GEORGETOWN — The question the Sussex County Council gave itself more time to answer on July 31 was whether or not allowing US Wind to operate an electrical substation via intermediaries would be beneficial to Sussex County residents.
The 140-acre parcel, east of Millsboro, used to contain the Indian River Power Plant according to the county, and was recommended for approval by the county’s planning and zoning commission on June 26.
The planning and zoning commission, as it often does, set terms and conditions for the use, like final site plan approval, but found no basis in code to reject the application. As part of its process, it forwarded the issue on to the county, which held its own public hearing.
It was during this public hearing the question of tangible benefits to Sussex County residents surfaced, a requirement for conditional uses in the code.
James Fuqua, representing the applicant, said Sussex residents will benefit via reimbursement plans offered by US Wind to municipal governments, jobs and opportunities associated with construction, operations, maintenance and eventual decommissioning of components of the system and lower electric prices because of possible surplus generation.
“Well, (generated electricity) goes into the electric grid. So, it’s not identifiable energy in terms of where that energy is going,” Mr. Fuqua said. “The substation at this site will increase the electric grid reliability of the area, it will result in jobs being created for the development,” along with workforce training, dredging funding and other benefits, he said.
Council members didn’t agree those benefits were tangible enough, and those sentiments were echoed by several who spoke in opposition to the change.
Council Vice President John Rieley asked if there were contracts in place to guarantee Delaware’s benefit, to which the applicant responded the company was beholden to fulfill obligations to Maryland first.
Surplus energy, which the site is built to generate, would go to lower overall prices of electricity, the applicant contended. Mr. Rieley held it was possible for there to be no surplus generation, and therefore no benefit to Sussex County residents.
“Are there any contracts that say that power is going to Delaware,” Mr. Rieley asked.
“No,” Mr. Fuqua replied.
“It would be like putting a wastewater treatment plant in Sussex County to service Salisbury. The pipes are all servicing Salisbury and not Sussex County — OK, how does it benefit us? I don’t know if you’ve made that case yet,” Mr. Rieley continued.
After several more comments in opposition, Mr. Rieley made the motion to delay a decision to allow the council time to consider what it had learned during the hearing. It passed unanimously.
The Sussex County Council has not scheduled a meeting for Aug. 5, which would be the date of its next regular meeting. The earliest the board could make its public decision is Aug. 13.
Staff writer Brian Gilliland can be reached at 410-603-3737 or bg@iniusa.org.
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