Final Review of Turbine Replacement Plan Set for Thursday

The Portsmouth Town Council will meet Thursday, Nov. 6, for a final review of legal documents before entering a pact with North Kingstown’s Wind Energy Development to replace the broken turbine next to Portsmouth High School within two years.

The meeting, which could include a vote on payment options with WED, according to the agenda posted Monday, marks a major turning point for the turbine issue, which has been a blemish for the town ever since it stopped spinning in 2012 and resulting investigations showed it suffered from installation defects from the now-bankrupt and defunct installer.

The town voted unanimously last week to sign a letter of intent with WED and under the terms of the 25-year deal, the turbine will be replaced with a slightly-smaller and more reliable version. The town will buy electricity from WED, which will pay the town an annual lease fee and an initial lump sum to help the town eliminate the existing $1.62 million debt it owes on the defunct turbine.

Portsmouth voters approved a $3 million bond to build the turbine in 2007.

The School Committee is set to vote on Wednesday to give the plan its blessing since the district has agreed to buy power from WED along with the town. The contract with WED stipulates the town buy a minimum of 3.8 million kW/hr per year, which town officials said is impossible without school district participation.

The school department negotiated a promise from the town that the district would be compensated if rates fell below the 15.5 cent minimum.