Council to Meet on Plant Permit

By Melvin Mason, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

Jan. 2–OXFORD — The Connecticut Siting Council is expected to discuss and possibly decide this week if more time will be given for a construction permit for a possible power plant near the Waterbury-Oxford Airport.

The siting council will meet at 10 a.m. Thursday in New Britain to decide if conditions on the new permit have changed enough to deny extending the permit for Towantic Energy. Calpine Corp. first received a certificate of approval to build the $300 million plant at a 20-acre site at Towantic Hill and Prokop roads. After years of stalling and several permit extensions, Calpine filed for bankruptcy in December 2005. GE Financial Services resurrected the project by negotiating a sale of Towantic Energy, a Calpine subsidiary, with intentions of building the plant, should it acquire the company. Some residents want the permit dropped, fearing pollution and possible terrorist threats. Town officials support the plant, saying it could bring up to $2.5 million a year into town coffers.

—–

Copyright (c) 2007, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

OtherOTC:CPNLQ, NYSE:CPN,