Limits on Coos Grid Dims Future of Laidlaw's Berlin Biomass Plant

Berlin residents have been engaged in a vigorous debate over a proposed large biomass energy plant for more than a year.

The New York firm Laidlaw Energy Group wants to build the facility in downtown Berlin using an existing boiler from the old pulp mill.

Berlin City Planner Pam LaFlamme says a small group in Berlin is very opposed to the plant.

“Not so much because it’s biomass, but because of it’s location. It’s location, for Laidlaw, has been a controversial aspect of their project all along.”

Opponents say the smell and unsightliness of the plant are reason enough to reject it.
They also say the land in downtown Berlin could be used for alternative development.

Laidlaw is doing its best to convince the community of the plant’s benefits, including more jobs and renewable energy.

But a physical limitation may put a stop to the plant’s construction regardless of public opinion.

The Coos County Loop is the primary high-voltage power line that serves the North Country.

It was originally designed to handle only the demands of the region.

But as interest in renewable energy has grown, more groups have begun to invest in green energy projects in Coos County.

“The problem is if you put on additional generators, be they wind or biomass, at some point we are at capacity for the line.”

That’s Representative Lyle Bulis of Littleton.

He says after the Loop meets that capacity, the efficiency drops off considerably.

Public Service of New Hampshire estimates that the Coos Loop, with a modest upgrade, can support only one-hundred megawatts beyond what it carries now.

A serious improvement to the transmission line would cost about one-hundred and fifty million dollars.

And none of the involved parties are particularly interested in paying that price.

The Noble wind farm, as proposed, would produce about ninety-nine megawatts of electricity.

Representative Bulis:

“So obviously if that were to come online it would preclude other projects.”

Other projects like Laidlaw’s biomass plant.

But Noble is making about nine million dollars worth of upgrades to the Coos Loop.

And that could add an estimated sixty megawatts to the power line’s excess capacity.

Lou Bravakis is the Vice President of Planning and Development for Laidlaw Energy Group.

“Based on our analysis, we’ve concluded that there is sufficient transmission capacity for our project as well as others.”

Laidlaw’s proposed plant in Berlin would require about fifty-eight megawatts of capacity.

And with the upgrades to the wires, that would fit.

But there’s a hitch.

Independent System Operator New England, also known as ISO, operates and plans the electricity transmission system.

ISO has a waiting list for evaluating new large projects going online.

Again, Lou Bravakis of Laidlaw.

“There are a number of projects in the ISO queue, ours being third in line behind a ninety-nine megawatt wind project and a thirty megawatt biomass project”

That second project is a smaller biomass plant proposed by the Concord-based firm Clean Power Development.

“We’re building a twenty-nine megawatt biomass combined heat and power project in Berlin. Its net output onto the grid will be about, uh, could be as much as twenty-six megawatts.”

Bill Gabler is the Project Manager for Clean Power Development.

He says between the wind farm and his plant, there’s no room for anyone else.

“Our two projects will use all of the existing capacity on the improved loop.”

…leaving no room for Laidlaw, which is third in line.

Berlin City Planner LaFlamme says that the capacity estimates vary, depending on who you ask.

“I’ve heard that there’s anywhere from seventy-five to one-hundred and twenty-five, maybe even one-hundred and fifty megawatts available on the Coos transmission loop.”

ISO New England is studying the transmission lines to get the best estimate of their capacity.

The first study is nearing completion and could be released as soon as July.

For NHPR News, I’m Phil Sletten.