Power plant’s loss is a gain for the state

Arecent move on the federal level that could put an end to a planned Connecticut power plant is good news for the state, even as it goes against some principles our leaders held in the recent past.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to the CT Mirror, has agreed to keep the proposed natural gas-fired power plant in Killingly out of its future plans. This comes via request from the regional electric grid operator, ISO-New England, and is the latest chapter in the long-running plans for, and opposition to, a form of power generation that has come under increasing scrutiny.

Like some of its neighbors, Connecticut is generally headed in the right direction as regards to climate change, and has enacted policies that aim to limit emissions while preparing resilience plans for coastal communities that are likely to be the hardest hit by rising global temperatures. At the same time, the state also continues to follow policies that exacerbate the problem, whether by encouraging suburban sprawl or, as it had up until recently, by continuing to build power plants that rely on fossil fuels.

A power plant in Oxford that opened a few years ago can generate up to 800 megawatts of electricity, but it does so by burning natural gas. Another recent addition to the state’s array of power generators is in Bridgeport, which is smaller but also gas powered, and likewise works against the state’s long-term goals of limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The Killingly proposal has drawn protests from around the state, with opponents saying the project is outdated and unnecessary.

Power, of course, has to come from somewhere, and much as wind and solar have come down in price and come a long way in filling the state’s needs, they are not ready to close all the gaps of our fossil fuel infrastructure. The demands are too high.

At the same time, the state for years pushed a natural gas agenda that focused on its “clean” aspects, at least as compared to coal and oil. But those benefits can be overstated: When taking into account how it is taken from the ground and what happens in transit, many experts believe natural gas is every bit as damaging to the environment as any other fossil fuel.

And infrastructure we build now will last for generations. The decisions we make on what to build now will still be affecting the state many years down the road, so we need to do what we can to get it right.

Without a commitment from ISO- New England to use the 650 megawatts the Killingly plant would have supplied, the project becomes that much less viable economically. According to a state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection statement, “This closes the chapter on the project and it is now time to focus on market changes that will support a clean and reliable grid of the future.”

That’s good news for Connecticut, but there’s much more work to be done. A future with reduced emissions won’t be easy to achieve, and power plants are only part of the issue. Still, this is an important milestone on the road to a better future.

The decisions we make on what to build now will still be affecting the state many years down the road, so we need to do what we can to get it right.