State considering $47M power lines for Burrillville power plant

REALLY NOT NEEDED? The proposed natural gas-fired power plant in Burrillville was rejected over the summer by state regulators after the company proposing to build it, Invenergy, could not prove to the state Energy Facility Siting Board that it was needed. Now a study by the Rocky Mountain Institute questions whether nearly all plants across the nation such as this will be economically feasible at all within a decade and a half, thus supporting more investments in renewable energy. / COURTESY INVENERGY LLC
REALLY NOT NEEDED? The proposed natural gas-fired power plant in Burrillville was rejected over the summer by state regulators after the company proposing to build it, Invenergy, could not prove to the state Energy Facility Siting Board that it was needed. Now a study by the Rocky Mountain Institute questions whether nearly all plants across the nation such as this will be economically feasible at all within a decade and a half, thus supporting more investments in renewable energy. / COURTESY INVENERGY LLC

WARWICK – State regulators are considering a $47.2 million transmission line project to connect the pending 1,000-megawatt, gas-fired power plant in Burrillville to the region’s electrical grid.

National Grid PLC, the state’s largest utility, and Invenergy Thermal Development LLC, a Chicago-based energy company, are jointly seeking approval to build, alter and realign about 10 miles of transmission lines.

The project, however, is contingent on whether Invenergy receives approval to build a highly controversial, $700 million power plant in Burrillville dubbed Clean River Energy Center.

“If the power plant doesn’t move forward, the transmission [project] wouldn’t move forward,” said David Baron, National Grid project manager.

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The R.I. Energy Facility Siting Board is responsible for deciding on both projects, and was first pitched the power plant in 2015. The process, however, has repeatedly been delayed for various reasons, including pushback from environmentalists and Burrillville residents, who largely oppose the project.

The EFSB met on Tuesday to consider the transmission project proposal for the first time. The lines would connect the power plant to the Sherman Road Switching Station. The project is estimated to cost $47.2 million, but could range anywhere between $35.4 million and $70.8 million, if considering the project’s wide margin of error.

Rhode Island ratepayers, who typically absorb costs associated with grid infrastructure upgrades, however, would not pay for the project’s construction costs, as Invenergy is expected pick up the bill

National Grid, likewise, would not be responsible for any costs. But because the utility is planning for the transmission project prior the power plant receiving approval, logistics become somewhat tricky.

Indeed, to determine certain aspects of project design, National Grid must start preordering power poles and other raw material. The dynamic could hurt Invenergy financially should it fail to receive regulatory approval to build its power plant.

“It would be our intention to place cancellation clauses into these [advanced] contracts,” Baron said. “If it were the case that the materials were actually produced [and the power plant rejected] … those would be stranded costs that Invenergy would be obligated to pay for National Grid.”

It could be 2018 before a decision is made on the power plant. Invenergy is expected to start generating electricity for the region beginning in 2019.

Eli Sherman is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Sherman@PBN.com, or follow him on Twitter @Eli_Sherman

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