Even though Connecticut’s 2017 legislative session ended weeks ago, the battle over whether the Millstone Nuclear Power Station should be allowed to compete in a state renewable energy procurement program rages on.
The latest skirmish occurred Monday with Stop The Millstone Payout, a coalition of consumer advocacy and environmental groups as well as rival power plant operators, releasing a letter they claim shows that the Waterford-based nuclear plant can’t shut down before May 2021. But Dominion Energy and a spokeswoman for ISO-New England have a different interpretation of what the letter means.
The June 23 letter from Vamsi Chadalavada, chief operating officer for regional electric grid operator ISO-New England, to Thomas Wohlfarth, Dominion Energy’s senior vice president for regulatory affairs, says in part that Millstone is obligated to supply power for the regional grid through May 31, 2021. Chadalavada’s letter to Wohlfarth was in response to a letter sent by the Dominion Energy executive to ISO-NE saying the company is doing a “strategic assessment” of Millstone’s ability to continue operating.Matt Fossen, a spokesman for the Stop The Millstone Payout, said the letter makes it clear that Dominion Energy has no intention of shutting down the nuclear plant before May 2021. “Even if it did fall on hard times, Millstone would be able to seek financial relief through the existing process as managed by the ISO-New England, instead of demanding a special legislative payout from Connecticut ratepayers based on unsupported threats of closure” Fossen said in a statement.
Dominion Energy has never said specifically that it intends to shut down Millstone and Ken Holt, a spokesman for the company called Fossen’s interpretation of Chadalavada’s letter “a very narrow reading of what was written.”“Yes, we have an obligation to operate until that date in 2021, but as letter makes clear, we also have the ability to transfer that obligation,” Holt said. “The letter also says that ISO-New England has said it does not have the authority to prevent a resource from being retired.” Ellen Foley, a spokeswoman for the Holyoke, Massachusetts-base regional grid operator, said the way ISO-NE’s operations are structured, “Dominion, or any resource owner, can trade out of its obligations to provide capacity for the relevant commitment periods.” ‘(It can be done) either in reconfiguration auctions or directly with another company through a bilateral agreement that can cover the obligation.” If Dominion were to pursue either option, Foley said “it would trigger an ISO New England reliability review to ensure such an arrangement does not result in the violation of any reliability standards.” CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Haven’s Ralph Walker Skating Rink to undergo renovation
NEW HAVEN >> The Ralph Walker Skating Rink is on its way to an extended life.
The popular rink, located off State Street and on the southern end of Blake Field — a 10-acre city park in the East Rock neighborhood — will undergo repairs to expand it and improve the parking conditions. City Engineer Giovanni Zinn said they have already awarded a contract to do some reinforced steel work at the facility as part of the estimated $2.5 million project that is being covered with city funds. The structural drawings have been completed and plans are underway for demolition of a portion of the existing facility and a paint job for all the interior steel. The project will extend the structure to allow for a regulation-size rink. Zinn said they will likely put out seven bid packages to cover all the work, which includes a pile-supported foundation, glazing, a new roof, a 200-foot by 85-foot ice surface, as well as replacement of the rink’s mechanical equipment, grading and paving of the parking area and construction of a stormwater bio-retention area. ZInn said the ice floor and the mechanical equipment are responsible for about half the project’s cost. The complicated undertaking is expected to take through the end of spring 2018.
The engineer said they were aiming to open by next winter, but they ran into an issue with a moisture barrier under the existing ice floor that has PCBs and asbestos in it. He said it represents a little extra cost, but many they view it as a “hiccup” that is taking several months to rectify, rather than the two weeks they had anticipated.As for parking, there will be 97 spaces with a two-way driveway off State Street. Skaters were disappointed that New Haven found it necessary to shut it down this past winter. A new floor and compressors, which create the temperature to keep the surface frozen, have been in need of repairs for a long time as they were part of the original equipment when the rink was built in 1958. The bathroom was also out of order. A petition that surfaced on the issue, reflected the multiple users, from CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
U.S. Roadway Traffic Continues Rising to New Record Highs, Adding Pressure on Infrastructure
Motor vehicle traffic on U.S. roads increased 1.5 percent in year-over-year comparisons or by an additional 15.2 billion miles driven in the first four months of 2017. That's following a record year for traffic volume in 2016, the Federal Highway Administration reported.
Previously, the FHWA had reported that vehicle miles driven increased 2.8 percent in all of 2016 to more than 3.2 trillion miles. While the rate of increase so far this year has slowed, the growth means more cars and trucks are vying for space on rural and urban roads than a year ago, increasing the wear and tear on pavement and other infrastructure.
The FHWA published the new data in its latest monthly "Travel Volume Trends" report, which covers preliminary traffic information through April.
It said motorists logged 271.7 billion vehicle miles on U.S. roads in April, up 1.2 percent or 3.3 billion miles from the same month in 2016.
The data showing heavier roadway traffic levels comes as the transportation industry awaits details on the infrastructure investment plan President Trump has promised.
He has said he wants to leverage $200 billion in federal funding over 10 years into a total of $1 trillion invested in various types of public and private infrastructure projects. However, it is not clear how much of the funding would go to transportation projects, or how the administration wants to pay for it.
