NEW BRITAIN – United Illuminating called the Connecticut Siting Council’s decision not to take up the power utility’s petition to reconsider its denial of the controversial monopole project in Fairfield and Bridgeport “a botched discussion…that is symptomatic of the dysfunction in this process since September.”
UI, an Avangrid subsidiary, made the statement following the Nov. 13 CSC Energy and Technology Committee where Commissioner Brian Golembiewski attempted to make a motion for the council to place Docket 516R (the application by UI for a certificate for the Congress Railroad Transmission Line rebuild) back on the docket.
“Thursday’s botched discussion of the Fairfield to Congress project at the close of the Connecticut Siting Council’s meeting was symptomatic of the same dysfunction in this process since September, when politicians intervened and began calling for delay after delay, and in October, when the Council denied the project out of hand without offering any rationale,” said Sarah Wall Fliotos, a UI spokesperson.
The CSC denied the application on Oct. 16 after several straw votes where the council flip-flopped over a one-year time period.
The council’s discussion led to a confusing dialogue between Vice Chair John Morissette, Golembiewski and Council attorney and Executive Director Melanie Bachman and Commissioner Khristine Hall, who originally seconded Golembiewski’s motion.
After Golembiewski made a motion to add to the agenda discussion of the council’s reconsideration of the decision not to grant UI the certificate of environmental compatibility and public need to go ahead with the 115kV rebuild project on the Congress Street line between Fairfield and Bridgeport, the dialogue went like this:
Morissette: “We have a motion by Mr. Golembiewski to add reconsideration of 516R to the agenda. We have a second by Ms. (April) Hall.
Bachman: “When you add something to the agenda, Vice Chair Morissette, you certainly go to the vote before the whole council to see if they want to add it to the agenda. If that is granted, if another motion is made, then a discussion can ensue.”
Golembiewski: “I want to make it clear that this is not just a motion to add it to the agenda. This is a motion to bring the 516R, the docket, back on the agenda for our own discussions. So, I’m not sure what the council can get us as a vehicle to align our opinion with our vote.”
Bachman: “I’m sorry, Vice Chair Morisette, we have a pending petition for a reconsideration in Docket 516R. If we’re going to add it to the agenda, it’s incumbent upon us to take it up. There is a 25-day deadline. So, we can’t just resurrect 516R by adding it to the agenda.”
Golembiewski: “I guess you’re saying the council can’t add our council reconsideration of our decision?”
Bachman: “For the council to add docket 516R to the agenda it necessarily includes taking up a petition that is pending under that docket.”
Golembiewski: “Can we correct any deficiency that we see in our decision in 40 days?”
Bachman: “Yes, we can. If we take up the petition, and we deny it or grant it, that’s taking it up. If we don’t take it up within 25 days, it is instructively deemed denied.”
Golembiewski: “I want the avenue where the council can reconsider within the 40 days of the decision but not bring forth the UI reconsideration petition.”
Hall: “I’m pretty confused. I saw the petition for 516R come in. With that understanding, I will withdraw my second.
United Illuminating had filed the petition shortly after the Oct. 16 decision as it continued its fight to build monopoles along the Congress Street railroad transmission line.
“Because of the Siting Council’s failure to explain their decision, UI has no clear path forward for rebuilding aged transmission infrastructure in Fairfield and Bridgeport, which the Siting Council itself acknowledges creates a clear reliability and safety threat to the state and region,” Wall Fliotos said.
“This benefits no one: not UI’s customers in Fairfield and Bridgeport, not the state or New England as a whole, and certainly not Connecticut policymakers. We encourage the Council to finally do the right thing and convene a special meeting to reopen the project docket so that UI can develop a proposal for moving this essential project forward.”
