Legalectric

Here’s yesterday’s D.C. Court of Appeals affirming that Trump does not have immunity. Very detailed, solid, decision, a delight!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Here we go again!!! It’s Xcel Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan — like the previous one that “gave” us the MN Energy CONnection! Integrated Resource Plan … it’s complicated. It’s a LOT. But it is very important to wade through all of this because this is Xcel Energy’s wishful thinking, which is often divorced from reality.

To access the filings, go to the PUC’s eDockets link HERE, and click “Go to eDockets” again, and land here:

For “Docket Number” select “24” (the year”) and plug in “67” under “Number” and click the search button.

Yes, it’s a LOT. But I guarantee there is something in all that which will pique your interest!

Of interest to Red Wing folks, and City of Red Wing and Prairie Island Indian Community specifically, Goodhue County too, is this, Chapter 4, p. 10 of 24:

My major concern is the sudden uptick, or upSHOOT, in its peak demand projections. We know how off they were, and to go from 0.2 to -0.2% annually to this 1.8% to 2%? Nope, ain’t happening. their overall energy projections could increase, as they say, due to EV and other factors, but EV is typically off peak, and with all the “efficiency” and “demand response” (in “quotes” because it isn’t nearly enough, isn’t nearly what’s possible and practical), there’s just no way. And don’t forget the absurd 2.49% of CapX 2020 when they wanted to justify spending billions on transmission to facilitate bulk power transfer. Equally unforgettable was Commerce-DER’s Steve Rakow’s absurd attempt to prove that the decrease in demand we were seeing was, as Xcel Energy said, just a blip — and we knew, and now have proof, that he and Xcel Energy were so off base, intentionally it would seem, there’s no other explanation. From nocapx2020.info:

Xcel Energy is claiming the “Sherco gen-tie” project is “needed,” but their link is off — they say “We filed the Certificate of Need in March 2023. You can review it here.” but nooooo… good luck with that:

Perhaps that’s because their REVISED CoN application was filed in May? Site hasn’t been updated? But that’s so unlike Xcel, they’re usually really on top of things. They’ll fix that soon.

Anyway, we know the MN Energy CONnection is WANTED, DESIRED, but not “needed.” It’s all about keeping its “valuable transmission interconnection rights.” Minnesota and Xcel energy policy is NOT “need.”

This new filing is about their “need” looking out to 2040! To do this, let’s start with a close look at their peak demand over the last 20+ years that I’ve been tracking it through their SEC filings:

Now, what about this new Integrated Resource Plan? It’s not on Xcel Energy’s website, so here it is:

That’s just the “narrative,” 202 pages, and the appendices, they go on and on and on…

Oh yeah, it’s a lot to wade through (I’ll need a new printer drum to deal with this.) What I recommend is to start with the “narrative” at the top there, and “term search” for what you’re interested in. For me, it’s always about “need.” There’s lots to dig into:

Energy demand? HA! I think they plot these graphs on a bar napkin! see IRP Chapter 1, p. 7 of 15:

And when it comes to peak demand, what a load, IRP Chapter 3, page 2 of 29:

And from the IRP, previous page, Chapter 3, 3 of 29:

SNORT OUT LOAD!! How absurd!

Once more with feeling — Xcel’s demand has been flat, highest peak ever was 2006, and it’s not gone that high since:

Yes, 2022 is the latest report, but we’ll have another any day now when they have their annual report with 2023 SEC 10-K. They say 9,309 in 2024 — and in 2023? Still looking for it.

Let’s take some time and find out what it is they want now!

The IRP is on the Commission’s agenda THIS THURSDAY, February 8th.

Here are staff briefing papers — the issues are listed above, and here are staff comments:

FYI – hot off the press is Commerce-DER request for modeling info. GOOD! Maybe they’re paying attention to that absurd 1.8% increase in peak demand!

