service, and primary service, and administers complementary rebate, EV charging, energy efficiency, and customer assistance programs under its Net Zero Energy 2030 roadmap.

Product overview

Burlington Electric Department (BED) is Vermont's largest municipal utility serving approximately 21,000 customers across 16 square miles. The company operates as a single unified utility providing electricity generation and distribution services rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. BED's core products include residential and commercial electricity service across multiple rate structures (Standard Residential, Time-of-Use, Small General, Large General, and Primary Service). The company owns and operates generation assets including the 50 MW McNeil biomass facility, 7.4 MW Winooski One hydroelectric plant, 22 MW gas turbine, and 0.6 MW of solar installations. Supporting the Net Zero Energy goal, BED offers complementary programs including EV rebates (up to $5,700), heat pump rebates (up to $12,000), solar programs, the Energy Assistance Program (12.5% discount for income-qualified customers), EV charging infrastructure, the Sparky AI chatbot for customer support, and energy efficiency programs. The company also manages power purchase agreements for renewable energy from wind, solar, and hydro sources totaling over 50 MW of contracted capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• McNeil Generating Station A 50 MW wood-burning biomass generating facility jointly owned by BED (50%, operator), Green Mountain Power (31%), and Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (19%) that provides baseload renewable power generation, varying output from 15–50 MW at 0.4 MW/minute and operating nearly 24/7 in winter months. Fuel is sourced within a 60–70 mile radius and the plant can also burn natural gas or fuel oil.
• Winooski One Hydro Plant A 7.4 MW run-of-river hydroelectric generating station on the Winooski River, wholly owned by BED, providing renewable power generation.
• Residential Electricity Service Standard residential electricity service with tiered pricing (RS rate with $10.65/month customer charge plus initial block ≤100 kWh at $0.140231/kWh and tail block >100 kWh at $0.191703/kWh) or time-of-use options (RT rate with $17.76/month customer charge and seasonal on-peak/off-peak rates), serving single-family homes and apartments in Burlington for all domestic purposes. Includes an Energy Efficiency Charge ($0.00907/kWh) and City Franchise Fee (3.5%).
• Commercial Electricity Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Burlington thermal and ground transportation GHG emissions reduced 17.8% as of 2025 vs. 2018 levels
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MagnefyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026Magnefy won the DeltaClimeVT Energy 2026 Business Accelerator (managed by Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund). As part of the win, BED secured a pilot project with Magnefy to test its AI-driven non-invasive magnetic sensing system designed to help utilities monitor aging transformers, detect failures in advance, and improve grid reliability. Magnefy received a $25,000 award.
• Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026VSJF manages the DeltaClimeVT Energy Business Accelerator, now in its tenth cohort (decade of advancing energy innovation in Vermont). The program connects energy startups with utilities, mentors, and investors through the ecosVC curriculum. BED participates as a utility partner providing pilot opportunities.
• Vermont Wind (Sheffield Wind Farm)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2026Five-year renewal of Power Purchase Agreement with Vermont Wind's Sheffield Wind Farm (40 MW, 16-turbine facility in Sheffield, Vermont). BED is entitled to 16 MW (40% of output). New contract continues delivery beyond the current agreement's October 18, 2026 expiration. Supports Burlington's commitment to sourcing 100% of power from renewable generation.
• Green Mountain Power (GMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint ownership of the 50 MW Joseph C. McNeil Generating Station. GMP holds 31% ownership while BED operates the facility and holds 50% ownership. Vermont Public Power Supply Authority holds the remaining 19%. The partnership enables shared investment in renewable biomass generation.
• Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint ownership of the 50 MW Joseph C. McNeil Generating Station. VPPSA holds 19% ownership while BED operates the facility and holds 50%, and GMP holds 31%. VPPSA represents other Vermont municipal utilities.
• Great River HydrominorStrategic or Co-development Partner7.5 MW unit-contingent power purchase contract from January 2018 through December 2024 from hydro facilities on the Connecticut River. BED entitled to power from 7am to 11pm daily.
• New York Power Authority (NYPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPower purchase from hydroelectric stations on the Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers. BED receives an entitlement of 2.558 MW from Niagara Project and 0.059 MW from St. Lawrence Project (2.617 MW total).
• Hydro-QuébeccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term contract to buy 5 MW through October 2020, 9 MW from November 2020 to October 2035, and 4 MW from November 2035 to October 2038. BED entitled to power from 7am to 11pm daily. Major baseload renewable power supply.
• FirstLight (Shepaug Hydro Facility)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnit-contingent contract from July 2024 through December 2025, providing energy from the Shepaug hydro facility in Connecticut. BED entitled to 35% of power from 7am to 11pm daily.
