Comment Period on Benson burner EXTENDED!
August 28th, 2017
Comments are due September 1, and Reply Comments are due September 15.
New law allows much of Minnesota’s biomass industry to be shut down
And it’s happening, and that’s a good thing — these plants that spew toxins and which have routinely violated their air permits should not have been built, permitted, and subsidized. Shut down is going to happen:
Xcel, Benson agree on plan to mitigate power plant closure – MPR News
But is what they’ve agreed to in the public interest? Who all was a party to the negotiation? Are there other ways to deal with this?
Xcel Energy has asked the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to approve its request to terminate the Power Purchase Agreement for the Benson turkey shit burner.
To review the full docket, E-002/M-17-530, go HERE, and search for “17” (year) and “530” (docket).
What’s at issue?
I need to find the older dockets, they’re not listed here…
Comment period on HERC PPA Amendment
August 22nd, 2017
That’s the HERC garbage burner, known to some as the “Hennepin Energy Recovery Center.” It’s right next to the new baseball field, so I made a “HERC Hanky” as schnozz cover in the stands.
Xcel now wants to revise the HERC Power Purchase Agreement and lower the price it pays HERC for electricity.
Hmmmmm, changing the rules in the middle of the game. Burning garbage has never been an economically winning proposition. Cut the rate? What will that mean for Hennepin County? As of a few minutes ago, the Public Utilities Commission announced a comment period on this change:
Comments? About what?
Initial Comments are due by 4:30 p.m. on September 11, 2017. eFiling is preferred. To eFile comments, go HERE TO REGISTER. It’s simple and fast. When you file, file under docket number 17 – 532 (that’s 17 for “year” and 532 for “docket number”)
Note the Commission asks, “Are there other project-related issues or concerns?” Well, what’s wrong with HERC and burning? For a long time this has been an issue for Neighbors Organizing for Change, Neighbors Against the Burner, Minneapolis Neighbors for Clean Air (wayback version), and the Sierra Club and the push to increase tonnage burned was successfully brought to a screeching halt by these groups and the folks of Minneapolis! You can find some general information at Alan Muller’s site. Alan reports that the HERC air permit expired something like 8 years ago, not uncommon. Most Minnesota air permits are expired and the MPCA isn’t doing much about it.
Some specifics on the tonnage burning increase request that was foiled:
Remember this? “The Burning Question” way back in 2013? Let’s get real, burning garbage isn’t a question!!!
Tuesday 9/17 – Dr. Paul Connett at Mayflower Church
Who is paying attention to this now?
Hearing on Minot Load Delivery Transmission Project
August 18th, 2017
Today was the hearing on Xcel Energy’s Minot Load Serving Transmission Project, or McHenry-Magic City 230 kV Transmission Line Project.
PSC hears NSP’s plan to upgrade transmission line to Minot
I got a Google Alert on this project, and it’s just a short jaunt from the Ft. Stevenson State Park (no relation to Xcel’s Grant Stevenson, I believe), so it seemed a lot more exciting than a tour of the Garrison Dam (I mean, yawn, we toured the Ft. Peck Dam last year and a dam’s a dam!). Last night was a rough night in the ol’ campground, highest winds I’ve ever experienced, and I thought the roof might collapse. Not a drop of rain, but the wind was so high, and lightning and thunder just a bit to the north. Everything blew around and I had to get up and get out and get everything in. Whew, it’s tired out…
Here’s the project:
The Route Application, at issue in this hearing:
Consolidated Application for Certificate of Corridor Compatibility, Route Permit, Waiver
And the CPCN Application, which has been issued:
Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity
This hearing yesterday was about not just Xcel’s application, but also its request for a waiver, wanting to rush it through. That was the major point that made no sense. This project was the result of a study that is Appendix A in the above Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, and a Supplement that is Appendix B. It was dated 3/27, 2015, which is 2.5 years ago! Why the hurry? It’s also in MISO’s MTEP 15. The CPCN application wasn’t filed until September, 2016, by Pam Rasmussen. Again, what’s the hurry? That wasn’t answered. Xcel’s Tom Hilstrom said that he was responsible for the application, and that there were things that changed, but ??? Granted, “Hilly” probably wasn’t at Xcel for some of the time in question, Pam Rasmussen could have filed it, anyone could have, but it wasn’t. So it’s not really so urgent, eh?
