DUH! We all know what the point of the Susquehanna-Roseland transmission is, PSEG! Back during the Susquehanna Roseland hearing, I introduced a FERC filing reflecting the 660MW transfer across the river to New York, that was what, a year and a half ago now?

Ex. 12 – STL D 16c – FERC Compliance Filing

So how is this Firm Transmission Withdrawal Rights for 685MW and 330 MW is news?  The NJ BPU was NOT in the dark about this…

Now where’s that other 670MW… Exhibit 96…  it’s in here somewhere… here’s a post from November, 2009:

How far down does electrical demand have to go…

Here’s yesterday’s piece from the New Jersey Spotlight:

Federal Agency OK’s Power Transfer from New Jersey to New York

Interconnect likely to lead to higher electricity prices and greater congestion on the grid — along with possible summer blackouts

By Tom Johnson, June 30 in Energy & Environment

New Jersey has lost another battle with federal regulators, a setback likely to lead to higher electricity prices for consumers in the state.

Over the protests of the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Monday approved an interconnection request to allow 660 megawatts of power to be transferred from the Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) Ridgefield substation to a Consolidated Edison West 49th Street substation in Manhattan.

Beyond increasing energy and capacity prices for ratepayers here, the state agency argued the interconnection would negatively affect reliability in northern New Jersey, which is already projected to face the possibility of brownouts beginning in summer 2012.

By drawing power from New Jersey, opponents of the project argue it will increase congestion, driving up the cost of power and capacity. Power suppliers receive capacity payments to have power plants in reserve to deliver electricity at times of peak demand.

The power line to the lucrative New York City market is being developed by Hudson Transmission Partners LLC.

New Jersey has found itself in an increasingly combative relationship with the federal agency. Because of high energy costs, the state approved a pilot program to have ratepayers subsidize the development of three natural gas-fired power plants. But as the state’s filing noted, that effort will be impeded by actions taken by the federal agency governing how power plants bid in capacity auctions.

The state had sought either to have the agency reject the interconnection agreement between Hudson, the New York Independent System Operator and Con Ed or to hold a proceeding to debate the issue.

In rejecting the state’s request, the federal agency ruled the sole issue in the matter involved the interconnection agreement, saying reliability and other concerns had been addressed in prior proceedings.

Greg Reinert, a spokesman for the BPU, said the agency is disappointed with the decision. “It imperils further our system, and its reliability.” He also said it seems inconsistent with recent rules adopted by FERC. In the past year, state regulatory officials have grown increasingly frustrated with actions taken by FERC and the PJM Interconnection, which operates the regional power grid serving more than 50 million people. They have intervened in a number of cases, including efforts by PSE&G to obtain special incentive rates for transmission projects they are developing, as well as a proposed natural gas pipeline that would run through Jersey City and into New York City.

Here’s the recent “eagle drops fawn on transmission line” incident:

Close, but not quite a moose:

And if snopes says it’s TRUE it must be!

Minnesota now has government shut-down.  Gee thanks.  To the Republicans, give me a break… this “Compromise” is breathtaking, bullshit beyond belief:

“Confidential Draft” (6/29/11)

Offers – 6/30/11

I won’t slave for beggars pay, likewise gold and jewels,
I would slave to learn the way to sink your ship of fools…

The bottles stand as empty, as they were full before,
Time there was and plenty, but from that cup no more
Though I could not caution all, I still might warn a few
Don’t lend your hand to raise no flag atop a ship of fools

(photo fair use from examiner.com)

8 German Shepherds need homes…

Wally Swanson, the founder of Camp Wolfgang, a German Shepherd rescue, died last week.  Services were held today, in Minnesota!   He closed down Camp Wolfgang in October of 2009, and after that, keeping only a few dogs as health issues made it difficult for him to keep up.  When I first learned of Camp Wolfgang, there were over 300 dogs he was caring for, and I’d thought that when Ken and Krie died, I’d get a dog from Camp Wolfgang, but he closed it before then.  The GSD rescue world was scrambling when he shut down working to accommodate over 120 GSDs and other dogs, but they did it, all the dogs who needed homes were adopted out or sent to rescues across the country.

He also founded a program called “Paws in Prison” where local prisoners worked with dogs, training the dogs for future adopters (and training themselves in the process).  Here’s a blog post about a 2007 Paws in Prison graduation:

Paws in Prison Graduation – December 20, 2007

In the STrib:

Wallace Martin Swanson

Swanson, Wallace Martin 69, passed away at home on June 23 after an extended battle with respiratory illness. Wally was born August 22, 1941 in Fergus Falls, Minnesota to Marvin Swanson and Mary Lindsey Swanson. He was the grandson of Judge and Mrs. Wallace H. Lindsey, Sr. of Alabama and Martin Swanson, born in Norway, and Julia Falk Swanson. He attended Fergus Falls High School and then attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota immediately after graduation for a summer semester in 1959. He subsequently attended The University of Minnesota, from which he graduated with honors in 1962 at age 20. Wally received a law degree, with honors, from the Southern Methodist University School of Law, where he served as the Leading Articles editor of ‘The Southwestern Law Journal.’ He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Tau Omega, Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity and the Order of Barristers. After beginning his legal career in 1965 with a focus on banking and securities law at the Dallas firm of Coke & Coke, Wally, along with Art Hewett, John Johnson, and Lin Barbee, co-founded the firm initially named Hewett Johnson Swanson & Barbee and, later, Johnson & Swanson.

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(Yes, that’s Summer grrrrrrrrrrl.)

Remember how hot it was back a couple of weeks ago?  Xcel’s Tim Carlsgaard was again bragging about Xcel’s peak:

9,083 MW

There’s plenty of time this summer to ramp it up higher, but so far, 9,083.

Here’s Xcel’s peak demand for the last decade, taken from their 10-Ks filed with the SEC:

Carlsgaard’s number came from an informal calculation or two, interruptible service was part of it, and I think it was deducted, but you never can be sure with a PR shill!!!  Anyway, 9,083MW is nothing to write home about.  If you remember, Capx 2020 was based on a 2.4% increase ANNUALLY.  If we’d done that, starting from 2005, we’d be at:

10,620 MW

So we’re down about 1,600MW from their projections, and from what CapX was based on…

Their projections of a 2.4% increase annually add up quickly:

2005  –   9,212

2006 –   9,433

2007 –   9,659

2008 –   9,891

2009 – 10,128

2010 – 10,371

2011 – 10,620

In 2006 they jumped ahead of projections by a couple of years, but since then have dropped further and further behind, now with a peak trailing behind the peak of 2005…

So one way of looking at it is that they’ve pushed the “need” for additional power out for years.

Another way of looking at it is that they’re about three 500MW coal plants shy of what they projected.

Another way of looking at it is that they 1,600MW short is about Prairie Island’s and Monticello’s three nuclear reactors short.

Another way if looking at it is that it’s 1,00MW of cheap generation for wholesale and there’s plenty of room on 2,050-2,211 MVA (4,100-4,422 MVA double circuited) CapX 2020 transmission to ship that over to points east…  (see MCEA, ME3, Waltons Schedin IR3)

So Tim, do tell, where am I off here???   p.s.  Always check my math, I’m an attorney, not a vet, because my brain has grey sponge in the math department.