Thursday’s meeting doesn’t seem a big deal for the Commission, but it might be worth listening in, click on “Webcast” — it’s first on the agenda — Commissioners may have some interesting comments:

Agenda MTG
Large Hearing Room, 121 7th Place E, Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55101
Thu, Feb 8, 10am
Meeting Details
Agenda
Live Webcast
Viewing Instructions
* items above will be linked when available

Over the last two weeks, we’ve had a bit of a road show for Xcel Energy‘s MN Energy CON(nection). We went from “Kilowatt Community Center” (really) in Granite Falls, to Marshall, and Olivia (Max’s Grill and Sheep Shed with the best ever salmon salad with feta dressing) and Redwood Falls the first week, and then Litchfield to Monticello and ending in Kimball, MN the following week.

The turnout was intense — and so many who commented were there because of CapX 2020, either on their land or in their community, and they were disgusted and angry. Rightly so! I encouraged them to weigh in, in writing, before the comment period is up on February 21 @ 4:30 p.m.

I’m hoping that folks will send in comments IN TECHNICOLOR about what needs to be in the Environmental Impact Statement — their knowledge of the local environmental issues such as DNR protected areas, field lines and road right-of-way, and their homes and barns and outbuildings. There’s also the magnetic fields modeled to be so much higher than upper bounds set by World Health Organization (though it seems stuck in 2018!) and NIEHS’s EMF Rapid Report (1999) , and there’s also the federal Environmental “Protection” Agency. True there’s no causation proven yet, but there IS association, which is how epidemiology works… not that the Public Utilities Commission or the Minnesota Appellate Court care (“Because we find merit in the commission’s conclusion that, given the lack of “resources at hand and the current state of scientific knowledge,” neither the present record nor any record that could feasibly be developed at this time would justify shutting down the line, we affirm.“).

What’s wrong with this chart? It’s based on 1,100 and 660 MVA. The application states:

Knowing 3,000 amps is more than a tad over 660-1,100 MVA, I asked about that to get it on the record. The first meeting, nada… I wanted to clarify if the twisted pairs in each circuit were also bundled, and couldn’t get that info. The following day, Jason Standing, their engineer on the job, had the answer, and yes, the twisted pairs are also bundled and it’s double-circuited. Sooooo, that’s a lot of power, well, a lot of capacity. So on to 3,000 amps — what’s the MVA associated with this conductor configuration at 3,000 amps? Tried a couple times over a couple days, and couldn’t get at it, and I requested that they, likely Jason, take the time to figure it out. And YES, the next day, he had the number. The twisted pair, bundled, and then double circuited, is…

3,584 MVA Rating

MVA is essentially MW, so think about that when they also say in the application that the line “will enable 4,000 MW of capacity.” Oh really? Now, convert that Table 6.1.12-2 in either row to the 3,584 MVA of 3,000 amps. Jason says, rightly, that it won’t always be running at that level, that it will go up and down, and they’ve no clue of an “average” or how often it’ll bump up that high, or … but let’s be clear, the capacity is there.

As always, their depiction of the magnetic fields multiplied to a max of 3,584 will be a lot higher. Even double of 1,200 and 2,200 MVA is a lot more. And what’s in that table is bad enough. At the edge of the right-of-way, 75 feet from center, at just 1,100 (less than 1/3 of capacity it’s 45 mG! That’s over TEN (10) times the recommendation of World Health Organization.

That said, let’s take a look at need. The purpose of the project is clearly stated on page 1 of the REVISED Certificate of Need (CoN) application:

And on page 3 of the CoN application:

How valuable? I’ve not found a clear answer, but I’m looking!!

Today, the STrib reports another high-speed option between Metro and Rochester:

A 700-mph tunnel between Twin Cities and Rochester? Group wants $2M from Met Council for ‘hyperloop’ study.

Haven’t they learned anything from Zip Rail?

Zip Rail’s dying gasp…

Apparently not here. And the federal Department of Transportation has issued guidance!

