Legalectric

It’s like winter in Minnesota — will this rulemaking never end?  We’re pretty much ensconced in Minn. R. ch. 7850 now, siting.  PROGRESS!  Here’s where it stands:

January 22 Meeting Synopsis

February 13 Draft 7849

February 13 Draft 7850

The next meeting of the Rulemaking Advisory Committee is TOMORROW:

February 26, 2014 @ 9:30 – 11 30 a.m.

Rulemaking Advisory Committee

PUC Building, Basement (look for signs)

121 – 7th Place East

St. Paul, MN  55101

Talk about being behind the curve…  a news blackout.  I’ll post this on all my sites and watch, NSA’s going to push my stats up!

Very strange timing here — an incident where “multiple transformers,” 17 transformers, or 5 transformers, 5 out of 7 transformer banks, depending what you read/hear, were taken out occurred on April 16, 2013, and it’s just now being reported.  Try googling “news blackout California substation electrical terrorism” and see what comes up. Maybe it’s that former FERC chair Wellinghoff is out there talking about it?  There was also a congressional hearing in December that got some coverage…

At the time, the incident wasn’t publicized, but since he stepped down as FERC chairman in November, Wellinghoff is raising public attention to the California sniper’s attack to demonstrate the vulnerability of the nation’s electricity system.

Wellinghoff started talking about it publicly in November, 2013 it seems.

Do some googling and see for yourself the news blackout.  Also,several articles are noting it occurred a day after the Boston Marathon bombing, but not one yet is noting that it occurred the day after taxes are due.  How many anti-tax wing-nuts are out there?

They publicized similar sabotage in Arkansas and arrested the perp (interesting, he unbolted a tower, connected a cable, and used a moving train to tip over the pole!):

Arkansas man charged in connection with power grid sabotage

Back to California — here’s what the substation and surrounding area looks like, and the actions taken, from the Wall Street Journal article:

In today’s STrib:

Who knocked out 17 giant transformers in Calif. — and why?

In the Wall Street Journal (I don’t have access… do you?):

Assault on California Power Station Raises Alarm for Potential Terrorism

From PG&E at the time:

April 16, 2013

Grid Operator Calls for Conservation after Substation Incident

April 17, 2013

PG&E Crews Continue Repair Work at Damaged Substation

Now going back to April, 2013:

Vandalism at San Jose PG&E Substation called ‘Sabotage’

AT&T Offers $250,000 Reward for Fiber Vandalism

CAISO’s Alert:

Flex-Alert-Urgent Conservation Needed Now – Santa Clara Silicon Valley  April 16, 2013

Here’s one from December, 2013, that is the most detailed and credible I’ve found:

‘Military-Style’ raid on California Power Station Spooks U.S.

In this one there’s a statement that’s a recurring theme that I think is off base, the theme being that it’s a rehearsal for a “real” attack, and in other articles calling it a “dry run,” when I’d call taking out 17 transformers a “real” attack:

“These were not amateurs taking potshots,” Mark Johnson, a former vice president for transmission operations at PG&E, said last month at a conference on grid security held in Philadelphia. “My personal view is that this was a dress rehearsal” for future attacks.

Another good detailed article in the NY Times:

Months Later, Sniper Attack at Power Hub Still a Mystery

And a video:

San Jose: Sheriff’s Office release video of attach on PG&E substation

On NPR:

Sniper Attack on Calif. Power Station Raises Terrorism Fears

In Bloomberg:

Rifle-Toting Terrorists Pose Great Threat to Power Grid

Now let’s see some other coverage that I’ll nominate for “wing-nut” status:

False Flag: New Details Emerge on Santa Clara County ‘Military-Style” Power Grid Attack

Latest ‘Domestic Terror’ Sniper Attack is Likely a Government False Flag

In which they say:

Those who still believe that this was the work of a home-grown terror cell, read between their own lines: according to the U.S. Navy investigation ordered at the request of  FERC chairman Wellinghoff, “it was a targeting package just like they would put together for an attack”.

‘Just like they would put together for a real attack’, he says?

Exactly, because this wasn’t a real terror attack.  ???  Again the mantra of a “dress rehearsal” or a “dry run.”  Isn’t taking out the fiber-optic and 911 service and then multiple substation transformers “real” enough?

Chilling: Why an Underreported, ‘Significant Incident of Domestic Terrorism’ Might Not Be A Failed Attack At All

In today’s STrib, the full article:

YEAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has just issued the:

Notice Of Comment Period_20141-95340-01

Initial Comments are due by January 29, 2014 at 4:30 p.m.

Reply Comments are due by February 19, 2014 at 4:30 p.m.

That’s plenty of time to say what needs to be said, and scoot in a little trip to a warmer clime before it comes up at the Commission (in March?).

And best of all, the range of issues before the Commission:

So get to writing those comments!

Send comments via email — and be sure to write both docket numbers in the subject and body, i.e., “Comments for Dockets 11-152 and 12-113” — send to:

PublicComments.PUC@state.mn.us

The Hollydale Transmission Project is on its way toward being withdrawn by the Applicants.  Judge Lipman has issued his Order and we’re awaiting referral to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission:

11 PreHearing Order

And here are the suggestions of parties for that Recommendation/Report and referral Order to the PUC:

BarryFamily_ProposedOrder

Proposed Order_WPNA

Xcel Proposed Order

And there were a number of public comments, Judge Lipman said that “over the last 30 hours, I’ve received 165 emails…”  These were filed by the PUC:

PUC Public Comments 20141-95035-01

PUC Public Comments 20141-95121-01

 

We’ll be having a phone conference about Xcel Energy/GRE’s request to withdraw their Certificate of Need and the Administrative Law Judge will probably certify it to the Public Utilities Commission, meaning he will forward it to the Commission to make a decision.

Filings, in order of appearance:

Xcel/GRE Hollydale Withdrawal Petition

WPNA Letter

BarryFamily_Comments_Withdrawal

WPNA Comment

BarryFamily_ReplyComments_Withdrawal

Now, on to the conference call…