There’s no way Competitive Power Ventures will satisfy everyone in Walpole with its proposal for a power plant at 33 Industrial Rd., but the announcement Tuesday night that CPV would eliminate on-site fuel storage showed the company is willing to work with residents to create a more palatable plan.
The original CPV plan called for the storage of 2 million gallons of oil to be used as a backup to the plant’s main source of fuel, natural gas. If the natural gas supply were shut off, for whatever reason, the plant would have to shut down, and would lose money. CPV must strongly prefer Walpole to other sites if it is willing to make this concession.
Power plant opponents said they were worried the oil would get into the town’s aquifer. It’s not their only complaint, though. They say the plant would use too much water and would pollute the air with dangerous emissions. Tuesday, CPV cut proposed water consumption down to 70,000 gallons per day (down from 125,000 gallons per day) and admitted it needed to do a better job explaining “the air issue.”
CPV does need to do a better job. The power plant is a business venture for the company and if it wants the approval of Walpole residents, it has to work hard to get it. However, Walpole residents and the town government should realize that the power plant could bring in a significant amount of money and it is worth, at least, considering.
A clean and safe natural gas burning power plant is scientifically conceivable. Whether or not this is one is up to CPV to prove, but it would be in the town’s best interest to listen before drawing conclusions.
Candlelight vigils, like the one held Tuesday night as CPV made its announcement, are premature.
