Starting on Monday, July 25, 2016, the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is hearing Docket #4609 about the proposal from Invenergy to build a new 900-megawatt fossil-fuel power plant in Burrillville, Rhode Island. The PUC is considering two specific questions about the Invenergy proposal: (a) is the plant needed for the reliability of the…
Jul 21
2016
2016
Jul 2
2016
2016
Politicians, Energy Companies Just Want You to Trust Them
… Count the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) among those that don’t believe the hype about the region’s need for more natural gas. The two major arguments used by Invenergy in support of its plan to build a power plant in Burriliville are that the plant is needed for the reliability of the electricity grid and to save…
Jun 27
2016
2016
Why Should Burrillville Care About Invenergy’s Bad Financial Decisions?
… The gist of her remarks seems to be that Burrillville town attorney Michael McElroy convinced her that the town might be on the hook financially for the fines that Invenergy might suffer for not delivering on its obligations to ISO-NE. I couldn’t see how this was possible, so I asked Jerry Elmer, senior attorney at the Conservation Law…
Jun 16
2016
2016
Environmental Group Disputes Need For Burrillville Power Plant
… The Invenergy power plant is not needed in the short-term or medium-term or long-term,” said Jerry Elmer, Conservation Law Foundation’s senior attorney. He’s citing one witness testifying on behalf of CLF, which is participating in the review process underway with the state’s Energy Facility Siting Board. Read more here…
Jun 14
2016
2016
Invenergy Knowingly Exaggerated the Cost Savings to Customers from Its Proposed Power Plant
Invenergy has a proposal before Rhode Island’s Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB) to build a new 900-megawatt fossil-fuel plant in Burrillville. CLF is litigating in both the EFSB and the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to prevent Invenergy from getting the permits it needs. Today, CLF is filing in the PUC the testimony of two…
May 27
2016
2016
Successful Hearing on Bill That Would Kill Invenergy Fossil-Fuel Plant
The House Environment Committee, chaired by Rep. Art Handy (D-Cranston), held a hearing yesterday evening on H-8240, introduced by Rep. Cale Keable (D-Burrillville). As I explained in an earlier post, CLF strongly supports the bill because, if enacted, it is likely to kill the 900-megawatt Invenergy power plant proposed for Burrillville, Rhode Island. The hearing…
May 22
2016
2016
New General Assembly Bill Addresses Invenergy Power Plant Proposal
On Friday, May 20, Rhode Island Representative Cale Keable, of Burrillville, introduced a bill into the General Assembly that could have profound implications for the proposal of Invenergy to build an unneeded 1,000-megawatt fossil fuel power plant in Burrillville. The bill is H-8240. Main Point of the New Bill Under existing law (R.I. General Laws…
Mar 31
2016
2016
Guest Blog: A New Fossil-Fuel Power Plant in Rhode Island is the Wrong Move
The following blog is by Dr. J. Timmons Roberts, an expert witness that CLF is presenting on the issues of carbon emissions and climate impacts in the ongoing litigation at the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board in which CLF is asking the EFSB to deny a permit to Invenergy to build a new 900-megawatt fossil…
Feb 12
2016
2016
ISO Auction Shows That Invenergy’s Proposed Plant Is Not Needed
Readers will recall that the two major arguments used by Invenergy in support of its plan to build a gigantic (900 MW to 1,000 MW) fossil-fuel power plant in Burrillville, Rhode Island, are that the plant is needed for the reliability of the electricity grid and in order to save ratepayers money. Both of these arguments…
Jan 29
2016
2016
Update on the Invenergy Power Plant
The Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB), which is considering a proposal to permit a new 900 MW fossil fuel power plant in Burrillville, Rhode Island, held two meetings this month. January 12 Preliminary Hearing On January 12, the EFSB held a Preliminary Hearing in the Docket. At the Preliminary Hearing, Invenergy presented a broad overview of…