Kleen Energy Project: Construction in City Begins…
Former Middletown city councilman William Corvo’s pet project is finally going forward. Site work has started this week at the Kleen Energy Corp’s 620 mw powerplant site in the Maromas section of the city. Regulatory issues and disputes with the city administration have resulted in almost a decade long wait for approval for the project which will be the largest power facility built in New England in many years. The Hartford Courant reports today:
He (Corvo) has had some setbacks during the past nine years, but the planets kept lining up for him. From the city, he needed a tax break and a partnership to install wells, pumps and pipes to draw millions of gallons a day from the Connecticut River to cool the turbines.
He got both from the common council and the administration of former Mayor Domenique Thornton, then sweated it out as current Mayor Sebastian Giuliano questioned both of those agreements.
Giuliano reworked the water deal somewhat, but learned he could not do anything about the tax breaks.
“I think they gave a little too much on the taxes,” the mayor said this week, “but I think the city covered itself on the water side, and a fair agreement was made.”
Kleen Energy was recently acquired by Energy Investors Funds which owns 80% of the company. Corvo and his partner David Oneglia of O & G Industries of Torrington hold the remaining 20% between them and presumably will be active in the plants operation when it goes on line sometime in 2009 or 2010.
Corvo, 57, said Kleen Energy proved to be eminently marketable because of its 15-year agreement with Connecticut Light & Power, its location and its low-emission, “combined-cycle” design, which captures waste steam to make more electricity.
Hartford Courant photo of artist’s rendering of the facility.
Tags: Kleen Energy,william corvo,middletown ct,energy investors funds,sebastian giuliano,new power plants,david oneglia,o&g industries
