E.O. 13920 SECURING THE UNITED STATES BULK-POWER SYSTEM
May 1st, 2020
“Free marketers,” duck and cover. And utilities, contractors, get ready… Just in, for Public Inspection, will be released Monday:
The gist of it is that utility infrastructure and equipment should not be coming in from other countries, particularly “adversaries.” Threat? What threat?
From the E.O., p. 2-3:
WHAT?!?!
Impact of COVID on energy projects
March 30th, 2020
Last month, both Invenergy and NextEra had issued Notice of Force Majure:
Solar Force Majeure in WI – Coronavirus February 26th, 2020
Then NextEra cancelled its notice, and apparently plans to move forward with the Two Creeks project.
Here’s a recent industry blurb about the impacts, mentioning Badger Hollow solar and the rush to get projects in the ground before the tax credit and subsidies deadline, and trying to get perks in the COVID relief bill:
U.S. wind, solar industries plead for “tweaks” to coronavirus stimulus to keep projects alive
From the article:
Energy Committee – Roch PB headline says it all
January 25th, 2020
Here’s the bill everyone’s talking about:
Comments? It’s important to let them know what you think. Here’s the contact info for the Senate Energy Committee (LINKED HERE).
In last week’s Rochester Post Bulletin, about the Senate Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy Committee meeting in Rochester:
Senators take heat on waste-burning energy
- John Molseed jmolseed@postbulletin.com
- Jan 15, 2020
SC5558-6 Last night in Rochester
January 16th, 2020
Last night, Sen. Osmek held a Senate Energy Committee meeting in Rochester. It was standing room only, at least 100 showed up (I had 100 flyers, and had 4 left and I know I missed a few).
Here’s the bill DRAFT, SC5558-6:
Here’s the powerpoint explaining the bill:
Who all showed up and testified? All a bunch of paid suits, with just three exceptions, pushed to the very end. Check the list of lobbyists here:
Alan Muller got on the list to testify, he’ll be writing to the Committee soon:
And here’s my comment sent to the committee:
Where were Senators Dibble and Marty? I must confess, I was so disgusted by Sen. Marty’s handling of the e21 debacle back in 2015 that I’ve not been back to the Senate Energy Committee since then (Marty tried to introduce Xcel’s e21 bill, and tried to shut down testimony opposing that bill…
(report from that meeting) though the room was packed with those who had rolled over supporting it, only three of us there opposed it, myself, Alan Muller, and Office of Attorney General’s RUD James Canneday. Sen. Marty pulled the bill as he “introduced” it and then substituted an e21 light and wouldn’t allow testimony on anything else! Well, we did what we could, and it wasn’t until the very end in conference committee or just before that he put the awful Xcel-desired language back in. SF 1735 – SHAME on each Senator who voted for it). Back into the fray, I guess!
My take is that Sen. Senjem, or the Republican caucus, or ???, are concerned about Sen. Senjem’s seat, why else would they put Mikey Bull up there beside him, emitting puffery about the bill? Seems there’s just one other Senate hearing scheduled, info below.
Next up, next week, Mound, Minnesota, in Sen. Ozmek’s district:
Wednesday, January 22, 2020, 4:00 PM
Mound Westonka High School’s Performing Arts Center
905 Sunnyfield Road East
Minnetrista, MN 55364
Now, Mikey, about “carbon capture and storage,” good grief. Did you learn nothing from all those years of Excelsior Energy’s Mesaba Project? Here’s why it’s good the Mesaba Project was not built!
Take that, Xcel Energy!!
December 8th, 2019
Great solar day today in Red Wing. It takes a while for the sun to get up over the bluff, through the trees, around the water tower, but when it gets going, WOW! YES!!! It’ll be into the trees and the golf course side of the bluff soon, but hey, let’s make electricity while the sun shines!