Legalectric

It’s a step, but not something to get too excited about … yet…

In Delaware’s News Journal:

Energy Department to reconsider push for Mid-Atlantic power lines 

Lots of people had asked for rehearing on approval of the Corridors:

Rehearing page – scroll down for Petitions

This was in my inbasket yesterday:

Order Granting Rehearing

So they’re granting the requests to THINK about it… that’s why it’s a step, but…

Here’s the PR blurb:

DOE Issues Orders Granting Requests for Rehearing

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued orders
granting rehearings for the Report and Orders designating
the Mid-Atlantic Area National Transmission Corridor
(Docket No. 2007-OE-01) and the Southwest Area National
Transmission Corridor (Docket No. 2007-OE-02). The orders
are available on the “Applications for Rehearing” page on
the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors and
Congestion Study Web site at http://nietc.anl.gov/index.cfm

For More Information
********************

For more information about the National Interest Electric
Transmission Corridors and Congestion Study, visit
the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors and
Congestion Study Web site or contact us at:
nietcwebmaster@anl.gov

Today the “Exceptions” to the ALJ’s Recommendation in the Chisago Transmission Project case were due.  Once again, the Department of Commerce has outdone itself in bizarro submissions.  Click on the documents below to check them out, and really, DO read the one from Commerce:

ALJ Recommendation for Chisago

And here’s what we all had to say about the ALJ’s recommendation:

Exceptions – City of Lindstrom

Exceptions – Xcel

Exceptions – Concerned River Valley Citizens

Bizarro “non-exceptions” – Commerce

Something tells me that the PUC argument on this one will be a hoot!  Ought to sell tickets…

Nope, Xcel’s line is NOT Volkommen in Lindstrom! The ALJ decision in the Chisago Transmission Project came out late yesterday, and the ALJ did find that Xcel “needed” the line, and that it should NOT go through downtown Lindstrom, but instead should go to the north, around downtown Lindstrom, by going up around the lake and then rejoin the existing corridor. That answers some of the city’s concern, the major concern of the unworkable mix of that transmission line and the city’s plans for upgrade of Highway 8. The DOT’s Todd Clarkowski presented detailed information about the plans and impacts, plans that have been many years in the making. That, and his 12+ foot color plan, made the case! Amazing what a little subpoena can do.

Hot off the press, here’s the Recommendation:

Chisago – ALJ Findings, Conclusions & Recommendation

The ALJ did a great job setting out the Department of Commerce’s power grab and attempted power take that did not sit well, and all we have to do now is get an engineer on Commerce staff — one would think that’d be regarded as a necessity, but we’re just not there yet.

It’s been one of those times, after the computer crash getting everything together again, and doing that on the road, what a mess. But here’s an update, from after a quick trip to Denver for Nancy LaPlaca and Andy Bardwell’s wedding, we took a few days out in SD, in the Black Hills and Badlands. It’s been 40 years or so since I’ve been there, and for sure, everything shrunk! Except for the Crazy Horse Memorial. But on the way back, look what was going on:

It’s soooooooooo sad. There’s a whole lotta diggin’ goin’ on… it’s the 345kV “It’s for wind NOT” line. What? Not for wind??? Yup, here’s why:

Transmission for Dummies – #2
It’s NOT for WIND!

Watching that go up, it’s so depressing, such a clear loss. Worse, it’s the prep for CapX 2020. AAAAAAAAGH!

But where there’s CapX 2020, there’s www.nocapx2020.info!!

And an interesting factoid. I’d expected the conductors to be arranged in delta, but noooooo, take a close look here. They’re vertical, all on one side, and look at these flanges that are on the other side — ready and waiting to add another three arm and another 2085 MVA capacity!

.

In today’s St.PPP about a two week old transmission line bomb scare (WARNING: KIDS, THIS IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE — DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME…):

Power line company offers reward

The Associated Press
Article Launched: 08/29/2007 10:00:26 AM CDT

UNDATED—The company building a power line from Duluth, Minnesota, to Wausau, Wisconsin, is offering a reward to help find those responsible for leaving homemade explosives along the construction site.

American Transmission Company project manager Pete Holtz says they’re concerned about the safety of their workers and are offering a $1,000 reward.

The 210-mile line has long been the target of protests of property owners from Wausau to Superior and Duluth.

Fifteen to 25 soda bottles filled with explosive chemicals were found by a power line worker about two weeks ago in Wisconsin’s Douglas County. The bomb squad from the Air National Guard’s 148th Fighter Wing was called to the scene to take care of the bottles.

The FBI office in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is working to identify the chemicals.

The 420 million dollar line is expected to be finished later this year.

Here’s more from KJBR, a Duluth TV station:

Bomb Scare Forces Powerline Crews To Evacuate Construction Site

KBJR-TV
August 17, 2007

Duluth MN / Superior WI, MN – Several bombs have been found in and around the controversial Arrowhead Weston Power Line construction site. The project has seen its share of protests from people who are opposed to the power line, but officials are not pointing any fingers right now.

Posted 9:06 a.m. – Several bombs have been found in and around the controversial Arrowhead Weston Power Line construction site.

As Dan Hanger reports, authorities are not taking this lightly.

“Well, luckily it wasn’t serious in the fact no one got hurt or killed, but that was the potential harm,” Sheriff Tom Dalbec, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

A potentially deadly situation on Lyman Lake Road in Parkland, Wisconsin was prevented Tuesday.

Several chemical bombs were found there, along a mile stretch of the Arrowhead–Weston Power Line construction site.

This is video nearby.

“The intent is to cause injury, harm, potentially death.”

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, actively investigating, searching for the person or people who put these dangerous homemade explosives together.

“There are statutes,” said Raymond Greco, FBI. “If anybody causes damage to or destroys an energy facility, it’s a federal offense, so the power lines fall into that statute.”

Officials say the construction crews working on the project had just set the foundation for the power poles.

Those crews were evacuated.

No one was hurt.

And they aren’t allowed back for now because the sheriff’s office says there may be more bombs.

“We don’t know if someone’s intent was to make a statement against the power line or if they were to make a statement against government in general or if it potentially was maybe some kids screwing around having fun.”

The power line project has seen its share of protests from people who feel it threatens the environment and their homesteads, but officials are not pointing any fingers right now.

Anyone who knows anything about this case is asked to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department.