Governor announces $700-Million power plant in Burrillville

Governor Gina Raimondo joins Invenergy Tuesday, announcing the plans for the Clear River Energy Center in Burrillville. It's a natural gas–fueled power generation facility, which Invenergy says will add more than 900 megawatts of clean electricity, while lowering the cost of energy and making it more predictable.

"if we could bring down the cost of energy, while doing cleaner sources that are better for the environment then that what we have to do," Says Governor Raimondo.

Invenergy CEO Michael Polsky says estimates show $290 million in energy cost savings for residents and businesses in Rhode Island between 2019 and 2022.

"the constructions of this plant, which would last somewhere around 30 months would create about 300 high paying jobs," says Polsky.
 

It was a much different story outside the press conference, where protestors rallied against the plant going up in their town. Their biggest concerns are their health and the noise it will cause.

"Natural gas, they say that it's clean. But it still burns and leaves carbon dioxide into the atmosphere," says protestor, David Wess.

Invenergy says this project is cleaner, more efficient, and more cost effective than any other option in the natural gas area. They say clean energy facilities are necessary to transition away from fossil fuels like coal and oil.