Groundbreaking for Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell Power Station

A previous FuelCell Energy installation, a 10.4 MW fuel cell power plant in South Korea (courtesy FuelCell Energy).(Via fuelcelltoday.com) Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and other dignitaries will join executives from Dominion of Richmond, Va., and FuelCell Energy Inc., of Danbury, Conn., to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell power station in downtown Bridgeport. It will be the largest fuel cell power station in North America.

The event will take place on Friday, May 3, 2013, 11 am EDT at 1366 Railroad Ave. Bridgeport, Conn. (visitors will be directed where to park).

Dominion, one of the nation's largest energy companies, announced in December that it had acquired the fuel cell power generating facility from FuelCell Energy. The facility will produce 14.9 MW of electricity – enough to power approximately 15,000 homes – using an electro-chemical process that efficiently converts natural gas into electricity.

The project supports Connecticut's clean energy goals while producing significant economic development benefits for the state and the City of Bridgeport.

The Dominion Bridgeport Fuel Cell facility is part of Project 150, a program sponsored by the state andThe location of the new fuel cell (Courtesy Google Maps) supported by the Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) to increase renewable and clean energy projects in Connecticut by 150 megawatts.

FuelCell Energy Inc. will supply five Direct FuelCell^® stationary fuel cell power plants and an organic rankine turbine that will convert heat from the fuel cells into additional electricity.

FuelCell Energy has expanded its Connecticut manufacturing workforce by more than 20 percent or more than 50 jobs in the past six months, reflecting demand such as this Bridgeport fuel cell park. The project is scheduled to be completed and placed into operation in late 2013.  Dominion will sell the output of the fuel cell power station to Connecticut Light & Power under a 15-year fixed energy purchase agreement.