Now, to be clear, this doesn’t go back all that far.  But I’ve been doing some research, omphaloskepsis perhaps, digging back aways into transmission, looking at where we are given the status of CapX 2020 transmission these days, and I’ve been finding details I’d forgotten about, explanations of how we got here with CapX 2020 transmission going up across the state.  There are gems here and there and some things posted before that bear repeating.

Here’s one, a presentation that House Energy Chair gave the “Hilty Jilty” and wouldn’t allow the Committee to hear.  Gee, I wonder why?

House Energy Jan 29 2007

I was asked not too long ago what should be done to fix this mess, a legislative fix, particularly since the passage of the 2005 Transmission Omnibus Bill from Hell that gave Xcel and others everything they ever wanted (well, not quite, they always want more).  The most obvious is that the 2005 Transmission Omnibus Bill from Hell should be repealed (and don’t forget that this bill was brought to us as a deal, a package deal, and a good deal by our fiends at Izaak Walton League – Midwest, Fresh Energy, MCEA and North American Water Office, Bill Grant and George Crocker especially).  More specifically, “how to correct it” is much the same now as it was in 2007 (p. 24-27 of House Energy Jan 29 2007):

Simple, huh… particularly if we’re looking to reduce CO2 generation.

Here’s another blast from the past that bears repeating:

PUC Commissioner Reha: Enhancing the Nation’s Electricity Delivery System

One that strikes me as more than a bit odd (who wrote this?) is on p. 12:

Will federal policymakers and regulators force states in our region into a catch–22, compelling us to stand down public opposition to economic projects or default to federal backstop authority?

I realize that electricity is binary, but why is this framed this way?  Comments welcome as to the meaning of that sentence!