Richmond council approves two utility poles to allow solar project grid connection

The Richmond Town Council voted to approve a petition from utility interests to install two new utility poles on Shannock Hill Road that town staff said are needed to complete a solar project’s interconnection to the grid.

Council members reopened the item and voted after a motion to reconsider. During discussion, an unidentified council member said the two poles had not been included in earlier filings and were therefore not before the council at prior meetings. The member warned that if the town did not allow the poles, a developer could lose tax credits and the town could face potential exposure, though they did not quantify that risk.

George Watson, who identified himself as “George Watson, Hunter Robinson Cole, 1 Financial Plaza, Providence, Rhode Island,” told the council the utility is contractually obligated to make the interconnection once a developer signs an interconnection agreement. "Without these two poles, there'd be a delay in connecting the solar project to the grid," Watson said, explaining that the new poles would shift a short run of the distribution line to the opposite side of the street to accommodate the connection.

After the discussion, an unidentified council member moved to approve the petition (listed in the proceedings as petition WR number 3099142). The council voiced aye and the chair recorded the motion as approved.

What the approval means in practice is that the utility may install the two poles in the town right-of-way on Shannock Hill Road to permit the developer to complete its grid hookup. The council did not specify a construction schedule, and no engineering permits or construction dates were provided during the meeting.

The council then turned to other business, including a proposed executive session; that matter was debated separately and is recorded elsewhere in the minutes.