ISO-NE REQUESTS TERMINATION OF KILLINGLY CONTRACT

Hartford, CT -- Yesterday, ISO-NE sent a letter to FERC requesting to terminate its contract with NTE Connecticut, LLC the developer of the proposed 650 megawatt fossil fuel power plant in Killingly, citing the developer’s inability to deliver capacity within the tariff’s mandatory deadline. ISO-NE requested approval from FERC within 60 days. 

Soon after the Connecticut Siting Council first approved the Killingly power plant proposal in June 2019, a public outcry about the climate impacts of the plant began. Organizations and individuals from around the state have since fiercely advocated for the plant to be rejected. Concerned citizens have demonstrated at rallies in Killingly, the Governor’s residence in Hartford, in front of the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and at the State Capitol, dozens of op-eds and letters to the editor have appeared in local papers, thousands of messages have been sent to Governor Lamont, and a lawsuit was filed by Not Another Power Plant challenging the Siting Council decision.

The news of ISO-NE’s request to reject the plant was welcomed by opponents of the plant.

“People from all over Connecticut have recognized that dirty power generation conflicts with the future we all want and need to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Sierra Club is very hopeful that FERC will accept ISO-NE’s request for termination of the capacity contract for the fracked gas power plant proposed for Killingly, and that Connecticut can focus on a clean and climate-friendly future. This is a major step in the right direction for clean air and a liveable planet,” said Samantha Dynowski, State Director of Sierra Club Connecticut. 

Earl McWilliams, a Killingly resident and member of No More Dirty Power in Killingly, said, “As in Rhode Island, in Connecticut we found that delaying them, defeated them. Early local opposition was key in both states.”

“The Killingly Energy Center is a bad idea for eastern Connecticut. It would increase the pollution in Killingly, a town with high asthma rates that already houses a fracked gas power plant. Its construction would make it impossible to meet Connecticut’s goals to address the climate crisis. The energy from this plant wouldn’t even be used in our state. For these reasons, people have been fighting construction of the power plant since it was first approved. Even though we were repeatedly told it was a “done deal,” we fought on. With this news we are hopeful that it is the beginning of the end of the Killingly Energy Center and we can all focus on meeting our climate goals through energy efficiency programs and the development of renewable resources,” said Kate Donnelly, member of No More Dirty Power in Killingly.

“NAPP has been opposed to the power plant construction since 2016. We are happy with this decision by the ISO,” said Lois Latraverse, member of Not Another Power Plant.

Windham-Willimantic NAACP branch President Leah Ralls issued the following statement: "Our branch membership took a position against construction of the Killingly gas power plant with a resolution that passed by unanimous vote in April, 2021. Environmental racism and economic injustice can be defeated when we stand together and work toward development and construction of clean, renewable energy sources. Today's news of ISO New England's termination filing for KEC brings us closer to that outcome."

Willimantic B'nai Israel Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz, whose synagogue presented an outdoor event, "Stop The Plant; Save The Planet," in September that drew over 100 northeast Connecticut residents to Putnam, responded to the filing: "I'm grateful that our state and planet will be spared the harm and insult of this plant and for the work of so many people that helped to get to this point. Now there remains a lot of work to save ourselves and the planet from climate disaster."