The “need” for this project, and this project alone, wasn’t established. Commissioner Fedorchak had a number of questions about need, acknowledging that the CPCN proceeding came before, was already decided, but she wanted more info on need. However, when I raised issues about “what’s the hurry” and “need” and urged them to consider generation in Minot, such as natural gas generation, solar installed on the excess 40 acres of substation land purchased that isn’t necessary for the substation, and that all the recommendations of the study should be addressed, not just this one. I also asked that they take into consideration the unspecified GRE project connected (after all, this is transmission, it’s all connected, and another Commissioner had questions about Xcel’s agreements with the other transmission owners, particularly GRE, owner of the McHenry substation). Fedorchak apparently wasn’t too happy and wanted to make sure I knew need had already been decided. Ummmmm, raising issues similar to the ones she raised… hmmmmm. And she very pointed asked, “And what’s YOUR interest in this project?” I’d disclosed that at the beginning, no dog in the fight, camping nearby, got notice, and so looked into it. That’s called public participation.
What’s more odd is that there were only two of us who commented on the project. The other speaker was from the North Prairie Town Board, which had worked out an agreement with Xcel to follow quarter section lines rather than cut cross country diagonally, as the existing line does. Kudos to the town board!!!
The study has a number of changes recommended, and the transformer at McHenry substation is the limiting factor. Also, given that this is two lines on one structure, that’s regarded by NERC as one element, not two, and therefore not technically a reliability boost!
And about that McHenry transformer… where’s that? And it seems that the “rebuild both Ward County-Souris 115kV lines should be a top priority.
The good news? North Dakota has some interesting notions, like that those testifying should be reminded of “perjury” and that they swear or affirm that their testimony is true, both utility witnesses and the public (there was no staff testimony). Second is that the Commissioners go to the hearings! What a concept! Commissioner Christmann, responding to my testimony, wanted me to note how exceptional it is that the Commissioners were there, but it’s not ONLY North Dakota. That’s how it works in Wisconsin too, except in WI, it’s only the public hearings, and not the evidentiary hearings, although there is usually one commissioner present, and/or commissioners’ staff, to monitor. I had a short chat with Commissioner Kroshus, who came up and introduced himself, in a break, prior to my testimony,and I was clear, FULL DISCLOSURE, no dog in the fight, not representing anyone in this, and we talked some about differences in procedure, the ups and downs of our respective states.
Meanwhile… the office today, a perfect day in the shade at the Marina!
Protesters attacked by white supremacist… again
August 13th, 2017
Remember the assault by car in Minneapolis against Black Lives Matters protesters, the one where initially the police claimed the driver was the victim, and some media outlets reported it in that framing despite the readily available helicopter video of the entire incident!?!?!
What the hell is wrong with people?
And white nationalist Scarcella’s shooting of Black Lives Matter protesters in Minneapolis?
15 years in prison for gunman who shot 5 Jamar Clark protesters
And…
2 sentenced for aiding man who shot Black Lives Matter protesters at Fourth Precinct
Now it’s happened again, in Charlottesville, VA, and with much more horrific consequences. One person has died, 20 plus injured:
Man charged with murder for allegedly plowing into crowd
One dead as car strikes crowds amid protests of white nationalist gathering in Charlottesville; two police die in helicopter crash
Mayor Singer of Charlottesville made an impassioned speech urging the white nationalists, neo-Nazis to go home, and drawing the connection to the vitriolic Trump campaign that worked to normalize white nationalism and hate:
Charlottesville mayor on Trump: ‘Look at the campaign he ran’ – KIFI
“Look at the intentional courting both, on the one hand, of all these white supremacists, white nationalist groups like that, anti-Semitic groups,” Signer said. “And then look on the other hand, the repeated failure to step up, condemn, denounce, silence, you know, put to bed all those different efforts.”
However, Signer said the country would move ahead, and the problems went beyond what he saw in Trump.
“To be honest, this is not about Donald Trump,” Signer said, adding that the violence from white supremacists demonstrated that the country’s core democratic principles were eroding, but people had an opportunity to change for the better.
