WALPOLE, Mass. -- Competitive Power Ventures wants to build a power plant on 14 acres of land in an industrial park off Route 1A in Walpole.

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that the company said the plant would take care of the region's increasing energy demands 30 years into the future.

"The bottom line is that our region's economy, our way of life, really depends upon power," said Scott Farmelant, a project spokesman.

The site was considered attractive because it is industrial and it is targeted for investment and development. Also, plant proponents said that the nearest neighborhood is a half mile away.

But some residents of the neighborhood said a half mile is not far enough.

"Absolutely not. Not with the fallout from two 250-foot smokestacks. With the way the wind blows and the particle matter that comes out of those smokestacks, to put it in a residential neighborhood, I think, is unconscionable," said resident Ann Marie Kannally.

"There's too many children here. Why should we have to put up with all of that?" said resident Deborah Sweet.

"This is not your grandfather's power plant. When people learn the story about modern power generation and the technology behind it they're going to be really quite surprised and a lot of their concerns will be put to rest," Farmelant said.

Town officials said the project deserves input from community residents. They said there are environmental concerns, especially the plant's potential impact on Walpole's drinking water supply.

"The plusses would be that they have an opportunity of being probably the largest single taxpayer in town," said Al DeNapoli, the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen.

DeNapoli said he's not made up his mind, and added the project is a long way from being a done deal. In fact, Competitive Power Ventures must go through a very long process to obtain dozens of permits before its proposed plant can become reality.