Gov. Chafee Announces $200,000 Grant for Solar Farm Project in Riverside

Gov. Lincoln Chafee and other state officials were in East Providence Tuesday to announce a $200,000 grant that will help fund pre-development costs for what is anticipated to one day be one of the largest solar projects in New England. 

 “I am pleased to announce that the RIEDC will be aiding the City of East Providence in the development of this promising project,” Governor Chafee said in a news release. “The green energy industry is a growing and exciting sector of the economy, and Rhode Island has the potential to become a national leader in this field. If we can leverage our existing assets and maintain collaboration between government and the business and environmental communities, green energy will be a source of tremendous job creation and economic growth for our state.”

The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation awarded East Providence a $200,310 grant for the project, which the city will eventually pay back on an agreed-upon schedule.

"This was absolutely essential to moving the project forward," East Providence planning director Jeanne Boyle said. 

The city property known as the former Forbes Street landfill is a brownfield site that has not been active since 1980. 

The $50 million project is a proposed 10 to 15 megawatt solar farm. It is anticipated to provide energy to Riverside Middle School and the city's wastewater system, among others.

East Providence is working with CME Energy LLC on the project. Boyle said the grant money will be used to pay for engineering and site analysis, as well as analysis of drainage. 

Some residents have raised concerns about how the project could affect the water table. 

Boyle said some of the predevelopment money will be used to study that issue to mitigate residents' concerns.