Sounds as if Ms. Overland

amuller — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:47:25 -0600

Sounds as if Ms. Overland has the facts and the power line scheme smells a front for a proposed big new coal unit in South Dakota.

Maybe a little more investigation is called for?

It's for wind - NOT!!!

CAOverland — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:22:24 -0600

It's for wind - NOT!!! Methinks somebody better remind Outland, and this paper, that under FERC rules, they cannot "discriminate" against generators, meaning that if wind, coal, nuclear, turkey turd, or whatever fuel source wants transmission and is in the MISO queue, completes transmission studies and gets interconnection authorization, they've got to let it on the line. So if the Big Stone II coal plant wants to connect, they've got to let it.

Also, a private company does not have power of eminent domain to take land for transmission lines.

Oh, and this story should also report that Ingrid Bjorklund is a registered lobbyist for Big Stone II. What interests is she representing here?

It matters because Big Stone II's transmission is now under scrutiny at the Minnesota PUC, and they've not proven that the coal plant is needed, the permit is being contested -- the BSII transmission studies, Phase 5, show that it can't interconnect as proposed, and are now including CapX 2020 in the studies. They can't connect without CapX. South Dakota recently authorized a "just in case" transmission line on the eastern side of the state. Now here's an announcement for this Outland Renewable Energy "it's for wind" line. Hmmmmmm, funny how that works... more correctly, we know it doesn't. You can't have "it's for wind" lines, coal will have access too. It's the law. That's why big wind should be sited by gas peaking plants, to utilize available transmission infrastructure and transmission reservations. Put the wind where it can be connected -- and that's all over the state. Look at substation loading. You don't have to build on Buffalo Ridge, you don't have to run transmission over landowners, and you don't have to pay big bucks for building transmission. Wind developers can build in areas with lower speed wind resource that has transmission access.

Carol A. Overland
Transmission Attorney
www.nocapx2020.info
www.legalectric.org

Chaska firm plans wind-generated power line

Pat Minelli — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:26:21 -0600

Shakopee Valley News - Chaska firm plans wind-generated power line - Comments

Sounds as if Ms. Overland

It's for wind - NOT!!!

Chaska firm plans wind-generated power line