Projo Biz Blog

PROVIDENCE -- Lawmakers in the state Senate want to force the state's largest power company to invest in renewable energy projects, such as wind turbines.

Senate President Joseph Montalbano said today that legislation they are proposing would primarily affect National Grid, the largest electricity distributor in Rhode Island. The company says it supports the plan.

Montalbano says renewable energy developers need a large, stable customer such as National Grid before they get serious about building wind turbines and other projects in Rhode Island.

The bill would force National Grid to sign 10-year contracts with renewable energy developers. By 2013, the company would have to sign contracts that would ensure 5 percent of the state's electricity needs came from renewable sources.

-- The Associated Press

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