LS Power withdraws Texas plant

September 18th, 2009

Remember LS Power, the ones who have the harebrained idea of building an 855MW gas plant next to the Chisago substation?  They may think that calling it Sunrise River Energy makes it less odius!  Well, LS Power is starting to see the light, and let’s hope this idea of withdrawing the project spreads northward!

Power plant pulls plug on project

“Hell yeah, I’m happy,” Prater said, adding that it wasn’t just activism that stopped the plant. “Everything came into play — the economy, the Obama administration, the EPA’s attitude towards Texas, the TCEQ, everything came together at exactly the right time.”

And from LS Power, the LS Power spin:

“This was purely a business decision,” he said. “The economic downturn pushed out the need for this plant for at least a few more years. In addition to that, the PUC late last year approved a $5 million transmission line build-out from the Panhandle and West Texas to cities like D-FW, and our market analysis shows that’s decreasing power prices going forward.”

Well, DUH!

LS Power won’t build Navarro County Power Plant

LS Power cancels plans to build power plant in Navarro County

Here’s what just was filed on behalf of Minnesota Coalition for Sensible Siting:

Minnesota Coalition for Sensible Siting – Comments

Exhibit A – CUB-WIEG Petition for Review – Bent Tree

Exhibit B – Canada Health Survey July 20, 2009

Exhibit C – Testimony of Rick James – Tazewell IL

Exhibit D – AEI Wind Turbine Noise Report 2009

Exhibit E – Harding – Wind Turbines, Flicker and Photosensitive Epilepsy

Exhibit F – Failed Suzlon Turbine

Exhibit G – Failed Turbine in Sherman Co, OR

Exhibit H – Wind Worker Casualties

Exhibit I – Murray County Wind Ordinance

Exhibit J – Manitowoc County Wind Ordinance 9-07

Exhibit K – Calumet County Wind Ordinance

Exhibit L – Ridgeville Wind Ordinance

And this was filed by CFERS:

CFERS Comment

To look at all the filings, go to www.puc.state.mn.us and to eDockets and search for docket 09-845.

Tomorrow is the deadline for Comments on the PUC’s docket regarding setbacks and the Department of Health’s report on wind turbine placement, noise and public health:

MN Dept of Health – Public Health Impacts of Wind Turbines

Here’s the PUC’s Notice:

PUC – Notice of Comment Period 7-21-09

To see the docket, and there have been a lot of comments thus far which might help you in writing up yours:

  1. Go to www.puc.state.mn.us
  2. Click on “eDockets” (the blue button)
  3. Scroll down and enter docket 09-845.

The PUC Notice says that Comments should be filed electronically.  To do that:

  1. Go towww.puc.state.mn.us
  2. Click on “eFiling” (the orange button)
  3. Register
  4. Follow the directions to file.
  5. If that doesn’t work, email Comments to burl.haar@state.mn.us

Send your comments in before tomorrow at 4:30 p.m.  There are many, and we need many more.  It’s all about responsible siting that works, reasonable setbacks, sufficient to prevent unreasonable noise and flicker and other impacts to those who live near turbines.  Once more with feeling, we need energy we can LIVE WITH!!!

Remember the hook that won’t go away (even though El did):

What’s the word?  TINKLENBERG!

It’s Bachmann-McCarthy Overdrive!

That was then, and this is now… Now Paul Hipp’s released “We’re #37” and it’s shot way up, making the rounds on the DFL lists:

So do tell — what’s the tie to MN that got him interested in that obscure, awful race in the “Land of Ventura and Franken?” 

Big Stone II is zu ende???

September 11th, 2009

bigstoneiiproject

Otter Tail Power has withdrawn from Big Stone II.  Odd way to put it because Big Stone II IS Otter Tail Power.  OTP was the big one left in the game and now they’re gone.

Otter Tail Power has withdrawn from the Big Stone II coal plant.  Really?!?!?

