In Burrillville, Raimondo offers little comfort to foes of power plant

BURRILLVILLE, R.I. — If opponents to the natural gas-burning power plant proposed in this quiet corner of Rhode Island were hoping that Governor Raimondo would use Monday’s community meeting to drop her backing of the controversial project, they were disappointed.

While Raimondo listened politely and showed sympathy for their concerns, she did not signal a reversal in her longstanding position that the $700-million facility put forward by Chicago-based Invenergy would create much-needed jobs in Rhode Island and help temper the state’s electric rates, which are among the highest in the nation.

Despite the large number of objectors in the standing-room-only crowd in the Burrillville High School auditorium, the governor entered to a standing ovation. She was joined on stage by the state energy commissioner, Carol Grant; the associate director of the state Department of Environmental Management, Terry Grant; and other officials.

In opening remarks, Raimondo said that the state must rapidly develop offshore wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy but she also said there is still a need for facilities like the one Invenergy intends to build.

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