Legalectric

Environmentalists expressed guarded optimism at the recommendation, which now goes to the commissioners for a vote.

“On the face of it, it seems like a sound recommendation,” said Alan Muller, executive director of Green Delaware, who cautioned that the wind project might not be economical if made smaller from the original proposal. “I think it’s a valuable step forward.”

Yes, in Delaware, IGCC coal gasification going down in flames! I just got the call moments ago, and am SO tickled. Delaware’s PSC staff gets it!
In Delaware’s RFP they have three “choices,” IGCC, gas and wind. So what does PSC staff do? They pick one from column B and one from column C, the wind/gas combo!

Delaware PSC staff – wind/gas combo!

Now what are the odds the PSC will do what staff recommends?

Here’s the full RFP docket

Here’s mncoalgasplant.com’s RFP Comments

… and mncoalgasplant.com’s RFP Exhibits

I am SOOOOOO tickled… hopeful even…

Here’s the entire News Tribune article:

PSC staff backs smaller wind farm, natural gas backup

By AARON NATHANS, The News Journal
Updated Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at 7:44 pm

Wind power generated off the Delaware coast took a step closer to a reality today.

A Public Service Commission staff report recommended building an offshore wind park, as well as a natural gas plant in Sussex County to back it up. The PSC released the report late this afternoon.

The wind park would be half the size of the development envisioned by Bluewater Wind, the New Jersey-based company behind the plans to build the wind farm. Bluewater had originally proposed a 600 mw facility; the report suggests the PSC instead approve a 200-300 mw facility.

Environmentalists expressed guarded optimism at the recommendation, which now goes to the commissioners for a vote.

“On the face of it, it seems like a sound recommendation,” said Alan Muller, executive director of Green Delaware, who cautioned that the wind project might not be economical if made smaller from the original proposal. “I think it’s a valuable step forward.”

Instead of building at the Hay Road facility as Conectiv proposed, the report recommended building its natural gas plant in Sussex County, at a site to be determined.

“Although Staff’s recommendation is not the least expensive solution, it is a complementary energy arrangement that will help to mitigate global warming and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Taken together, these projects, when appropriately managed, should have a positive impact on price stability,” the report read.

“This is a great day for Delaware,” said Jim Lanard, spokesman for Bluewater Wind, who cautioned that the proposal needed the approval of the commission itself, as well as three other state agencies.

Bluewater still hopes to build the larger wind park, and would attempt to convince Delmarva to accept more electricity, Lanard said. If it fails, Bluewater could seek other customers to accept the electricity Delmarva does not want, he said.

There was not yet word from Conectiv about whether it would be willing to build the recommended facility.

The recommendation comes after seven months of deliberations, and a series of public meetings in which speakers overwhelmingly backed the wind farm proposal.

The commission is expected to vote on whether to accept one or more of the bids at its meeting on Tuesday in Dover. The five commissioners are free to accept the staff recommendations or ignore them.

Bids went out last year after the Legislature asked the commission, and three other state agencies, to seek a home-grown source of electricity, with the intent of stabilizing and bringing down the price of electricity. That’s after deregulation, and the removal of rate caps one year ago, led to a 59 percent average rate increase for Delmarva Power residential customers.

Contact Aaron Nathans at 324-2786 or anathans@delawareonline.com.