Pinch me, I must be dreaming…

Here’s their post about it on their BSII site – love the euphemisims:

Big Stone II announces participant changes

Otter Tail Power Company withdraws; Project pursues new participants

(Fargo, ND – September 11, 2009)—The participating utilities announced today the withdrawal of Otter Tail Power Company from the Big Stone II Project, a planned 500-to-600-megawatt coal-fired power plant located near Milbank, South Dakota, and its associated transmission. The remaining participants emphasized that Big Stone II will go forward if sufficient participants can be found to join the project.

Tom Heller, CEO of Missouri River Energy Services, which has the project’s largest share, stated that Big Stone II is still the least-cost, environmentally sound baseload power plant for the remaining project participants. “Big Stone II is a fully permitted project that will provide participants’ customers with least-cost generation for decades. It will improve the emissions profile of the existing Big Stone Plant, and the transmission facilities will be sized to serve the region’s burgeoning wind energy development,” he said.

While Heller conveyed the project’s regret that Otter Tail had to withdraw, he said other potential new participants have expressed interest in joining the project and exploratory discussions are underway.

The current Big Stone II Project participants are Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Heartland Consumers Power District, Missouri River Energy Services and Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.

In the first blurb to come over the wire, below, there’s one phrase that stands out:

have resulted in challenging credit
and equity markets that make proceeding with Big Stone II at this time
untenable for Otter Tail’s customers and shareholders.

I knew that financing was not happening and dependent on a big cash infusion from Bill Gates. Financing anything now is pert near impossible, hence the big cost allocation dust up for CapX lately, and Big Stone II was no exception.  Who on earth, who in their right mind, would invest in a coal plant today?  That falls squarely in the “HOW STUPID CAN WE BE” category, no doubt about it.

Ill post more as it turns up.  From Marketwatch:

Otter Tail Power Company Announces Withdrawal From Big Stone II

FERGUS
FALLS, Minn., Sep 11, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) — Otter Tail
Power Company today announced its withdrawal — both as a participating
utility and as the project’s lead developer — from Big Stone II, a
500-to-600-megawatt coal-fired power plant proposed for near Milbank,
South Dakota, with related transmission upgrades in South Dakota and
Minnesota.

According
to Otter Tail Power Company President and CEO Chuck MacFarlane, the
broad economic downturn coupled with a high level of uncertainty
associated with proposed federal climate legislation and existing
federal environmental regulation have resulted in challenging credit
and equity markets that make proceeding with Big Stone II at this time
untenable for Otter Tail’s customers and shareholders.

MacFarlane
explained that Big Stone II contractual agreements require a commitment
to proceed after the project receives all major permits, creating a
financial obligation on each party that agrees to go forward. “Each Big
Stone II participant is in a different position in terms of means and
impact of raising capital and mechanisms for recovering those costs
from customers,” he said. “Given the legislative and regulatory
uncertainties and current economic conditions, Otter Tail Power Company
is unwilling to create a binding financial obligation of approximately
$400 million for its share of the project at this time.”

Big
Stone II had been scheduled to be on line in 2011, and now the plant
would not begin operating until late 2015 at the earliest. MacFarlane
said that the company no longer could delay the project to obtain
greater clarity on — and to mitigate — risks unique to Otter Tail.
Accordingly, Otter Tail chose to withdraw and allow the others to
proceed. “We believe the project is important for the region, both in
terms of adding baseload power and enhancing regional reliability,”
MacFarlane said.

While
Otter Tail Power Company has invested more than $300 million in wind
energy generation during the last three years, MacFarlane added that
dispatchable generation remains an important need for Otter Tail Power
Company’s customers. As a result, over the next three to six months,
Otter Tail Power Company will continue to evaluate other options to
meet its customers’ need for reliable electricity.

MacFarlane
also expressed his company’s gratitude for the backing shown for the
project. “Our company appreciates the support that customers,
regulators, labor, business leaders, and political leadership have
shown the project. We especially thank South Dakota elected officials
and communities within the plant’s vicinity for their commitment,” he
said.