As of June 8, 2020, at least one mechanics lien claim has been placed on the former English Station power plant in New Haven, Connecticut, totaling $5M in unpaid construction work upon demolishing a part of the plant, according to the lien affidavit.
To date, only one contractor has filed a lien against two limited liability property owners in Haven River Properties, LLC of Queens, New York, and Paramount View Millennium of Forest Hills, New York. The property stretches 9 acres and is valued at $30M. A mechanics lien is placed on properties to help force payment to contractors by preventing the property’s sale until the claim has been removed once the contractor has received payment.
Previous property owner, United Illuminating Co., began the demolition process back in 2015 after agreeing to a partial consent order handed down by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
United Illuminating Co. operated the plant for 63 years until it was shut down in 1992. The company has not owned the plant since 2000, but it agreed to a $30M cleanup deal with DEEP that allowed United Illuminating Co. to be acquired by Iberdrola, a Spanish energy powerhouse, in 2015.
The structure being demolished at the English Station Power plant is reportedly located along the northern portion of the plant.
Contractor Owed $5M at English Station Power Plant Project in New Haven, CT
One contractor, ACV Environmental Services, is allegedly owed a total of $5,129,857.88 for work taking place at the former English Station power plant, located at 275 Wolcott St, New Haven, CT.
According to two lien affidavits processed with the New Haven County clerk’s office on June 8, 2020, ACV Environmental Services placed liens against both limited liability property owners in Haven River Properties and Paramount View Millennium. Each claim is nearly identical, only listing the different property owners.
ACV Environmental Services’ lien claim states that they are still contributing to the demolition process as of June 2020.
3 Years Behind Schedule
According to the New Haven Register, the demolition project was three years behind schedule as of May 2020.
“[United Illuminating Co.] has not begun work in part, because they have not yet met the condition of getting site owner approval of their plans and in part because DEEP has not approved their contractor plans and specs because they do not match with the approved Remedial Action Plans,” explained Lori Saliby, a supervising environmental analyst with DEEP.
Saliby also added that there “is also an issue between UI and their contractor.”
Nevada-Based Energy Company Looks to Purchase Property
Phoenix Energy, a renewable energy supplier, is reportedly interested in purchasing the former English Station power plant as of July 2020 and looks to “return it to an electric generation station.”
However, the New Haven Register reported in July that Phoenix Energy has yet to reach out to Haven River Properties, Paramount View Millennium, or United Illuminating Co. to begin the process of purchasing the power plant.
According to the New Haven Register’s report, the Nevada-based energy company “wants to restart English Station so that it can sell electric energy into New York state’s power grid.”