HYPERLOOP STANDARDS DESK REVIEW
Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT) Council

Back in 2020:

San Francisco To L.A. In 35 Minutes? Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Moves Closer To Reality

Closer to reality? Not quite… Though Musk’s hyperloop did not go far, it just so happened to go belly up at the end of 2023!

The hyperloop is dead for real this time

So now, those workers are looking to move on???

A couple of sentences here caught my attention, and I’m wondering…

Hyperloop One to Shut Down After Failing to Reinvent Transit

DP World, the Dubai-based conglomerate, has backed Hyperloop One since 2016 and owns a majority stake. The startup’s remaining intellectual property will be transferred to DP World, a person familiar with the situation said.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-21/hyperloop-one-to-shut-down-after-raising-millions-to-reinvent-transit

Is DP World involved in this reincarnation of the failed Musk Hyperloop?

Just NO! Do we need to go through this again?

Acute Promyleocytic Leukemia sucks, but as sucky things go, this hasn’t been so bad.

Today we had another confab with the Leukemia “fellow,” Dr. Premji, this one in person down in Rochester. She’s very cool, and we’re impressed. Alan’s been getting the best of care imaginable. He’s in the final “cycle” which will be winding up near month’s end. WHAT A RELIEF!!!

We got a look at what’s next, after finishing this EIGHT MONTH LONG round of daily treatment. It’s on a rotating basis back and forth between one cycle with 2 weeks of IV arsenic (arsenic on weekdays) and oral ATRA everyday and then 2 weeks of arsenic only (on weekdays); and the other cycle of 2 weeks of oral ATRA only and then 2 weeks off both. Eight alternating cycles, beginning in July after his June 23rd discharge, and at long last, the last infusion is February 27. TWENTY FIVE DAYS TO GO!

After treatment ends, Dr. Premji said it would be a few months until Alan’s immune system builds up after this extreme treatment, so probably June, but with COVID running rampant again, it’s a good time to be masking and isolating.

Platelets always go down a bit during an arsenic cycle, so no worries, they’ll bounce back! And what an improvement after that initial level of NINE (9) on admission. That rather freaked the doctors out! He’s been in remission since some time in that first blue spike “induction” phase ended, technically in remission on discharge June 23. Outpatient, it’s the “consolidation” phase (no idea why it’s called that), and it’s soon completed.

We’re still waiting on this month’s PML/RARa, should be back in a few days, but here’s verification of the good news, the nasty cells are down to ZERO and have been since early on:

After our March visit, he’ll be scheduled for a visit every 3 months. She said he’s been doing exceptionally well, far better than most, with almost no side effects, mindful that this is not chemo. It’s “treatment,” and always the APL treatment side effects of this are less, not at all debilitating or even uncomfortable, just some weird stuff, occasional headaches, skin falling off!!! We’ve only had one real bump in the road, pneumonia in October, with quick recovery. WHEW!

And after getting back from Rochester, another arsenic infusion today in Red Wing… Can’t wait until we’re done with these Rochester treks, and constant appointments here too, though now at least we know where we’re going in the Rochester tunnels, elevators, and we have quite a few “get out of jail free” cards for the parking lot. Red Wing always takes a long time to get the infusions going, but at least he can get them done here, that helps a lot.

Alan said he’d like another picnic at the Gonda building entrance…

He had to see his doggy, and Mayo wouldn’t let Sadie in, so when weather was good, we had an Indian feast at the door — veggie korma and palak paneer, pakora with lots of coriander chutney, and garlic naan of course. Frankly, that month-plus in the hospital was a rough time I’d rather not relive!

Yup, I’m counting the days until this is OVER! Last arsenic dose, arsenic and ATRA treatment ENDS on February 27th. Another bone marrow biopsy a week later, and meet for our “exit interview” after that.

TWENTY FIVE DAYS TO GO!!!