Those in transmission will testify that for a LONG time I’ve been saying “MISO IS NOT THE DECIDER!” And yes, I’m shouting, because the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is abdicating their role and allowing utilities to use “MISO approval” as a demonstration of need for a transmission project.

As we say in transmission, “It’s all connected.”

Yesterday, I received word of a FERC decision and more importantly, a “Statement” of the Chair’s Concurrence about system operators and “regional plans” versus state authority:

HERE ‘TIS IF YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE SCROLLING DOWN

The decision dismissed PJM’s request for a waiver of a deadline to address costs, and FERC rejected argument for more time:

The Chair’s Concurrence is the crucial and most interesting part — which FERC did not address in dismissing the Petition. The Concurrence weighs in on filings claiming that inclusion of a project in a regional transmission plan pre-empts a state’s permitting process and power:

Granted a claim of pre-emption is a step beyond a utility offering inclusion in a regional transmission plan and a state Commission rolling over to a utilities wish…

As I’ve said repeatedly, a utilities desire is NOT need!

So let’s get local. Here’s an example of misuse of MISO “approval,” keeping in mind that MISO is a marketing organization of utilities and transmission owners. The notion of MISO “approval” is a leading characterization, found in many applications, for example, Xcel’s “Mankato-Mississippi” 345kV line now in permitting )”need” Reply Comments are due Friday). In the intro to that Mankato-Mississippi f/k/a Wilmarth – N Rochester – Tremval Application, the “Summary of Need Analysis” on page 48:

On p. 62-63, more of MISO‘s dream:

And in the section on need, “Xcel’s Need Analysis” was based on MISOs “analysis” — p. 68:

Again, it’s all about MISO and transmission buildout, despite peak demand falling, falling, falling, yet to rise to the record peak in 2006. Where’s the need? It’s all about economics, again, MISO is all about marketing – and check out the view of this transmission build-out per MISO’s Independent Monitor.

The big picture plan:

Here’s what MISO claims the benefits are, page 60 of application, the benefits accruing to MISO MEMBERS, not the public, not the ratepayers. For building transmission, MISO members get a good ROI plus they then charge for transmission services, a new revenue stream.

Here’s the short version, the Concurrence only, from FERC:

And the ENTIRE FERC Order, well worth a read:

What does a federal funding freeze mean for Minnesota? We really need to get a handle on how this directly affects us, services we depend on, funding for local projects, because we’re gong to be hit hard and need to get to work to deal with this. From a new state website on Federal Funding Disruptions, the state budget, and about a third of our budget is federal:

Federal funding to state CANCELED (some affected by funding restraining order):

Funding at risk — LOOK HOW MUCH OF IT IS FEMA:

Here’s the list of federally funded IIJA – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act/IRA – Inflation Reduction Act/CHIPS – CHIPS and Science Act Funds (Committed or Spent) for projects in Goodhue County (I think that bulkhead on the 3rd line was discussed at last night’s Council meeting):

For some reason I though it’d be good to get a passport card, in addition to my passport. Color me paranoid, but it couldn’t hurt to have it, sort of like my International Drivers Permit for driving around Norway. And it’s a LOT easier than that TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential) card was to get, what a hassle — it was even hard to get past the locked door and the armed guard into the office.

Here’s the WEBSITE with directions and go there for the correct form to fill out:

If you have a passport, just need a drivers’ license, ORIGINAL/CERTIFIED birth certificate, and your passport.

Here in Goodhue County, we can get this done at the courthouse, including the photo, by setting up appointment at the Recorder’s Office. Do call, I was told they’ve been VERY busy lately. And YES, you DO NEED all your documentation of a name change, so if you’ve changed your name, ask what all is needed. Good thing I at least had some sense about that circa 1974 when I got married!! WHEW!

Goodhue County’s Passport page Call 651-385-3223 or 651-385-3231

For the rest of you, check with your County Recorder or Post Office or see if there’s an office open near you HERE. Another option is FedEx!

The woman who helped me as very helpful, walked me right to the form page, and seemed to want to make it as easy as possible — unlike our current administration.

The City of Cannon Falls is in the midst of an AUAR. OK, I’ll bite, what’s an AUAR?

Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) Process

There’s also some general Data Center background info down below in this post.

The Cannon Falls AUAR is for an area where there’s a data center proposed, bounded by that red line. Off to the right, see that substation? To the east/right of that is the Cannon Falls Energy Center, a natural gas electrical generating plant.

