Somebody’s a happy camper… couldn’t happen to a more deserving jerk.

This is a must read:

This “Critical Energy Infrastructure” label is so grossly overused, and here we go again. Pres. Biden has declared this month, November, “Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Month.” It’s not “just” energy, but that’s the one I know most about:

What it also means is that information about our energy system is often classified as “Critical Energy Infrastructure Information” and it’s nearly impossible to get access to it. Thanks to reasonable minds at Minnesota Power and Great River Energy, I was able to get “confidential” information about the “Northland Reliability Project,” PUC Dockets CN-22-416 and TL-22-415. On the other hand, MISO has worked hard to prohibit attendance at its planning meetings, despite FERC’s acknowledgement that MISO is misusing the term, and providing sufficient support IN WRITING that should allow attendance. GRRRRRRR.

What is Critical Energy Infrastructure Information? It’s all about FERC:

“Critical Energy Infrastructure Information”

Some prior posts:

• MISO bars access to planning meetings

• MAPP adopts shroud of secrecy

• “Grid Security” Notice of Comment Period

My take is that much/most of this is just hype, and offered as justification for the BILLIONS in infrastructure that they’re sinking in, and yes, it is investment, it’s providing jobs, but as far as energy goes, it’s going the wrong way. But hey, we’ve known that for more than 25 years…

Got some answers from one of the applicant’s engineers to a few questions on this “Northland Reliability Project,” and confirmation of one of my major questions — the LARGE capacity of the line.

It’s spec’d for up to 3,000 amps which is about 3,500 MVA.

That’s a LOT.

Also note: The applicants are basing their “need” case on the MISO Tranche 1 “approval,” and that’s a crock, but a crock for another day. Earth to Mars, MISO is a electricity marketing outfit!

On to this week’s Transmission Road Show:

These meetings have been the same for decades, people not getting notice, adding another line when they have one or two on their land already, concerns about impacts of EMF (the levels are typically understated, but I need to check this application), impacts on wildlife, wetlands, etc. All legitimate issues, and they just keep ramming these projects through, the applicants pushing them forward, and the Public Utilities Commission has never met a transmission line it didn’t like. Lately, it’s been all about “what can we do to speed this up for you,” and that’s a bit too much.

Today’s mission is to figure out what’s going on with the FOUR or more transmission projects launched this fall. It’s too much to track, but gotta do it.

The meetings this week… it’s disturbing that the Dept. of Commerce EERA reps, and the Public Utilities Commission reps, give out only some of the information. They do NOT let people know all the ways they can participate, i.e. (see these links), Advisory Task Force, Contested Case, INTERVENTION, and please don’t be telling people they have to be hiring expert witnesses, that is NOT true! LET THEM KNOW ABOUT BUY THE FARM! Also, Commerce’s “Project List” for interested folks is DIFFERENT than the Public Utilities Commission‘s list. Be on BOTH!

And come on, you need to let people know how to look up the dockets on the Public Utilities Commission‘s page and encourage them to subscribe:

Go HERE, then down to “Go to eDockets” and then to this section, and plug in the docket number, in this case, 22-415 and 22-416, to get ALL the filings:

Then “subscribe” so you’ll get notice when documents are filed. There are a couple of steps. When you get to the docket full of filings, there’s a “Subscribe” column. Click a box, just one, and then click the “Subscribe” button above.

It will bring you to this screen:

Plug in your email address, select “Docket Number” as “Type of Subscription, and fill in the docket number (22-415 or 22-416 or any other docket you want to track) ” and click “Add to List.” Add to your list, and you’ll receive an email confirmation. Confirm, and you’ll start receiving notification of filings!

TA – DA!!!

There’s a lot people can do to bring their issues to the Commission, and though I don’t think I should have to prod the staff about informing them (that’s NOT legal advice), but, well, somebody’s got to do it!

Sign up, be informed, and weigh in.

Here’s the rough schedule for this project– I’m looking forward to a camping trip for the summer public hearings. The good news is that it will not be like the Great Northern hearings, and having to stay in the mosquito & fly hell hole that is Big Bog State Park!

Here’s the Commerce-PUC-Applicant presentation, same for all the meetings:

Yesterday’s meeting in Sauk Center:

And at Palmer Town Hall, Clear Lake on Wednesday:

Ironton on Tuesday mid-day:

And Tuesday evening in Brainerd:

As above, the Public Hearings before the Administrative Law Judge are expected to be in the summer of 2024, and probably at the same locations. Good, a camping trip is in order, rather than awful hotels with mold by the coffee machine and “My Pillows.”

Ellis in Georgia Court with her plea bargain

You’ve seen the reports of Ellis’ guilty plea. Here’s another report of her character on display:

Here are the lies, substantiated in her disciplinary investigation and stipulated:

Despite this, she was censured, just a slap on the wrist:

Granted, this was six months before her indictment in Georgia…

But wait… Colorado is at it again!

Jenna Ellis under investigation, again, by attorney-discipline authorities in Colorado

It’s called the “Northland Reliability Project,” proposed by Minnesota Power and Great River Energy. The hearings are spread across the anticipated route for this line:

If you can’t make the meetings, there’s an online meeting too:

Be sure to send in your comments — IN WRITING:

What to comment on? This and more — focus on these issues for your comment to count, to be “relevant” to determining the scope of environmental review:

And be sure to ask for an Advisory Task Force (Minn. Stat. 216E.08), with public appointees, to raise the impacts that only folks on the ground, those potentially affected by this project, would know. In some recent transmission dockets, the Task Forces were comprised ONLY of local government officials, which is NOT the object of task force representation — it’s in the PUBLIC PARTICIPATION statute — the public must invited to apply and members of the public must be selected to serve!

Here’s the transmission line (rough) route map:

More details here on Legalectric:

Xmsn Road Show – Northland Reliability Project

BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!