Local Legislators
Join Governor Rell At Event Celebrating Installation
Senator Rob Kane (R-32) and Representative Sean Williams
(R-68) recently joined Governor M. Jodi Rell at a Watertown
event celebrating the installation of a new solar panel
system at the local Crystal Rock Bottling Plant.
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, which is administered
by the quasi-public Connecticut Innovations and funded
by electric ratepayers, contributed a $1.3 million grant
toward the cost of the $2.2 million project. It is expected
that the 300kW photovoltaic array will supply more than
a quarter of the company’s power needs and sell
excess power to the state’s power grid during
peak demand periods.
The two legislators agreed with Governor Rell’s
assessment that the installation of the system that
includes more than 1,600 solar panels will benefit not
only the Watertown-based company, but also the environment
and energy ratepayers across the state. They also said
that state government support for projects that benefit
both business and the environment are important to ongoing
efforts to promote a strong economy.
“Crystal Rock has been a vital presence in Watertown
for a long time now, and I am delighted that the Connecticut
Clean Energy Fund invests in innovative, environmentally
responsible projects like this one that benefit both
the private sector and Connecticut as a whole. We will
always need to produce energy and I believe that all
of us, businesses and individuals, understand the value
of making sure that our efforts to light our homes and
run our businesses does not also harm our environment.
I want to congratulate Crystal Rock for its initiative,
and thank Governor Rell for supporting this important
project,” said Senator Kane.
“Crystal Rock is to be congratulated for its
efforts to become less reliant on traditional sources
of energy – and help ratepayers across the state
do the same thing. Projects like this show that businesses
can and, when possible, will find ways to use alternative
sources of energy. It makes sense for government to
encourage businesses to invest in environmentally friendly
energy producing projects, and I, too, want to thank
Governor Rell for her support. The true beneficiaries
of projects like are the citizens of Connecticut,”
said Representative Williams.
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