The Middletown Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to oppose a proposed moratorium on new natural gas connections on Aquidneck Island, with officials calling the measure unfair and potentially devastating to residents and businesses, according to a civic alert from the Town of Middletown.
The 6-0 vote makes Middletown the second Aquidneck Island community to reject the proposal floated by the state’s Energy Facility Siting Board this summer. Portsmouth’s Town Council voted 4-3 on September 22 to oppose the moratorium, while Newport City Council decided to hold off on expressing support or opposition, instead continuing the matter until it can hold a joint workshop with the city’s Energy and Environment Commission.
“It makes no sense they’re not asking anybody further up the pipe to stop the connections,” Council President Paul M. Rodrigues said during the meeting at Town Hall. “Just us.”
Council Vice President Thomas Welch III echoed that frustration, calling the moratorium the lowest cost alternative to allow Rhode Island Energy to keep operating as is. “It’s completely unfair,” he said.
The Energy Facility Siting Board proposed halting all new tie-ins to the existing natural gas system to reduce stress and demand on the island’s aging infrastructure, particularly during peak winter months. The proposal stems from ongoing concerns about a liquefied natural gas facility on Old Mill Lane in Portsmouth that can be called into service during high-demand periods, potentially creating health, safety and quality of life issues for nearby residents.
The issue gained urgency following a crisis in January 2019, when more than 7,000 customers across Aquidneck Island lost natural gas service during an extreme cold snap. The outage was attributed to a combination of high demand, a failed LNG facility and a faulty valve on an interstate pipeline.
Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown told the council that while there is a need to transition away from fossil fuels, the immediate cost to residents and businesses would be prohibitive. Converting homes and businesses from natural gas to alternative heating sources would cost more than $50,000 per property based on current estimates, he said.
Brown pointed to recent news that Enbridge, the gas pipeline owner, announced plans for a $300 million expansion in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that could help customers on Aquidneck Island access natural gas during peak periods. He also noted that implementing a moratorium would undermine Middletown’s efforts to remain an affordable community.
Several council members voiced strong opposition to what they viewed as an unfair burden being placed on island communities.
“I definitely think we need to protect the residents and give them options because the cost of everything is going up,” Councilor Charlie Roberts said.
Councilor Chris Logan blamed Rhode Island Energy for failing to adequately invest in infrastructure while continuing to raise rates. “This is stemming from their lack of investment in their infrastructure,” he said. “So, we’re going to get punished as a community because they didn’t invest, but they still jack up the rates? No, absolutely not. Not on my watch. Fix it.”
Brown said the final decision rests with the Energy Facility Siting Board, though it remains unclear when the board will issue its findings.