• Georgia Mountain Community Wind (GMCW)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner10 MW wind farm in Georgia, Vermont. BED is entitled to 100% of the output under a power purchase agreement.
• Hancock WindminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBED is entitled to 13.5 MW of energy and capacity from the output of the Hancock Wind facility in Hancock County, Maine.
• South Forty SolarminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2.5 MW solar array located in northern Burlington. BED purchases all energy from this facility under a long-term contract.
• Vermont Gas Systems (VGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBED partners with Vermont Gas Systems to deliver unified energy solutions. BED's Director of Energy Services Chris Burns described how BED partners with VGS to deliver combined energy efficiency and electrification programs. VGS President Neale Lunderville has led expansion of energy efficiency programs and in-home electrification services.
• Preferred Heat Pump Installer Network (12+ contractors)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBED partners with 12+ contractors as part of its Preferred Heat Pump Installer Network (all members of Vermont's Efficiency Excellence Network). Includes A. Cooper Mechanical, Benoure Plumbing, Bourne's Energy, Building Energy, Champlain Valley Heat Pump, Chuck's Heating & Air Conditioning, Energy Co-op of Vermont, Green State Plumbing & Heating, Jack's HVAC, Lavoie Plumbing & Heating, Pinnacle Air Systems, Red Rock Mechanical, Robinson Mechanical, and Vermont Energy Contracting & Supply Corp.
• Drive Electric VermontminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBED partners with Drive Electric Vermont to promote EV adoption and provide rebate information to non-BED customers. Drive Electric Vermont provides qualifying product lists and automaker incentive information.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Green Mountain Power: Vermont's largest investor-owned electric utility, serves most of Vermont outside Burlington, and co-owns the 50 MW McNeil Generating Station with BED (31% stake). Closest operational and regulatory peer within the same Vermont PUC jurisdiction, sharing generation assets and wholesale market exposure via ISO-NE.
• Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA): Joint owner of the McNeil Generating Station (19% stake) and a wholesale power supplier representing multiple Vermont municipal utilities. Directly comparable as a small-scale municipal/public-power entity operating in the same regulatory and generation context as BED.
• Swanton Electric Department: Another Vermont municipal electric utility serving a small Vermont town with similar customer scale and rate-base economics. Comparable as a small munipal utility operating under Vermont PUC oversight.
• Stowe Electric Department: Vermont municipal electric utility serving a similar small-town customer base in northern Vermont. Directly comparable municipal utility structure with retail electricity sales, generation PPAs, and Vermont PUC regulatory oversight.
• Reading Municipal Light Department: Massachusetts municipal light plant serving a small municipal customer base with retail electricity, generation assets, and demand-side programs. Comparable small-scale municipal electric utility structure with analogous service-territory monopoly economics.
• Braintree Electric Light Department: Massachusetts municipal electric utility operating a similar small-customer-base, generation-and-distribution model under a separate state regulatory framework. Directly comparable New England municipal electric utility by structure and scale.

Broad incumbents

• Austin Energy: Large Texas municipal electric utility widely cited as a national leader in renewable integration, smart grid, and EV programs. Comparable to BED in structure (municipal utility, owned generation, aggressive renewables and electrification roadmap) but operates at materially larger scale and in a different regulatory/competitive context.
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD): California's large publicly-owned electric utility with extensive renewable generation, AMI deployment, demand response, and EV programs. Comparable in municipal-utility structure and clean energy leadership posture, though at much larger scale and with different wholesale market dynamics.
• Long Island Power Authority (LIPA): Public-benefit New York power authority providing retail electric service across a defined territory with owned/contracted generation. Comparable in the public-power operating model and rate-regulated economics, though at much larger scale and different market structure.

Others

• Vermont Gas Systems: Natural gas distribution utility in Vermont that partners with BED on combined efficiency and electrification programs (per BED's Energy Services Director). Adjacent rather than competitive: complementary energy utility serving the same Burlington customers for thermal energy, and a key ecosystem partner for BED's Net Zero roadmap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/burlingtonelec
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@burlingtonelectric9188
• Facebookfacebook.com/burlingtonelectric
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burlington-electric-department
• Instagraminstagram.com/burlingtonelectric

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Burlington Electric Department