Posted on December 1, 2023
NEW MILFORD- As a member of the legislature’s Energy & Technology committee, State Rep. Holly Cheeseman (R-37) toured Kimberly-Clark, located in New Milford, CT with other state legislators. Kimberly-Clark produces paper products, with the mill in Connecticut producing hundreds of thousands of Kleenex per day.
The plant in New Milford employs over 350 people, with the majority living in the greater New Milford/Danbury area. About 1/3rd of the workforce lives directly in New Milford, but some employees come as far out as Fairfield.
The legislators heard primarily about the production of Kimberly-Clark items. While Connecticut specializes in Kleenex, other plants around the country produce other items like paper towels and diapers.
In 2008, the company commemorated its startup of its Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facility. This on-site power plant is used for the function of production, but also produces a lot of heat, which is captured in massive duct work and forced into the production facility for drying purposes. The CHP also produces electricity.
CHP is a class III energy source. Legislation approved in 2021 requires the state’s electric distributors to use 5% of class III energy sources. This legislation sunsets on January 1, 2025, meaning the legislature will have to take action to extend the use of class III energy sources soon.
According to Kimberly-Clark, the CHP provides environmental benefits, such as lowering the state’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, since the state’s electric distributors utilize class III sources, energy costs are kept slightly lower to end consumers.