Legalectric

The Public Utilities Commission deemed the “Northland Reliability Project” complete, and so we’re off to the races, the permitting process has begun. Minnesota Power and Great River Energy filed both the Certificate of Need application (CN-22-416) and the Routing application (TL-22-415). It’s a long line, and the application is LARGE. Here’s the joint application narrative:

For the rest of the application go HERE TO PUC eDOCKEtS PAGE and click on “Go to eDockets” and search for “year” 22 and “Docket” 415 or 416.

Now, about that road show, errrr, “Public Information and Environmental Assessment Scoping Meetings” to be held over a week around northern Minnesota:

There’s also a Webex meeting on Friday the 27th!

This is the time to let them know your concerns, up close and personal. You can also send comments in writing — keeping in mind that this is the time for comments about the scope of the “Environmental Assessment” and here’s what they want comments on — not that this is ALL you may comment on — but commenting on these issues, framing your concerns into these questions, will increase odds of yuor concerns being considered. Be as specific as possible, and yes, include maps, charts, graphs, circles, and arrows:

Read the “need” section carefully, because I sure can’t find anything specific, and the “Transmission Studies” in Appendix I are “CONFIDENTIAL.” What? And what I’ve found in other transmission dockets is that the need is overstated at best, and usually it’s not needed at all, it’s WANTED. It’s all about money, it’s all about market, after all, the MISO “studies” that they now rely on as demonstrating “need” is for MISO, MISO is a MARKET. It is not a reliability organization like NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation). (In case you’re interested, here’s the latest NERC report, the 2022 Long Term Reliability Assessment, with the details.)

MISO is all about delivering benefits (dollars) to its MEMBERS (read all about it HERE):

I digress…

If you have questions, if you have concerns, read the Application-Narrative, look up the docket filings, determine if there are things missing, issues of concern, considerations that they’re NOT considering, put all that into a comment. And look at the questions for which they’re seeking answers, and write up comments specific to those questions. It’s a bit of homework, but that’s what’s required if you want to weigh in, and that’s OUR job, letting them know what we know that they should account for, and what they’re missing or ignoring.

Send comments:

Get to work! It’ll take a while to get familiar with the application, and it will take forever to download the maps and other appendices.