In power plant news, Tuesday night while the Woonsocket City Council rejected selling water to Invenergy, the Johnston town council unanimously approved such a deal within a couple of minutes.
Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena said his town will now score Woonsocket’s proposed deal: more than $18 million over 20 years.
“I look to get revenue as best as I can without going into the taxpayers’ pockets,” said the mayor, “so I think it’s a good deal for the town.”
In Woonsocket, 15 miles north, City Council President Daniel Gendron said most of his city council didn’t see the deal that way and rejected it.
“It left us having to agree to a contract that was less beneficial to the City of Woonsocket in that the limits were removed and some of the finances were reduced from what we had originally spoken to,” said Gendron.
Gendron said he was initially in favor of Invenergy’s water proposal, hoping it would benefit his city. But he changed his mind when Invenergy wasn’t responsive to concerns raised by other councilors.
An Invenergy spokeswoman said the company is disappointment with Woonsocket’s decision, but is pleased to have identified Johnston as a water supplier.
Polisena said Johnston town leaders began conversations with Invenergy about a month ago to explore becoming the company’s primary or backup water source – depending on how Woonsocket voted.
Polisena said Johnston, which gets its water from Providence, won’t have a problem supplying what Invenergy needs to cool its power plant.
Johnston’s decision to sell water to Invenergy caught town residents by surprise. Johnston resident Deborah Spaur stood stunned outside of the town’s courthouse after the council’s swift vote approving the deal.
“It’s not that I’m for or against it, because I have no knowledge about it,” said Spaur. “All I know is that this just came up and I think the people should be made aware, and that’s what frustrates people in this town the most; nobody’s never made aware of anything and that’s not fair.”
Polisena said the town issued proper notification of the scheduled vote, posting it on the Secretary of State’s website.
Burrillville Town Council Member Jeremy Bailey said Johnston’s vote hurts Burrillville’s fight to block the power plant, but “just because they have a water source doesn’t mean that the project will be built.
“It just means that they have a possibility of the process continuing,” said Bailey, while leaving Johnston’s meeting. “So I’m still hopeful. Nothing’s a done deal. You play to the buzzer.”
The town’s municipal court was packed by a large crowd of labor union members who support the project.
The state suspended reviewing Invenergy’s power plant application until today, giving the company time to secure a water supply to cool its power plant. The company still has to secure a backup source.
Last year, two water suppliers in Burrillville also rejected selling water to Invenergy.
Note: This post has been updated.