“People will react to the darkness with a whole lot more light,” he said.
tRump’s response missed the mark:
“… hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides…” WHAT? Yet again, it’s white nationalists, and this is his statement? tRump who encouraged violence at his campaign rallies, who welcomed Steve Bannon into his administration, who encouraged white nationalists, and who enjoyed the support of the likes of David Duke.
Charlottesville: Trump criticised over response to far-right
Speaking of David Duke, the voice of the KKK:
What a Jewish journalist saw in Charlottesville
From a white supremacist’s family:
Letter: Family denounces Tefft’s racist rhetoric and actions
My name is Pearce Tefft, and I am writing to all, with regards to my youngest son, Peter Tefft, an avowed white nationalist who has been featured in a number of local news stories over the last several months.
On Friday night, my son traveled to Charlottesville, Va., and was interviewed by a national news outlet while marching with reported white nationalists, who allegedly went on to kill a person.
I, along with all of his siblings and his entire family, wish to loudly repudiate my son’s vile, hateful and racist rhetoric and actions. We do not know specifically where he learned these beliefs. He did not learn them at home.
I have shared my home and hearth with friends and acquaintances of every race, gender and creed. I have taught all of my children that all men and women are created equal. That we must love each other all the same.
Evidently Peter has chosen to unlearn these lessons, much to my and his family’s heartbreak and distress. We have been silent up until now, but now we see that this was a mistake. It was the silence of good people that allowed the Nazis to flourish the first time around, and it is the silence of good people that is allowing them to flourish now.
Peter Tefft, my son, is not welcome at our family gatherings any longer. I pray my prodigal son will renounce his hateful beliefs and return home. Then and only then will I lay out the feast.
His hateful opinions are bringing hateful rhetoric to his siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews as well as his parents. Why must we be guilty by association? Again, none of his beliefs were learned at home. We do not, never have, and never will, accept his twisted worldview.
He once joked, “The thing about us fascists is, it’s not that we don’t believe in freedom of speech. You can say whatever you want. We’ll just throw you in an oven.”
Peter, you will have to shovel our bodies into the oven, too. Please son, renounce the hate, accept and love all.
Tefft lives in Fargo.
MISO’s MTEP 17 Draft!
August 8th, 2017
No, wait, that’s not right…
Yeah, that’s it… Midcontinent Independent System Operator, MISO, has released the draft MISO Transmission Expansion Planning report, or MTEP 17. From the MISO MTEP17 page, here are the live links:
MTEP17 Reports
Full Report
Executive Summary
Book 1 – Transmission Studies
Book 2 – Resource Adequacy
Book 3 – Policy Landscape
Book 4 – Regional Energy Information
Appendix AB
Appendix D1 Central
Appendix D1 East
Appendix D1 South
Appendix D1 West
Appendix D2 Projects In models Documentation
E1 Reliability Planning Methodology
Appendix E2 EGEAS Assumptions
MTEP17 Appendix A1 A2 A3
MTEP17 Appendix F Substantive Comments
Also from MISO’s MTEP page:
Transmission Planning Status Reports
Generation Retirement Sensitivity Analysis – Scope
Generation Retirement Sensitivity Analysis – Scope Appendix 1
And the most important one that shows what they’re up to in transmission planning, the link, and just in case it disappears, the spreadsheet:
MTEP17 Active Project List
And supposedly they’re taking comments from “stakeholders,” so says the MISO email announcement:
Please send any feedback on this report to David Lucian (dlucian@misoenergy.org) by August 25, 2017. Stakeholders will have an additional opportunity to provide feedback when the second draft of MTEP17 is posted on September 18, 2017. A list of report milestones is provided below.
| Item | MTEP17 Schedule |
| MISO posts first draft for external review | August 10 |
| Stakeholder review and comments | August 25 |
| MISO posts 2nd draft | Sept 18 |
| MISO System Planning Committee | Sept 19 |
| PAC – Report Review | Sept 27 |
| Substantive Comments Deadline | Oct 2 |
| PAC – Report update | Oct 18 |
| PAC motion | Oct 18 |
| MISO System Planning Committee – November | Nov 16 |
| MISO Board of Directors meeting | Dec 7 |