Sean Hamilton becomes general manager at Sterling

Print this article | Send to Colleague

Sean Hamilton has been around public power since 1979 when he joined Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant as a lineworker. He then moved over to Sterling Municipal Light Department in 1992 and served as a line superintendent until 1999 when he took a position as a construction manager for Verizon. Hamilton said it was a good job but the investor- owned environment is a different mind set than the municipal world. When Gerry Skelton, general manager of Templeton Municipal Light & Water Plant, retired in 2004, Hamilton saw an opportunity to return to public power and he took a pay cut to take it.

"The private sector is more widget-driven than people-driven," he said. "I missed the culture of public power."

Hamilton said he enjoyed the challenges Templeton presented. While serving as manager, the utility rebuilt a substation including changing out transformers, put in an automated meter system, and supervised the building of a 1.65-megawatt wind turbine that is expected to generate 3.5 kilowatts per year to help lower the cost of energy to the school and the town.

One of his more memorable challenges was the Ice Storm of 2008 that caused massive power outages and devastation to electrical systems throughout central Massachusetts. "That was an incredible bonding experience with employees, other public power utilities and our customers."

In late November, Hamilton left Templeton to return to Sterling as general manager, replacing John Kilgo who left to pursue other opportunities.

"I wanted to work outside of the town I live in," he said. I can now step outside politics and focus on my job."He was also attracted to the job because he saw challenges that needed to be met and he wanted to be involved.

His long-term goal is to lower rates through budget analysis and power supply planning and succession planning. There are plans in the works for a smart grid system. "We’re working to overcome some growing pains over that," he said.

Hamilton serves on the NEPPA Board of Directors and the NEPPA Membership and Marketing Committee. He is vice president of the Municipal Electric Association of Massachusetts and will be president next year. He also serves on the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company’s Board of Directors. He lives in Templeton and is married with two grown sons and two grandchildren.