Category Archives: PUC Filings

PUC to address “completeness” and referral for hearing

DSC01774

Notice just issued — the Public Utilities Commission will decide a few issues regarding the Not-So-Great Northern Transmission Line at its meeting on Thursday, December 19, 2013.

December 19, 2013, 9:30 a.m. – ???

Public Utilities Commission

121 – 7th Place East, Large Hearing Room

St. Paul, MN

Here’s the meeting notice:

NOTICE OF COMMISSION MEETING 12-19-2013

What’s at issue:

  • Should the Commission accept the certificate of need application as substantially complete?
  • Should the Commission refer the Matter to the Office of Administrative Hearings for acontested case proceeding?
  • What action should the Commission take regarding other procedural items?

There are no “Briefing Papers” posted yet, which will tell us what the Commission staff is recommending.  Stay tuned — when they post the briefing papers, I’ll put them up here!

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Comments due on Completeness NOW!

piles of files

COMMENTS ARE DUE TODAY BY 4:30 PM.

The comment notice is very limited, this isn’t about need, about where the route goes, it’s about whether Minnesota Power has filed an application that includes all that is in the rule requirements, and it also is about whether a contested case is necessary (YES! DOH!):

NoticeComment – Completeness

Topic/s Open for Comment:

• Does the application contain the information required by Minnesota Rules, part 7849.0220, subpart 2?
• Are there any contested issues of fact with respect to the representations made in the application?

SEND YOUR COMMENTS TODAY TO:

PublicComments.PUC@state.mn.us

Here’s what’s been filed in the record so far, note everyone is agreeing that this requires referral to Office of Administrative Hearings for a Contested Case (YES! DOH!):

Overland Completeness Comment

Large Utility Intervenors – InitialComment_201311-93819-01

Commerce DER Comments – 201311-93825-01

Public Comments thus far:

Public Comments December 2012 – 201212-82117-01
Public Comments Posted May 2013 – 20135-86654-01

Public Comments Posted September 2013 – 20139-91858-01

Public Comments Posted October 2013 – 201310-92996-01

Public Comments posted November 2013 – 201311-93253-01

Public Comments posted November 2013 – 201311-93612-01

Public Comments posted November 2013 – 201311-93786-01

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THANK YOU!! Not-so-Great NTL Application arrived

DSC01774

Thanks to David Moeller, Attorney at Minnesota Power, for a real notebook full of their application for the Not-so-Great Northern Transmission Line (thought I’d say it was full of something else, eh?).  And an Application for the ATC/Xcel Badger Coulee transmission line is on the way too!  What a great day!

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PUC issues Notice of Comment Period

Business Starting Line

We’re off to the races — the Public Utilities Commission has issued its Notice of the Comment Period, initial comments on completeness due November 19, 2013, and reply comments due December  3, 2013.

Notice of Comment Period – Completeness_201310-92832-01

What’s at issue?  It’s pretty loose, essentially whether the application is complete, so says the PUC:

Topic/s Open for Comment:

• Does the application contain the information required by Minnesota Rules, part 7849.0220, subpart 2?

• Are there any contested issues of fact with respect to the representations made in the application?

And if this wasn’t enough, ATC/Xcel also applied for the Badger-Coulee transmission line today, from La Crosse to Madison (the Cardinal sub in Middleton).  www.nocapx2020.info

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

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GNTL Application Filed

Canada_Goose

A little birdie gave me a heads up, and … sigh… here we go!

But before we get into the application, it’s important you know how to get into the PUC docket and look around for yourself.  To look at everything that’s been filed here thus far, go to www.puc.state.mn.us and then “Search eDockets” and search for Docket 12-1163 (under “year” go to “12” and under “number” type in 1163).  The docket will come up.  To “subcribe” to the docket, it’d kind of confusing, but go to the column headings, and click a box under the column “Subscribe” and then move up to the button that says “Subscribe” and click that, then follow the directions at the next screen and type in your email address and for “type of subscription” click “Docket number.”  Then you’ll get notice of all the filings in that docket.

