WOONSOCKET – The company hoping to build a 1,000 megawatt power plant on Wallum Lake Road in Burrillville has made an official offer to the city of Woonsocket for the purchase of water to cool the facility's generators, and the deal would see the water trucked out from a city-based transport station.
Invenergy Thermal Development LLC would pay Woonsocket the prevailing rate for water consumed; purchase a property in the city to build the filling station; pay $200,000 per year in lieu of taxes for 20 years; pay an additional $500,000 per year, escalating at a rate of 3 percent per year, directly to Woonsocket's General Fund "for taxpayer relief;" and contribute $200,000 per year for five years to either scholarships for the city's vocational students or athletic fields for school aged children.
Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt issued a statement regarding the arrangement to sell water to the Clean River Energy Center on Tuesday, Jan. 3, stating that a public hearing for the proposal will be held on Friday, Jan. 6 at Woonsocket High School.
"It is of the utmost importance for Woonsocket residents to be fully informed and understand the details of the offer, and attendance is strongly encouraged," Baldelli-Hunt said.
The company has been in talks with the city for nearly a month regarding purchase of the water following a decision by the Energy Facility Siting Board – the governing state agency – to suspend Invenergy's application to build the plant until a water source could be identified. Two other potential sources closer to the plant's proposed location – the Pascoag Utility District and the Harrisville Water and Fire District – rejected proposals by Invenergy to secure water.
Although previous reports estimated that the plant would need an average of 102,000 gallons of water a day, with the amount spiking during winter months to some 925,000 gallons, according to Invenergy officials new estimates put that amount at somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 gallons daily.
The offer states that the proposed Water Transport Center would house trucks and include a filling station, and that the company would work with city staff to identify a suitable parcel. According to Meaghan Wims, an account supervisor with the company's public relations group, that means the proposal for a 14-mile pipeline running between the two towns is now off the table.
"Invenergy decided that the best option for Woonsocket water would be to have trucks rather than the pipeline," said Wims. "This is thought to be a better option for the plant. It's certainly less disruptive than digging up roadways to lay a new pipeline."
Wims said between two to three trucks per day would be expected to travel between the facilities.
Burrillville residents and opponents of the plant have flocked to City Hall meetings over the past several weeks to urge councilors to reject company overtures and last week, the issue even prompted a joint meeting between the board and the Burrillville Town Council.
According to the proposal, Invenergy's "long term Water Supply and Economic Development Agreement," with the city would also see up to three people hired by the company, with preference given to Woonsocket residents.
The public hearing is expected to include allow an opportunity for questions and comments regarding the offer, and the mayor said further information about the event will be released soon.
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Woonsocket
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Woonsocket, North Smithfield
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