Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2010
May 13, 2010

By Donald Eng

Three months of suspense surrounding a fuel cell project in Nichols ended last week. There will be no fuel cell generator in Nichols.

On Friday, Trumbull's three-man legislative delegation, along with R. Daniel Brdar, FuelCell Energy CEO; and Keith Klain, neighborhood representative, issued a joint statement:

FuelCell would pursue an alternative location in exchange for legislative considerations and support from the state Department of Utility Control, the state Department of Economic and Community Development, the Clean Energy Fund and Gov. M. Jodi Rell.

In addition, the state issued statements recognizing fuel cell technology as an important component in future energy generation and labeling such facilities as "clean and safe alternatives."

Brdar said he was pleased at the state's commitment to fuel cell technology.

"We've worked hard with the Trumbull delegation and other members of the Legislature to identify a plan supportive of Connecticut's fuel cell industry and the desires of the Trumbull community," he said. "Based upon their efforts to enact enabling legislation along with Governor Rell's stated support for a project at an alternate site, we will relocate the proposed Huntington Turnpike project."

FuelCell officials had expressed frustration that the project met the state's Connecticut Project 150 alternative energy guidelines, passed in 2003. The company began the application process of placing the generator at the Southern Connecticut Gas Co. station on Huntington Turnpike in 2006.

Brdar said under the agreement, FuelCell would not have to begin the process anew at an alternate site.

Klain said the deal met the residents' goal of avoiding power generating equipment in a residential neighborhood.

"The residents of Trumbull are pleased that FuelCell Energy, members of the Trumbull legislative delegation and our community organization have found a mutually agreeable solution that will relocate the power plant out of a residential neighborhood," he said. "We will continue to work with our state representatives to ensure passage of legislation that brings greater transparency to the process and puts public safety in the forefront when siting power plants of this nature."

State Sen. Anthony Musto, D-22nd District, said FuelCell had demonstrated the kind of corporate responsibility the state needed.

"In this difficult economic environment, especially in the manufacturing sector, we're happy to have a company like FuelCell Energy show they respect the residents in this state and value people," he said. "I wholeheartedly support the agreement, and I'll do whatever I can to support them and the industry in the future."

Trumbull's state representatives, T.R. Rowe, R-123rd, and Tony Hwang, R-134th, called the deal a triumph of cooperation between state and private industry.

"This landmark agreement reflected a total team effort where legislators, Trumbull residents and FuelCell Energy showed cooperation, mutual understanding and a lot of hard work can lead to a positive solution for all parties involved," he said.

Rowe called the solution a "win-win" for the company and the neighborhood residents.

"Ultimately, fuel cell technology is good for Connecticut, and FuelCell Energy acted as a good and responsible corporate citizen in listening to the community's concerns," he said.

On Monday, the accolades continued as all three legislators joined First Selectman Tim Herbst, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th, and neighborhood representatives at the proposed site.

Himes praised the company for recognizing that, though fuel cell technology is an important component in meeting future energy needs, "their technology doesn't belong in people's backyards."

Herbst thanked the town's legislators and residents for their work.

"As a town, we came together and worked as Team Trumbull," he said. "We checked our party affiliations at the door, and we focused on doing what was right for our town. We worked constructively with FuelCell Energy, and we sought a solution that worked for everyone."

He also thanked the company and Brdar for their willingness to cooperate.

"Your pro-active efforts addressed Trumbull's concerns while identifying a plan that is supportive of Connecticut's fuel cell industry," he said. "You have acted as a good corporate citizen and shown respect for our residents."

Unspecified in the agreement is where exactly the generator proposed for Trumbull would ultimately go. Currently the company has received approval to place generators in Milford, Bloomfield and Glastonbury. Bridgeport and Danbury are also nearing the end of their own approval processes.

Rowe said six other gas pipeline letdown stations in the state could serve as alternate sites, though the company was not limited to such locations. The company has installed fuel cell generators in hospitals and colleges and is currently installing one to provide power to Weston High School and Weston Middle School.