PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (WPRI) — State regulators on Thursday approved an extension for a natural gas facility that was set up five years ago in response to a massive outage on Aquidneck Island, much to the chagrin of many who call the island home.
Five years ago, the liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility was installed in a residential area of Portsmouth as a temporary backup for Aquidneck Island’s gas delivery system after the outage left families and businesses without heat and hot water for a week.
BACKGROUND: Portable gas facility set up in Portsmouth ahead of cold snap However, some Old Mill Lane residents told 12 News that the facility has caused ongoing disruptions since it began operations in January 2019.
“You get woken up at 4:30 in the morning because they have to start their equipment, and it goes to 93 decibels,” resident Stephen McDonald said. “The company lies and says it’s never that loud.”
McDonald has advocated against the project for years, but said he and many others have been ignored.
“This is a non-conforming use in old agricultural land. They don’t want their neighborhood to become an industrial zone,” resident Liz Drayton said.
“They said it wasn’t going to affect the water, or the land, or the animals. That it was going to be okay,” resident Lawrence Silvia said. “Except Portsmouth said no.”
In a statement, the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) said its recommendations were included in the final approval.
“The Energy Facility Siting Board made the best decision in a difficult situation,” CLF staff attorney James Crowley said. “Families and businesses on Aquidneck Island shouldn’t be left in the cold again.”
The CLF has argued that Rhode Island Energy should take steps to decrease gas demand on the island, which its members believe would eliminate the need for the facility and reduce the risk of future service disruptions.
REPORT: Aquidneck Island gas outage caused by rapid rise in demand, faulty valve Under the current agreement, the facility will remain in place for at least the next five years.
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