Cannon Falls has been marketing this for quire some time — this link is from 2018:

Cannon Falls Industrial Park West Data Center Site (Cannon Falls, MN)

Here’s the City of Cannon Falls page:

Cannon Falls Technology Park

Anticipated schedule? Mark your calendars for the “spring 2025” Comment Period for the DRAFT AUAR. From an article in the Cannon Falls Beacon about a joint work session of the Cannon Falls City Council and the Planning Commission:

I have some questions, so I fired off a missive to the City Administrator and the “info” email which goes to the project developer. City Administrator said he “won’t be able to answer my questions, however I appreciate your inquiry,” and forwarded it to the developers.

Here are my questions, well, a start:

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

CANNON FALLS COUNCIL CHAMBERS

APRIL 29 — THE TIME???

And on that note… an AUAR?? It’s deja vu all over again!

Here’s a Final AUAR for a Data Center near Hampton, at the intersection of Hwys 50 & 52, just released:

HAMPTON ORDER AND SCOPING DOCUMENT November 26, 2024

HAMPTON DRAFT AUAR December 12, 2024

HAMPTON FINAL AUAR March 2025

A while back, two years ago, the City of Northfield completed an AUAR (nominal “environmental review”) for an area where “industrial development” was proposed — unofficially a data center was in the works:

• Xcel/Northfield AUAR! Old news, but… January 25, 2025
• REMINDER: Xcel/Northfield AUAR Comments due TOMORROW! August 16, 2023
• Xcel/Northfield Draft AUAR released! July 20, 2023

BACKGROUND INFO:

There are so many reports that Data Centers are HUGE energy users, but there’s not much about specifics!

2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report

How to meet the demand? From the DOE’s press release on that report, key strategies for meeting data center energy demand include: 

• Enabling data center flexibility through onsite power generation and storage solutions, including the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office’s Onsite Energy Program and new Industrial Energy Storage Systems Prize, so data centers can be a grid asset rather than a burden.  
• Leveraging energy community opportunities to re-use infrastructure at retired coal facilities for data centers and associated power infrastructure.   
• Engaging with stakeholders on innovative rate structures to support data center expansion while maintaining affordability. Commercializing key enabling technologies such as next-generation geothermal, advanced nuclear, long-duration storage, and efficient semiconductor technologies.  

That first one should be a no-brainer.

That second one is also a no-brainer — distributed generation, and put your energy near the load, in conjunction with the first bullet point.

That third one, “support data center expansion while maintaining affordability” sounds like lowering rates for high consumption? Why reward it? That’s backwards.

How much power are we talking about to keep these Data Centers humming?

How Much Energy Do Data Centers Really Use?

Now we’re getting to useful numbers. But we need Cannon Falls project specific numbers. It’s all about the megawatts.

AI says “Data centers typically use between 5 to 10 megawatts (MW) of power on average. However, larger hyperscale data centers can require 100 MW or more, depending on their size, the number of servers, and the cooling systems in place. The power consumption can vary significantly based on the design and operational efficiency of the data center.” It’s on the internet, it must be true! 5-10 MW isn’t that much, essentally the same as a pipeline pumping station, i.e., the CO2 pipelines that require a pumping station every 75 miles (lots of parasitic load).

Noise? Minnesota does have industrial noise standards. Minn. R. 7030.0040:

And apparently noise is a problem at Data Centers. Ask the Goulds — bearing in mind that crypto data mining is not a data center, but equipment is much the same, though in this case, less of it.

Bit 49 crypto-currency in the news October 1st, 2022

There doesn’t seem to be any question that noise is an issue with Data Centers. Here are some specifics:

Why Data Centers Are Loud, and How to Quiet Them Down

Acoustics, Noise, and Vibration Implications in Data Centers

The industry acknowledges that noise is an issue, yet here’s an example where nearby residents struggle to address the noise:

Residents turn up the volume on data center noise complaints:

Manassas neighborhood battles noise from data centers

In this neighborhood, the AVERAGE noise levels as measured by Amazon, were within noise levels permitted in that jurisdiction, but would be over Minnesota’s nighttime noise standard:

Projections by one resident, based on noise levels at a similar project nearby showed noise levels were too high:

The Cannon Falls AUAR scoping document has missed a crucial area — the absence of noise estimates, noise modeling, or any requirement of noise modeling prior to permitting and construction, and testing after construction during typical operation, is problematic.