Legalectric

Stumping for GOOGLE DATA CENTERS?!?! What a legacy for Michael Noble after 30+ years heading ME3 and Fresh Energy! What a legacy for Allen Gleckner who for more than a deade was head lobbyists (titles vary!) for Fresh Energy! What a legacy for RENEW Wisconsin and former PSC Commissioner Tyler Huebner!

Q&A: Michael Noble departs Fresh Energy with optimism for future of climate policy

And talking the talk 26 years ago:

Michael Noble, Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Oh, but wait, it’s not just Michael “Noble” who’s left for Google — Gleckner was at least honest about what he’d be doing, and though signing filings for Google, it took him a full six months to register as lobbyist for Google, just days before the PUC’s public meeting about the Google data center in Pine Island:

Thank you and farewell By Allen Gleckner | December 12, 2025

Ever since the 1994 Prairie Island deal and compensation for PIIC becoming the “Renewable Energy Development Fund,” and then the 2002 TRANSlink deal, we knew what they were, though we still don’t know their price. Here we have Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA), Izaak Walton League – Midwest (Wind on the Wires was Walton program then); Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy (ME3, now Fresh Energy), and North American Water Office, none of them are intervening opposing transmission (and that’s not even getting into all the “grants” to advocate for coal gasification):

And then there’s RENEW Wisconsin & former Commissioner of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission Tyler Huebner also now stumping for Google:

Here it is, North Route Group and NO765MN Objection to Scoping Decision — done and filed ahead of schedule. Then on to Campaign Finance 1001 for tomorrow!

Hot off the press – FIVE days notice, including the weekend. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT MEETING, because if they need a planning meeting “regarding implementation of the new Chapter 216I governing energy infrastructure permitting,” well, could we have a clearer showing of a need for RULES? Rules are what’s implemented to deal with the statutes. DOH!

They’re probably going to round up all the usual suspects to come to an agreement on how all, ALL, of these routing and siting dockets will be handled (without rules, without a rulemaking) and ram them all through.

This notice includes TL-26-135 which is the transmission across Hwy. 52 for the Google Echo Zone data center in Pine Island, and TL-25-112 which is the Iron Range-St. Louis Co.-Arrowhead transmission docket, which has a little link that serves the Google data center in Hermantown.

This should be entertaining at the very least!

Oh, but wait… a WTAF follow up after receiving a panelist invite:

Instead, they’re asking “others” NOT to participate.

Just released, the environmental review scoping decision for the “PowerOn Midwest” transmission project, PUC docket CN-25-117. This is what will and will not be covered in their environmental review “lite.” Note: “Unless a party, a participant, or a Commissioner files an objection to this decision within ten days of receiving it, it will become the Order of the full Commission under Minn. Stat. § 216A.03,
subd. 8 (b).” Received June 9th — Objections due June 19th! Objections must be SPECIFIC.

The first Prehearing Conference for “PowerOn Midwest” was June 1, where we discussed many of the specifics of the process for this project. All those who had petitioned for intervention were granted intervention — that means North Route Group and NO765MN intervening in opposition, the ONLY ones opposing thus far. “Clean Energy Organizations” Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Fresh Energy, Clean Grid Alliance, and Sierra Club are intervening in support; MISO in support of their project, DOH; and LIUNA! in support for union work.

The schedule for “PowerOn Midwest,” PUC docket CN-25-117, has been formally ordered by the Administrative Law Judge:

Here are the specifics of the schedule:

And after all that, there’s “Exceptions” to the ALJ Report — a line by line and narrative critique, then a Commission meeting a month or more after that. Then after a Commission decision, a “Motion for Reconsideration” 20 days later, then another Commission meeting to address Reconsideration, and then there’s a trek off to the Appellate Court.

Lots to put on the calendar, and some time to get “public participation” arranged!