On June 22 Vice President Pence reiterated the underlying commitment, telling the Associated Builders and Contractors that "this president and our administration will not rest or relent until America has the best roads, the best bridges, the best airports and the best infrastructure in the world once again. So get ready to get busy."State departments of transportation and other industry groups are also waiting for the USDOT to issue $850 million in 2017 Fastlane grants for highway freight corridors and other significant projects, and $500 million in TIGER grants that can be used for an array of transportation projects. It has not yet taken applications for the TIGER grants.
If the USDOT pushes out Fastlane grant funds soon, state agencies can start some projects that await funding during the current construction.
Meanwhile, more state governments are taking action to boost their own project funding, including legislation passed this month in West Virginia to increase motor fuel taxes, vehicles sales taxes and registration fees to increase revenue that can support new projects. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Proposed Tax Abatement For East Hartford Retail Project On Hold
A public hearing scheduled for Tuesday on proposed tax breaks for the planned Rentschler Field retail development has been postponed, town officials said Monday.
"Outstanding issues" between United Technologies Corp. and the developer, The Horizon Group, "will prevent this abatement from moving forward tomorrow evening," Mayor Marcia Leclerc said.
The town council was to hear comments and possibly vote on the proposal benefiting The Outlet Shoppes at Rentschler Field. Currently scheduled for completion next year, the shopping center is to be the first retail development on the 650-acre Rentschler Field since Cabela's, the outdoor sports and lifestyle store, opened in 2007. Horizon was to lease about 50 acres for the project from Pratt & Whitney, part of UTC.
Representatives of the company and developer could not be reached for comment. Leclerc said town officials have not been part of negotiations. The development is to provide work for many construction trades and about 1,000 full- and part-time jobs at the stores and restaurants."I remain hopeful that these two parties will find a path forward for the benefit of our community and our residents," the mayor said.The $100 million initial phase of the project is to include at least 290,000 square feet of retail space. UTC had set expectations, or milestones, for Horizon to meet, town council Chairman Rich Kehoe said, but he did not know what the sticking points might be. Nevertheless, Kehoe said, "I expect in some way, shape or form there will be development on that site."
The mayor wrote in a recent memo to Kehoe that the developer "has represented that the project is not viable without additional tax relief and other benefits." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Eastern Portion Of Hebron Avenue In Glastonbury To Close For Roundabout Construction
With one spoke of the roundabout nearly completed, workers will now focus on the eastern portion of Hebron Avenue beginning next week.
The work will lead to the closure of Hebron Avenue from the junction of the roundabout at New London Turnpike to Concord Street possibly by as early as Wednesday. The section of road will be closed for about four weeks. Work is wrapping up along the first spoke of New London Turnpike from Welles Street to Hebron Avenue. Sidewalks, a brick paver crosswalk and paving were finished last week.
A signed detour will be in place for Hebron Avenue traffic as motorists will utilize Sycamore Street — directly across from the Route 2 east offramp to New London Turnpike. All businesses within the Hebron Avenue area will remain open during construction along with vehicular access. Town Manager Richard J. Johnson said he has received good feedback on the roundabout so far.
"There are always conversations going on between the town and contractor. It's a tough location. I've heard nothing but positive comments. We are pretty much on schedule," he said.
Town officials note motorists are still getting used to the roundabout's "yield-at-entry" rule — approaching vehicles must wait for a gap in the circulating traffic flow before entering the circle. Once in the circle, motorists must keep moving at all times. Town councilman Kurt P. Cavanaugh said he's been told by residents that tractor trailers have had no issues going through.
"Some people said, 'I was a little nervous about it. But now that I have seen it in action ...' They think it is a good thing and they think it's going to work out well." CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUEQuarry And Company Tied To Crumbling Concrete Foundations Agree To Stay Idle
The quarry and concrete providers believed by the state to have poured hundreds of failing concrete foundations have agreed not sell or produce concrete for another year.
In May 2016, the Becker Construction Company and the Joseph J. Mottes Company voluntarily reached an agreement with the state to not sell or produce product containing aggregate from Becker's Quarry in Willington. The agreement would have expired on June 30, but is now extended for another year.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has said as many as 34,130 homes are at risk for failing foundations. Over 500 homeowners in 23 towns have filed complaints with the state Department of Consumer Protection stating that their concrete foundations are failing.
According to a state report in early January, a mineral known as pyrrhotite was present in the concrete aggregate used for the foundations that are now crumbling, and was partly to blame, as was the amount of water used in installation. Insurance companies have denied homeowners' claims, saying the problem does not qualify for coverage under their definition of collapse, leaving homeowners to bear the burden of a costly foundation replacement. The cost to replace a foundation can be as much as $200,000.The agreement was signed earlier this month and states that the Joseph J. Mottes Company, which the state said has been closed, cannot sell its product until June 30, 2018.
"In the event that Mottes recommences operations it agrees not to sell any material or product containing aggregate from Becker's Quarry for use in residential concrete foundations within the State of Connecticut and Becker agrees to not sell any material or product containing aggregate from Becker's Quarry for use in residential concrete foundation within the state," the agreement reads. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE