GARDNER — On Tuesday, Heywood Healthcare celebrated the unveiling of a stalled, decades-long solar panel project at Heywood Hospital. The solar panel array, which is now officially live, marks a significant step forward for the organization’s commitment to operational efficiency, according to a release from the health-care system.
This initiative follows a period of significant resilience for Heywood Healthcare — owner of Heywood Hospital as well as Athol Hospital — after briefly entering and exiting chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023 and 2024.
The solar panel project was made possible through a strategic partnership between Heywood Healthcare, National Grid, RER Energy Group, and General Energy Solution USA, Inc. (GES).
“The activation of this solar array is a proud moment for Heywood Healthcare,” said Rozanna Penney, President and CEO of Heywood Healthcare. “By partnering with industry leaders like National Grid, RER Energy Group, and GES, we are not only investing in the future of our facility but also in the long-term health and well-being of the community we serve.”
National Grid played a pivotal role in the technical success of the installation through innovative utility programs.
“Our Active Resource Integration (ARI) pilot helped deliver a flexible interconnection that moved the project forward faster and at lower cost. Now energized, the system is offsetting hospital load and creating a pathway for potential revenue that can be reinvested in care and local economic growth,” said Morgan Steacy, VP, Connections and Strategic Accounts, National Grid New England.
The health-care system said that the solar project aligns with Heywood’s mission to “remain a forward-thinking, community-owned organization that prioritizes both patient care and sustainable regional growth.”
Exit from chapter 11
In fall of 2023, Heywood Healthcare had announced they filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code and in June of 2024 had begun the process to exit bankruptcy, after seeing months of improvement in multiple areas. In September of 2024, the health-care system said that they officially made a stand-alone exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, having restructured debt and “consolidated services where appropriate.”
Heywood Healthcare is an independent, community-owned healthcare system serving north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. It comprises Heywood Hospital, a 134-bed acute care community-owned non-profit hospital in Gardner, MA; Athol Hospital, a 25-bed not-for-profit, Critical Access Hospital in Athol, MA; and Heywood Medical Group, with primary care physicians and specialists located throughout the region.
Heywood Healthcare contributed to this article.
Original article
Comments