BURRILLVILLE – The R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board on Tuesday issued a final order denying Invenergy Thermal Development LLC’s application to build the proposed Clear River Energy Center natural gas electricity-generation facility.
The board found that Invenergy failed to “show by a preponderance of the evidence that its proposed facility is ‘necessary to meet the needs of the state and region for energy of the type to be produced by the facility.’ ”
The board reached its decision to deny the company a license in June but did not release its final order until Tuesday.
Following the issuance of the official order, the company is now free to challenge the decision in state court.
Invenergy did not immediately respond to requests for comment. At the time of the announcement of the decision in June, the company said that it intended to “review the written decision and evaluate” its options
The state board noted that it requires an affirmative finding on each requisite element of the Energy Facility Siting Act to issue a license for a major energy facility and therefore did not need to consider other remaining elements regarding the plant.
The proposed plant had been opposed by conservationists and also received pushback from some local residents.
The plant would have generated 850-1,000 megawatts of electricity.
In its decision, the board said that the company argued that the EFSB should have considered the long-term need of energy in the state, specifically arguing that long-term should mean past 20 years. The board disagreed.
The board also said that the plant, while being in line with current electricity generation norms as a natural gas fueled power station, would not advance the stated goal of state’s Energy 2035 plan. The board said it would not increase fuel diversity, significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions or constitute as an addition to a transformed system, and instead perpetuates the “status quo.”
The board also disagreed with other arguments for the plant, including Invenergy’s assertion that the retirement of other energy plants in the region made this one necessary.
Chris Bergenheim is the PBN web editor. You may reach him at Bergenheim@PBN.com.
