State regulators asking for more details from Invenergy

A RENDERING of the proposed natural gas-powered electrical plant in Burrillville. State regulators want Invenergy Thermal Development LLC to explain how it plans to cool the proposed 1,000 megawatt, gas-fired power plant. / COURTESY INVENERGY LLC
A RENDERING of the proposed natural gas-powered electrical plant in Burrillville. State regulators want Invenergy Thermal Development LLC to explain how it plans to cool the proposed 1,000 megawatt, gas-fired power plant. / COURTESY INVENERGY LLC

WARWICK – State regulators are calling on Invenergy Thermal Development LLC to explain how it plans to cool a proposed 1,000 megawatt, gas-fired power plant in Burrillville, saying the company needs to have a plan or risks having its application suspended.
The R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board on Tuesday issued a “show cause” order, asking Invenergy to detail how it plans to cool the proposed facility. Company representatives are required to come up with a plan and present it at a hearing on Oct. 13, and siting board members will decide whether to move forward with its application.
The Chicago-based company, which has proposed to build the facility estimated to cost $700 million, has been the subject of much debate during the last year.
The company hit a roadblock six weeks ago when the Pascoag Utility District voted against allowing Invenergy to use a water well in the district to cool the facility’s generators, which is paramount to the power-generating process. Despite having indicated to the board it would come up with an alternative plan, board members say Invenergy hasn’t produced any such plan.
Invenergy, however, says it’s working on one.
“We are working diligently on the water-supply plan and expect to submit those details to the EFSB in the very near future,” said John Niland, development director at Invenergy, in a statement.
The show cause hearing is scheduled for noon at the R.I. Public Utilities Commission building in Warwick.

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