The Rhode Island Energy Siting Board (EFSB) voted to reject the two-year-old Public Utilities Commission advisory opinion that said there was a need for the proposed Invenergy power plant.
“We are pleased with the Board’s common sense decision. The Town is painstakingly making the case that building a new power plant in Rhode Island is not justified,” said Burrillville Town Manager Michael Wood.
The EFSB will no longer take into consideration the earlier PUC opinion on this issue. Instead, the EFSB will decide the issue of need based on all the evidence presented, included updated testimony that will be filed by the parties.
According to the press release, board members said the information in the advisory opinion is “stale” and much has happened since it was first issued in September of 2016.
In that motion, the Town argued that the findings of the Advisory Opinion are outdated and the Advisory Opinion is therefore no longer relevant to current circumstances. Among the events cited:
CREC’s Unit One's Capacity Supply Obligation ("CSO") has been recommended for termination. On September 20, 2018, ISO-NE took the unprecedented action of filing a request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") seeking to terminate Clear River Energy Center's Unit One CSO.
Unit Two Has Failed to Obtain a CSO for Three Successive Auctions: Unit Two did not obtain a CSO in FCAs 10, 11, or 12. In fact, Unit Two was disqualified from last year's FCA 12, and because of significant delays in the project, it has also been recently disqualified from FCA 13.
Reduced Need for power in the region, as shown by ISO-NE’s declining net peak load forecasts.
Increased Solar, Increased Baseload Renewables, and Increased Offshore Wind.
Second Set Back in Two Months
In September, the ISO — the regional transmission organization for New England — issued a damaging letter the adversely impacts Invenergy's fate.
The letter from ISO was to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and unceremoniously requested the New England grid be released from their obligation to buy Invenergy’s power.
Proponents and opponents disagree if the ISO development cripples the Invenergy effort or just adds another obstacle, but one thing is for sure -- the ISO decision is a major blow to the project.
ISO wrote in their letter to FERC, “Invenergy has not made sufficient progress to achieve Clear River Unit 1’s critical path schedule milestones, and the commercial operation date for Clear River Unit 1 is more than two years beyond June 1, 2019…”
Some environmental leaders believe the ISO letter is a critical nail to project, which has strong support from organized labor.
Burrillville Town Manager Michael Wood said about the ISO, “Most notably there is no need for Invenergy’s new gas-fired power plant. Renewables are coming online faster than expected- and in fact, a surplus in capacity is expected.”
“[The ISO] filing is proof positive of what CLF has argued from day one: Invenergy's plant is simply not needed," Jerry Elmer, senior attorney at CLF, said in a statement. "It's time for Invenergy to admit defeat and withdraw its permit application."
Related Slideshow: GoLocal Statewide Poll - FULL RESULTS, Conducted by Harvard’s Della Volpe Oct. 2018
Sponsor: GoLocal Prov
Sample: N=502 Rhode Island General Election Voters
Interviewing Period: October 5 – October 9, 2018
Directed by: John Della Volpe, Harvard University, SocialSphere, Inc.
Slideshow: responses are not in the order of the questionnaire
This question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS. Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).
What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?
When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?
In November, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices. How likely is it that you will vote in this election? Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Will ensure that we have high-quality affordable health care.
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Will make government more accountable to the people.
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Is committed to improving education in public schools.
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
Next is a series of qualities and attributes that candidates for Governor could possess. Which candidate for Governor does each attribute apply to most? [RANDOMIZED]
If the election for Governor were held today and the candidates were: [ROTATE] Democrat Gina Raimondo, Republican Allan Fung and Independent Joe Trillo, for whom would you vote?
Attorney generals in several states have begun investigating sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy, opening investigations and issuing subpoenas for documents.
Do you favor or oppose the Rhode Island Attorney General opening an investigation into the Archdiocese of Providence on issues related to possible sexual abuse of children?
If the election for the U.S. Senate were held today and the candidates were: [ROTATE] Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican Robert Flanders, for whom would you vote?
Recently, it was announced that state officials approved a fast-track regulatory review of Massachusetts based Partners HealthCare’s proposed takeover of Care New England, Rhode Island’s second-largest hospital system, and operator Women & Infants, Butler and Kent Hospitals. [RANDOMIZED]
Do you believe the quality of care for Rhode Islanders will:
Recently, it was announced that state officials approved a fast-track regulatory review of Massachusetts based Partners HealthCare’s proposed takeover of Care New England, Rhode Island’s second-largest hospital system, and operator Women & Infants, Butler and Kent Hospitals. [RANDOMIZED]
Do you believe the number of jobs available to Rhode Islanders will:
Earlier this year, legislation was filed in the General Assembly that would require that all Rhode Island public schools have a school resource officer on the premises -- if a school has over 1,200 students -- two school resource officers would need to be present.
Do you support or oppose expanding Rhode Island’s free college tuition program at the
Community College of Rhode Island to the state’s two four-year colleges so that the last two
years of tuition at Rhode Island College and URI would be free for those recent high school
graduates, who are in a solid academic standing, and on track to graduate in four years? It is estimated that the cost of the program would be $35 million.
Do you support or oppose an Educational Bill of Rights for students and parents in Rhode Island that includes:
1) The right to be taught by effective teachers.
2) The right not to be taught by teachers who, after due process evaluation, fail to meet standards established by state and local education officials.
3) The right to appropriate academic materials and resources.
4) The right to safe, clean and environmental-friendly school facilities.
5) The right to emotionally supportive schools that do not tolerate harassment, discrimination or abuse.
6) The right to attend a school where funding is based on student need with the goal of providing
access to adequate educational opportunities.
7) The right to a pathway out of a failing school.
8) The right to a fair, accurate and transparent assessment system that measures student
performance and need.
9) The right of parents to current and reliable information about their child’s progress and performance.
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