Dedication of CapX 2020?

Filed under:Brookings Routing Docket,Fargo-St Cloud,St.Cloud-Monticello — posted by admin on May 4, 2015 @ 3:35 pm

WHAT?!?!  The dedication ceremony for the CapX 2020 Brookings – Hampton and Fargo – St. Cloud – Monticello projects, and I didn’t get a gold engraved invitation?  And of course there’s Beth Soholt, “Wind on the Wires” (f/k/a a program of the Izaak Walton League) toadying for these projects — how much did Wind on the Wires get in grants to promote transmission?  Minnesota Department of Commerce represented as well, though it’s the Commissioner!  Why wouldn’t they send Beth’s old boss, Bill Grant, particularly given that he’s now Deputy Commissioner of Commerce!  It’s all connected, don’t cha know.

They say these are energized.  Wonder if/when they’re going to put transformers in?  Anyone know?

CapX Dedication Ceremony

How’s this for a quote, from the Forum:

The power buzzing in the transformers come from another power line that stretches west to the coal power plants in Center, N.D.

And the full article here: Xcel energizes new Fargo to St. Cloud powerline

Here’s the poop from KNSI News:

CapX2020 transmission lines celebrated

May 4, 2015 at 4:08 pm

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (KNSI) – A dedication ceremony was held today in St. Cloud to commemorate the completion of two high-voltage electric transmission lines — part of CapX2020. 

The CapX2020 Brookings County-Hampton and Fargo-St. Cloud-Monticello projects complete $1.3 billion worth of electric grid investment in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Will Kaul is chairman of CapX2020, a joint initiative of 11 transmission-owning utilities in Minnesota, the Dakotas and Wisconsin

“It’s just in time when the concern about the grid and the security and the resilience of the grid is very high … a time when the resource mix that is coming into play is in transition and new resources are coming online,” Kaul said.

The two projects took 11 years and were completed on time and without going over budget to provide reliable, affordable service to Minnesota and the surrounding region, while also expanding access to renewable energy, according to Teresa Mogensen of Xcel Energy.

“We compare our CapX2020 lines to another big project – the Vikings stadium – that’s a $1 billion investment, too,” said Mogensen, who provided some perspective.

The CapX2020 projects include four 345 kV transmission lines and one 230 kV line — the largest development of new transmission in the Upper Midwest in almost four decades.

One way the CapX2020 projects help keep prices low is by alleviating congestion on the system. When more electricity is needed in an area than the area’s transmission system can provide, electricity is dispatched from a different generation source that can serve the area, but at a higher cost.

 

 

Town of Holland files challenge in Circuit Court

Filed under:Appeal,BadgerCoulee - Wisconsin,Wisconsin — posted by admin on @ 9:22 am

Last week, Frank Jablonski, representing the Town of Holland, filed an appeal challenging the Wisconsin Public Service Commission Badger Coulee decision.  Holland went directly to the court, and didn’t bother with an administrative Motion for Reconsideration at the PSC.  Given their decision, and lack of substantive review or consideration, I can see why!

Here’s the PSC’s Final Order – Badger Coulee – 05-CE-142.

Here’s the Town of Holland’s Circuit Court – Petition for Judicial Review.

Others?  We shall see…

A Petition for Rehearing has to be filed within 20 days of the April 23, 2015 service of the Final Order. by my count, the 13th of May:

Petition for Rehearing

And for a Circuit Court Petition for Judicial Review, its 30 days, with Saturday the 23rd the 30th day, so Monday the 25th would be the deadline (but hey, do it on Friday the 22nd just because!):

Petition for Judicial Review

In an administrative decision, the further away from the decision, the further away you are from success in challenging it.  The important action is at the PSC, building the record for the decision, and the specifics in the Final Order.

And if someone wants to challenge it, what to do?  In Wisconsin, you have your choice, as above (in Minnesota, it requires a Petition for Reconsideration, and then after that’s resolved, on to the Appellate Court).  Either way, whether a Petition for Rehearing, or a Petition for Judicial Review to a Circuit Court, it’s an uphill battle to say the least.  If a Petition for Rehearing is filed, they’ll have to take it up, but can just say, “No, we’re not interested in a Rehearing,” and that’s the end of that.  If it goes directly to the Circuit Court, skipping the Petition for Rehearing step at the PSC, it’s still tough going.  Courts give administrative decisions “great deference,” as they are the “experts” in their field of jurisdiction, and it is a rare PSC Order that is remanded by a Circuit Court.  We can argue whether they’re “experts” or not (most of us would agree that they’re NOT!), but that won’t change the order.