Legalectric

This CEII stuff , Critical Energy Infrastructure Information, is way out of hand, anything for an excuse to exclude the public from information we need to know. When I tried to enter a transmission map in 2008, I was essentially accused of being a terrorist and violating CEII law — good grief, I’ve been doing this for SO LONG as licensed attorney sworn on oath.

Above is the shuttered Kewaunee nuclear plant, and is my habit, I stopped by for a visit in fall of 2019. We pulled in, I got out the phone and snapped a few, and before I had time to put the phone away, a van came screeching up, guy jumped out, HAND ON GUN, demanding to know what I was doing, and he wanted me to delete the 2-3 photos I’d taken, saying “you can’t take pictures, it’s against the law.”

Oh, right, get thee to google, and look at all the pictures, assuredly better than mine!!

GOOGLE IMAGES OF KEWAUNEE NUCLEAR PLANT HERE

And of course, google earth — it’s there, no secret!

One of the best photos on google — the aesthetics of this plant are unique, and the rainbow (it’s in an ad for rentals in the area), what a hoot:

Anyway, back to business. CEII, and information about the grid… the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has issued a Notice of Comment Period:

To view the full dockets, go HERE TO SEARCH eDOCKETS, and then search for dockets 20-800 and/or 19-685.

Here’s what they say they’re looking for, but be sure to pipe up if there are other issues of concern that they’re not considering, or avoiding!!!

This is an issue near and dear to me because I really enjoyed attending the MAPP transmission planning meetings up in Elk River at GRE (site of the Elk River nuclear demonstration plant that my father worked on!). Those meetings gave me a good background in transmission, particularly learning the ins and outs from engineers like NSP’s Rick Gonzalez. But as CapX 2020 started to bloom (like algae), attendance became difficult and information ceased.

MAPP adopts shroud of secrecy

But by that time, it was clear what they were up to — massive build-out of bulk power transfer.

What they were doing then, and what they’re doing now, is misapplying the CEII rules, which pertain only to certain info filed with FERC, and they’re declaring it’s all secret. Why? Because then we’d know much of the transmission is not needed, we could continue to expose their transmission “solutions” to distribution issues, the trajectory and patterns would be clear.

Had a good chat with FERC counsel about this, they know MISO is limiting access this way, and PJM too, and sent me the transmission map that MISO says is the reason it’s CEII and verboten for me to attend, even after signing Non-Disclosure agreement. Still couldn’t get into the meetings. Color me PISSED OFF!

In the last comment period on the CI-20-800 and M-19-685 dockets I sent this, including the details on unreasonable exclusion based on a bogus “CEII” claim:

There’s plenty of time to write a comment, not due until OCTOBER!!! Get to it!