PROPOSED DEAL
Invenergy released documents (here and here) to the Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB) revealing some details of its proposed deal with the City of Woonsocket to bring water to Burrillville to cool it???s proposed $700 million fracked gas and diesel oil burning power plant. According to Invenergy, the proposal includes ???the installation of a dedicated new pipeline from Woonsocket to the Project that would be constructed on state highways and roads,??? described as?? a ???new, approximately fourteen (14) mile-long pipeline from the City???s water system from Woonsocket, with a new pumping station to be locate in Woonsocket.???
The water supplied would ???in the form of potable, treated water.??? Discharged water will be dumped into Burrillville???s sewer system.
In a letter from Invenergy legal counsel W Mark Russo of the firm Ferrucci Russo PC and Woonsocket legal counsel William E O???Gara of Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC, a timeline emerged of Invenergy???s talks with Woonsocket and its plans going forward:
At this point, CREC has worked with the Woonsocket Department of Public Works to undertake initial feasibility review. Remaining feasibility review with the Woonsocket Department of Public Works is in process.
???Thereafter, CREC endeavored to accomplish two tasks. The first task was to determine whether the City was amenable to entering into a Water Supply Agreement. The second task, if the City was amenable to entering into a Water Supply Agreement, is whether mutually agreeable terms could be reached.
???From a timing perspective, CREC could not have such discussions until the 2016 Rhode Island General Election was concluded. Moreover, in accord with the Woonsocket City Charter, the City Council was not sworn in until December 6, 2016.
???Since that time, CREC has had an opportunity to meet jointly with the Woonsocket City Council, the Woonsocket Administration and their counsel. The Council, subject to conducting its own due diligence and seeking community input, is receptive to continued talks.
???The following tentative schedule has been established with the goal of reaching agreeable terms and conditions to be incorporated into a Water Supply Agreement:
- As many work sessions as the Council deems necessary to undertake adequate diligence;
- January 6, 2017 ??? a public hearing the terms and conditions of a Water Supply Agreement to be presented; and
- The week of January 9, 2017 ??? an open meeting that would allow the Council to vote on terms and conditions for incorporation in?? a Water Supply Agreement conditioned upon Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board approval of the CREC Project.
Invenergy also revealed in their communication with the EFSB that they have?? met with the Providence Water Supply (PWS), saying, ???it appears that PWS has sufficient capacity. Invenergy discussed the feasibility of providing water via a new pipeline. This pipeline would be longer than the pipeline from Woonsocket to CREC. It was noted that the connection point was within another municipality creating additional timing challenges. Accordingly, Woonsocket was determined to the the better option at this time, given the timing and logistical challenges associated with PWS.???
Invenergy is also exploring the option of reducing the water needs of the Project by reducing and recycling its wastewater.