Save The Bay says premature for state to make decision on proposed power plant in Burrillville

A RENDERING of the proposed natural gas-powered electrical plant in Burrillville. Save The Bay says it is premature for the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board to make a decision on the proposed plant before the state adopts a greenhouse gas reduction strategy. / COURTESY INVENERGY THERMAL DEVELOPMENT LLC
A RENDERING of the proposed natural gas-powered electrical plant in Burrillville. Save The Bay says it is premature for the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board to make a decision on the proposed plant before the state adopts a greenhouse gas reduction strategy. / COURTESY INVENERGY THERMAL DEVELOPMENT LLC

(Updated 1:27 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – The executive director of Save The Bay says it is premature for the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board to make a decision on the proposed natural gas-fired power plant in Burrillville before the state adopts a greenhouse gas reduction strategy.
Save The Bay Executive Director Jonathan Stone, in a press release issued Wednesday, said that under the Resilient RI Act of 2014, the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council is required to submit to the governor and General Assembly a plan for achieving greenhouse gas emission targets, noting the deadline for this report is Dec. 31.
“Until this strategy has been developed and adopted, and the Invenergy proposal is shown to be consistent with the GHG reduction goals of the Resilient RI Act, it is premature for the R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board to issue a decision on Invenergy’s proposed power plant,” Stone said.
Invenergy Thermal Development LLC, a Chicago-based company, is seeking state approval to build a new co-generation, natural-gas, 1,000-megawatt power plant in Burrillville. A decision by the board on the project is expected this fall.
The proposed project would be located in the Narragansett Bay watershed, on the Clear River, a tributary to the Blackstone River which flows into Narragansett Bay.

In response, John Niland, Invenergy development director, said there is no reason to delay the review.

“Rhode Island and the rest of New England is facing a possible energy shortage in the coming years, which is in part why ISO-New England awarded the Clear River Energy Center with a capacity supply obligation. It’s clear that projects like ours will be an important part of the energy mix Rhode Island needs to meet demand, while also reducing carbon emissions by replacing older, more polluting power plants. The Rhode Island Energy Facilities Siting Board is the proper venue for energy-project siting decisions, and there’s no reason to delay that review. At the same time, Rhode Island’s energy policy discussions will and should continue,” Niland said in prepared remarks.

Save The Bay said it expects the Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council to consider benefits and impacts of investments in renewable energy generation and energy conservation on energy system supply, distribution and reliability; the role of hydroelectric power in replacing nuclear power; and whether or not the power generation capacity of the proposed facility is needed.
“Climate change is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and poses profound threats to the health and resilience of Narragansett Bay,” Stone said. “The pace of climate change is expected to accelerate. Already, rising sea levels are degrading the health of coastal wetlands, worsening coastal erosion and threatening public access along the shore. Warming temperatures contribute to harmful algal blooms, low oxygen levels in the bay and the loss of native species.”
Save The Bay said it will continue to monitor the project, as it is the steward of Narragansett Bay, if it moves forward.

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