The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Activists question NRG power plant plan
MIDDLETOWN — Local environmentalists are opposing a plan by NRG Energy to replace two turbines at the Middletown natural gas plant, saying increasing generation has the potential to increase pollution by up to 76 tons per year, as well as release five times more carbon dioxide.
The company, meanwhile, said the two turbines would be replaced with one generator that produces fewer emissions and is able to be converted to renewable energy in the future.
Data is based on information from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said The Jonah Center Executive Director John Hall, who led a virtual meeting this week to address the issue.
Hall said the move will “increase hazardous air pollution that already affects our residents, especially those with compromised health, and worsen climate change.”
The plant, at 1866 River Road, runs on turbines built in the 1950s and early ’60s, which currently run only for a few days in summer, Hall said. NRG’s intention is to keep it operating 182 days per year, he said.
Natural gas may be cleaner than coal, but “that’s not to say it’s clean enough,” Hall said Thursday. Generating one megawatt hour of power with natural gas has fewer emissions than producing that same amount with coal, Hall said.
“There is going to be an increase in particulate matter, which is very damaging to the lungs,” Hall said. Most of
“Repowering with new, more flexible technology will result in significantly lower emissions and reduced impact on the Connecticut River.”
NRG Communications Manager East Dave Schrader
these particles are very small and are easily inhaled, which causes lung damage, asthma and threatens respiratory health, Hall said.
The Common Council in September unanimously approved a resolution declaring a climate emergency. The goal is to end city-generated greenhouse gas emissions by or before Dec. 31, 2030.
“At the Middletown generating facility, NRG plans to replace two nearly 70year-old power generators with one lower emitting state-of-the-art fast start generator that is capable of being converted to operate on renewable hydrogen fuel in the future,” NRG Communications Manager East Dave Schrader said.
“Repowering with new, more flexible technology will result in significantly lower emissions and reduced impact on the Connecticut River, while supporting increased use of renewable energy resources like wind and solar in Connecticut,” Schrader said. “We’re not expanding the size of the facility, and the power generation capacity of the facility will be about the same while becoming much more efficient.”
Mayor Ben Florsheim, who has spoken with NRG, said the turbine project dates back a few years, “and is also in limbo right now for regulatory reasons.”
He met a couple of months ago with company officials to understand the issue, and said he was told the project was unlikely to get the approvals it needs to move ahead this year.
“I mentioned to them I had been starting to hear some questions and concerns about the emissions impact, understandably,” said Florsheim, who is looking forward to NRG giving a presentation to city officials in the coming months. “The case they have made is this is going to be a net benefit in terms of lowering emissions.”
Local concerns raised by The Jonah Center and others are “the permit for being able to run that turbine for longer than they’re currently doing. They’re not trying to increase the emissions coming out of that plant, but decrease them,” Florsheim said.
“The environment doesn’t get a vote in any of this — doesn’t even get a seat at the table. We are overpowered by all these large corporate interests, but there has to be someone who is standing up for the environment, and the creatures, and our basic global ecosystem,” Hall said during the meeting.
The mayor is anticipating a good conversation with NRG officials, he said. “They are willing to answer those questions, so I’m hopeful there can be an opportunity to make that happen in the near future,” Florsheim said.
Hall is asking supporters to share their opinions with state and local leaders by emailing governor.lamont@ct.gov, mayor@middletownct.gov or council@middletownct.gov.