Legalectric

Here they are again, toadies on parade!  Somebody pass the barf bag!  I’m listening to the “Great Plains Briefing” about their European junket, old news that they’re respinning on the eve of both mailing of notices for the CapX2020 transmission lines to transport new ND and SD coal, AND on the eve of the Excelsior Energy Mesaba Project oral arguments and deliberations.

Toadies all…

Are you ready for this — Beth Soholt, Wind on the Wires via Izaak Walton League (Wind on the Wires is a grant, not an organization!), said that CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGY IS MARRIED WITH WIND!!!  And she actually said that because we know wind is happening, WE’VE GOT TO WORK ON COAL!!!   WE’VE GOT TO WORK ON COAL!!!  Once more with feeling, WE’VE GOT TO WORK ON COAL!!!  And of course “WE NEED TRANSMISSION” is the other mantra.

Mike Gregerson was, of course, toadying for IGCC as “Great Plains Institute”… but he’s been on the Exclesior Energy payroll, getting our hard earned tax dollars via the IRR… so that’s expected.

But the end was the kicker, here’s Commissioner Gary Hanson of the SD PUC bending over for IGCC, looking for “regulatory certainty,” which is agency-speak for “we must hand them everything they want.”  His “suggestions?”  He wants to eliminate the “least cost” test (part of what killed the Mesaba Project) and base it on “in the public interest, reasonable and necessary, and for economic development.”  Really… read it on p. 37.  As if that wasn’t enough, he advocates for pre-approval of pre-construction and construction investments for generation and transmission.  Gagging yet??? How’s this… he’s also advocating for “enhanced rate of return on investment.”  AAAAAAAAGH!

Here’s the PowerPoint, utterly disgusting:

Lessons Learned and Opportunities for South Dakota and the Region

SLIDE 39: Major support for Coal Gasification Work Group from the Joyce Foundation.

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Northern Plains-Midwest Coal Technology and Climate Policy
Delegation to Europe Briefing
1:30 p.m. (Central Time), Thursday, July 26
Room 412, State Capitol, Pierre, S.D.

AGENDA
1:30 p.m.    Welcome
Gary Hanson, Vice Chairman, S.D. Public Utilities Commission

1:40 p.m.    Presentation of delegation program, key findings, priorities and next steps for South Dakota and the region
Betsy Engelking, Manager, Resource Planning and Bidding,
Xcel Energy
David Hadley, Vice President for State Regulatory Relations,
Midwest Independent System Operator
Beth Soholt, Executive Director, Wind on the Wires
Mike Gregerson, Consultant, Great Plains Institute

2:30 p.m.    Closing remarks — PUC Vice Chairman Hanson

2:40 p.m.    Q&A — Audience and Presenters