First components for Revolution Wind farm arrive at New London’s State Pier

Sarah Gordon

New London ― The Rolldock Storm, a heavy-load carrier registered in the Netherlands, carried the first offshore wind components for the Revolution Wind project to State Pier on Wednesday.

The turbine sections were the first pieces of a 65-turbine project set to be staged and assembled in New London for an Ørsted and Eversource wind farm that will be built off the coast of Rhode Island.

The 704-megawatt project will be the first to deliver power to Connecticut. The state is expected to receive 300-megawatts of electricity from the project.

State Pier was previously used to assemble and ship components for South Fork Wind, a 12-turbine project that became the first utility-scale offshore wind project in the country and is now supplying renewable power to the Long Island grid.

Eversource's plan to put two transmission lines under Norwalk Harbor sparks concerns about docks

Katherine Lutge

NORWALK — Plans for Eversource to place transmission lines under Norwalk Harbor as part of the $1 billion project to replace the Walk train bridge are prompting concerns over the future of the city’s public docks.

Eversource plans to place two existing overhead transmission lines underground by microtunneling from the Norwalk Police Station, under the Norwalk River, to East Norwalk on Fort Point Street, according to the project’s webpage. However, the tunnel’s path crosses in front of Norwalk’s boat ramp off Veterans Memorial Park.

“Connecticut Department of Transportation is currently rebuilding the Walk Bridge that crosses the Norwalk River to ensure continued railroad operation along the vital Northeast rail corridor,” Eversource’s website says. “As part of this work, we must relocate and energize the two electric transmission lines that span the top of the bridge.”

The tunnel’s path through the river concerns the Norwalk Harbor Management Commission, which has petitioned the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to further investigate the project’s impacts on the harbor and the future of the public dock.

“I think Eversource should be held responsible for any additional work that would be required,” said John Pinto, a member of the Harbor Management Commission during its March 27 meeting. “If we had to replace or refurbish or redesign that dock in the future, having these two high-tension wires underneath our dock is going to set into motion an added expense.”

Microtunneling is a construction method in which a pit is dug to the desired depth, then sections of the tunnel are incrementally pushed into the earth horizontally while the machine at the tip of the tube breaks up and evacuates the soil.

Once complete, the tunnel will house 115kV transmission cables that power Norwalk.

After gaining the necessary 25 signatures, the Harbor Management Commission has temporarily delayed the microtunneling project until DEEP hosts a site visit and hearing. During the last Harbor Commission Meeting on April 24, Chair Alan Kibbe said the visit is tentatively scheduled for May 22 and the hearing tentatively for May 29.

Members of the Harbor Management Commission said the location of the electric cables will create a “Pandora’s box” of negative effects that could limit public access to the harbor. Completely replacing the dock would cost about $4 million, said Geoff Steadman during the meeting in April.

Whether DEEP will deem the project a hindrance to public access and against the costal management plan is unknown, but the commissioners remained skeptical.

“DEEP has recently announced their intent to approve Eversource’s proposed method to relocate their two transmission lines from the Walk Bridge structure to conduits beneath the Norwalk River without conducting a public hearing,” Commissioner Christopher White said on Facebook in asking for support for the petition.

“The Norwalk Harbor Management Commission believes it is important to have a public hearing on this proposal. Routing these transmission lines beneath the David Dunivan Marine Center and the Norwalk River will create long-term impediments to maritime-related use and development in South Norwalk,” he said. 

The Harbor Management Commission needs only 25 signatures to secure a public hearing, but the online petition was closed with 133 supporters.

“It’s clear that there’s no, in my opinion, there’s not going to be any critical discussion,” Steadman said. “Initially, when we talked with DEEP about it, they were interested in the effect on the visitors' dock because it’s a permitted public access facility, that’s supported or encouraged by the Coastal Management Act, so there was some discussion that DEEP might be able to protect the city’s interest.”

Meriden council rejects $25M in bonding for new senior center, health department

Mary Ellen Godin

MERIDEN — The City Council voted 8-4 to reject a proposal Monday to add $25 million to the city's capital improvement plan to fund a new senior center and health department.

The ultimate rejection of the proposed senior center and health department funding followed an hour-long debate over the city's debt load and whether the $25 million would increase or decrease the city's ability to secure grants to cover the price tag of the finished project.

The question divided both caucuses of the City Council.

Opposing the measure were Democrats Sonya Jelks, Chad Cardillo, Yvette Cortez and Joseph Scaramuzzo, along with Republicans Dan Brunet, Michael Zakrzewski and Michael Carabetta, and We the People's Bob Williams. 

Republican Ray Ouellet joined Democrats Michael Rohde, Larue Graham and Bruce Fontanella in supporting the amendment.

The proposal had the strong backing of unaffiliated Mayor Kevin Scarpati, who drew a comparison to the recently completed library renovation project which began with $10 million in bonding and ended with a $13 million project. The senior center project is estimated to cost $44 million to $48 million but councilors want to see lower-cost options.

"We have tried (to get grants) and we don't have a shovel-ready project," Scarpati said. "We have to move the project forward." 

Fontanella at one point asked if the city might want to consider bonding the estimated $5 million cost to design and prepare the project for bidding, rather than the full $25 million at this time. Finance Director Kevin McNabola said the bond counsel recommended putting in the full amount. The city would have until 2030 to pay off the debt. The debt cost would represent about .34 mills as a portion of the tax rate after construction.

"The worst thing you could do is to design the work and not move forward," McNabola said.

After a year-long feasibility study involving city officials, seniors and members of the public, the City Council is seeking to build a 35,000 square-foot-senior center, a 15,000-square-foot health department, an 8,000-square-foot gymnasium, an outdoor area and parking. Most wanted to see designs for a $25 million facility and a $48 million facility. If the city seeks additional funding for the upgraded building, it could go before the council for approval, as it did with the library. 

The city has received a $2 million state grant to demolish the vacant building at 116 Cook Ave. that is contingent upon rebuilding a structure that complies with its Plan of Conservation and Development. 

Jelks, the Democratic majority leader, told councilors that the $48 million project was ideal, but now some of the councilors may have "sticker shock" over the cost. 

She added the council seemed confused over what it wanted to accomplish. 

Scarpati fired back that the specifics have been made clear in multiple meetings and through public input.

"We need to build as big as possible," Scarpati said. "We spent a year studying this. The $25 million is a good starting point."

Scarpati, who has veto power over council decisions, said Tuesday he is reviewing both the city's approved 2025 budget and the capital improvement plan for potential vetoes.

The city has budgeted $15,538 million in debt service for 2025.