CapX 2020 in North Dakota
Here’s more on the reach of CapX, from the Grand Forks Herald Review, couched in “it’s for wind” propaganda:
… Of course, wind energy isn’t about to replace coal or other energy sources in the state and region any time soon…
… “For a while, utilities were reluctant to build transmission lines because of questions of how they would get their return on the investment,†Nisbet said. “That’s changing.” …
Yup, it’s changing all right, changing to give utilities instant return for transmission expenditures. And that’s because the state of Minnesota, at the encouragement of “environmental” groups contractually beholden to promoting transmission, gave them the ability to recover costs immediately if it’s “for renewable” (as was claimed in the SW MN 345kV line where ~11% at most would be coming off of Buff Ridge). Here’s the 2005 Transmission Omnibus Bill from Hell. This gave out perks like this:
This bill also established “Transmission Only” companies, like TRANSLink, which had been strongly opposed by former Attorney General Mike Hatch. But then the “environmental organizations” did the “TRANSLink deal” which required, among other things, promotion of transmission companies, so this legislation, pushed by Bill Grant, Izaak Walton League, and George Crocker, NAWO, gave Xcel, et al., this option that was so disfavored that Xcel withdrew it from the PUC:
and…
So let’s see, is there anything else the utilities need to prepare for CapX 2020??? Oh, the “Minnesota” need criteria was gutted, changed to be “regional” so that opens the door even wider… gee, thanks…
(9) with respect to a high-voltage transmission line, the
benefits of enhanced regional reliability, access, or
deliverability to the extent these factors improve the
robustness of the transmission system or lower costs for
electric consumers in Minnesota;
Here’s a 2007 utility infrastructure rate return scheme that gives them pronto-payback:
Oh, and they also limited the amount that a transmission company can be assessed for permitting proceedings, yup, good idea when CapX 2020 is coming through, the biggest project ever, and we’ve got an agency that couldn’t get it up if its life depended on it …
But hey… Crocker got C-BED out of this deal, doesn’t that make it all worthwhile? Who pays? Who benefits?
Minn. Stat. 216B.1612 Community Based Energy Development. Tariff.
And we all know whose company C-BED is, eh?
C-BED Secretary of State filings:
Web site established 12/25/05 per Wayback Machine
And then there’s the 2007 C-BED perks:
Yup, no question why we’re where we are now with not a heck of a lot to do, under the statutes, to shut this open door to CapX 2020. Thanks, guys… it’s your legacy.