Calpine Corp. has joined the growing list of Westbrook businesses oncerned about Pike Industries’ proposal to expand its operations in the Five-Star Industrial Park off Eisenhower Drive. Our power plant, the Westbrook Energy Center, is literally right in the middle of the controversy, located between Pike and our many other neighbors that have formed a coalition to oppose Pike’s expansion.
Our specific concerns are related to issues such as increased blasting, dust and other air emissions related to gravel crushing and asphalt production, and how that might impact the sensitive equipment at our plant. Even more importantly, we are very concerned about the impact that Pike’s proposal will have on this corner of the community. In our view, it is simply not compatible with existing land uses in the area.
When we built our plant in the late 1990s, we worked closely with the city to ensure that our project would be a good fit. It seems that Pike, however, has failed to recognize how this corner of Westbrook has evolved into a high-tech business center that hosts a number of world-class corporations. It is a very different neighborhood than when Blue Rock first opened the quarry.
We were particularly struck by Pike’s public comments that corporations could “locate anywhere,” while Pike says it needs to expand here because of a particular quality of rock. Is that rock so valuable that Westbrook should allow Pike to expand at the expense of forcing existing businesses to relocate? We don’t think so. And then Pike announced they will change their plans to avoid an expansion of the quarry. It seems that rock isn’t so important after all.
We don’t think Pike has done a very good job of convincing the community that it will be a good corporate citizen. Pike’s antagonistic approach and ever-changing story make us skeptical about their assurances. As an existing business, who is not only a large local taxpayer, but who prides itself on being actively involved our local community, we urge city planners to listen to the concerns of the westbrookworks.org coalition and to proceed with extreme caution in this increasingly controversial debate.
John Flumerfelt
director of government and regulatory affairs
Calpine Corp. – Westbrook Energy Center
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