Company eyes Kings Park for power plant

A Maryland company is considering sites in an industrial section of Kings Park for a plant that would sell power to the Long Island Power Authority, officials of the firm said Thursday.

The search for a power-plant site is in the "conceptual stage" while company officials await a decision by LIPA on building a plant, said Steve Remillard, vice president of Competitive Power Ventures.

He said officials of the Silver Spring, Md., firm spoke to owners of several properties and Town of Smithtown officials last year but have not been in contact with them recently.

"We think it's in the very early stages because LIPA has not made any [decision] at this time," Remillard said. He said the plan is for a 400-megawatt, natural-gas-fired plant. It would need state and town approval.

A LIPA spokesman said Thursday Competitive Power Ventures has shown interest in building a plant. He declined further comment.

People with knowledge of the proposals previously have told Newsday that LIPA's list of projects could include new plants in Kings Park and Shoreham, and an expansion of Caithness Llc's Long Island Energy Center in Yaphank.

Though a decision on building a plant is at least several months away, residents of the Kings Park area are mounting opposition to the project.

Several people at a public hearing Wednesday night on an unrelated zoning proposal said they were opposed to a power plant. Hundreds of residents -- from both sides of the Smithtown and Huntington Town border -- packed the 2 1/2-hour hearing.

Smithtown Town planning director Frank DeRubeis said a power plant would not require a zoning change under town law.A plant could be sited under any town zoning classification, except for parcels designated for parkland, he said.Kings Park residents in 2003 fought a plan by Pennsylvania Power and Light to build a 300-megawatt plant. The company dropped its proposal.

Wednesday's hearing, held by the Smithtown Town planning board, was to consider a plan to allow heavy industry at 24 properties covering about 100 acres along Old Northport Road in Kings Park.

Almost two dozen residents said they opposed the proposal by property owner Toby Carlson. The land is zoned for light industry, service industries and homes.

"This is a slam dunk," said Martin Mullarkey, of Delmar Lane in Commack. "You should just turn this thing down and go home."