PORTSMOUTH — Rhode Island Energy has begun setting up liquefied natural gas (LNG) equipment at its Old Mill Lane facility to help ensure an adequate natural gas supply for Aquidneck Island this winter.

The preparations come just two months after construction was completed on the redesigned facility at 111 Old Mill Lane, which has faced years of opposition from neighbors and town officials who argue that an industrial operation doesn't belong in a residential neighborhood.

In an Oct. 29 letter to the Rhode Island Energy Facility Siting Board (EFSB), the utility announced plans to begin setting up equipment during the week of Nov. 2.

The equipment will provide access to additional natural gas supplies if needed to meet customer demand during periods of high usage or supply disruptions.

The company said it reviewed its plans with town administrators and emergency responders in Portsmouth and Middletown. Security personnel will be stationed at the facility around the clock.

The LNG operation dates back to the January 2019 gas crisis, when about 7,500 customers in Newport and Middletown lost service during bitterly cold weather. The utility maintains the facility is necessary because Aquidneck Island relies on a single connection to the interstate natural gas transmission system.

But neighbors have long complained about noise, lighting, tanker truck traffic, safety concerns and the facility's industrial appearance.

The Portsmouth Town Council opposed a request for relief from the town's noise ordinance, while the zoning board of review rejected the utility's application for a special-use permit.

The EFSB ultimately overruled those objections, approving a redesigned facility intended to reduce impacts on surrounding homes. Construction was completed in September.

Residents with questions or concerns may contact Timothy Sullivan of Rhode Island Energy at 401-369-0636 or TLSullivan@RIEnergy.com.