Also, here is a flowchart of how this will go, the process for a Certificate of Need (click for larger version)(the Courier font comments are mine, added for a flyer last year):

PUC Process-Edited

There are public participation opportunities that are not show in the the official process.  On the left hand side, where the ALJ holds the hearings, before that there is the opening for intervention, meaning you can ask for a seat at the table.  At the hearings, you may question witnesses, either as a formal intervenor, or as a participant — the PUC doesn’t want you to know about these options (duh!  If they did, they’d include it in their official flow chart).  As this docket moves forward, I’ll be posting notices of the deadlines so you’ll have the chance to jump in, chime in, and weigh in!

The application for the Not-So-Great Northern Transmission Line has been filed.

Cover_201310-92766-01

CoN Application_201310-92766-02

App A_201310-92766-03

App B_201310-92766-04

App C_201310-92766-05

App D_PPA_201310-92766-06

App E_Need Powerpoint_201310-92766-08

App F_201310-92766-09

Appendix G – Environmental Info — too large to upload!

App H_Forecast_201310-92773-01

App I_201310-92773-02

App J_MP IRP_201310-92773-03

App K_CIP_201310-92773-04

App L_Labovitz_201310-92773-05

App M_NorthernAreaStudy_201310-92773-06

App N_StabilityStudy_201310-92773-07

Where’s Appendix O???  It’s been filed!!!  Here it is:

App O part 1 Manitoba-US Xmsn Devo Wind Injection Study_201310-92790-01

App O part 2  201310-92790-02

App O part 3  201310-92790-03

App O part 4  201310-92790-04

App P_LoopFlowStudy_201310-92784-01

App Q_MH-US TSR Sensitivity_201310-92784-02

App R_MISO MarketReport_201310-92784-03

I’d pay particular attention to the last half of the filings, and get a load of that Labovitz “study.”  Those are always a crock.  Bad news is that Skurla might not be a witness, boo-hiss, he’s so much fun!

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Not-so-Great Northern Xmsn Line ramping up

GNTL_XmsnCorridors

There are meetings happening this week and next on the Great Northern Transmission Line, stretching from Manitoba south easterly toward Duluth.

Meeting schedule (or CLICK HERE):

Meetingsched

Where is this project at?  It’s just at the beginning.  To see what’s in the PUC’s docket thus far, go HERE and search for docket number 12-1163.  The Notice Plan and Exemptions from filing requirements have been approved by the Commission, so the Application is probably going to be filed any day now.

What is Minnesota Power saying about the Great Northern Transmission Project?  That’s their site, highlighted, and here’s handouts from prior meetings:

MN-GNTL Handout

Think we need it?  Think we don’t?  I need to do some digging this week, and I’ll post what I find.  But to be clear, I’ve never seen a transmission that was wanted for the reasons they say it’s needed.

Here’s the Certificate of Need process, roughly, and ignore the comments typed in about when Notice Plan comments are due, that’s history.  Remember that to have a seat at the table and the opportunity to influence what happens, it’s time to INTERVENE!!!

PUC Process-Edited

 

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Not-so-Great Northern Transmission Line Comments

Comments were due today on Minnesota Power’s request for Exemptions from the rules governing content of Applications for a Certificate of Need for a transmission line.

map01

Look at the red on that map — potentially affected areas where MP is looking to put a transmission line.  WOOOOO-EEEE, that’s a lot of land!

Minnesota Power’s proposed Great Northern Transmission Line is inching along in the Certificate of Need process.  Here’s Minnesota Power’s site:

Great Northern Transmission Line page

And to look at the full docket, go to www.puc.state.mn.us, click on “Search eDockets” and search for 12-1163.  The application is expected sometime in March or so, but I’d guess it will be later.

Here’s how they plan to let people know about the project — it was filed a while ago, Comments were due, and I tried and tried to get people to comment, oh well, here’s what was filed about the Notice Plan filed in October and the Comments filed in November:

MP Great Northern Transmission Line Notice Plan

Commerce Comments on MP’s GNTL Notice Plan

Overland Notice Plan Comments

That’s sitting at the PUC now.  So where are we?  Just starting out…  Here’s a diagram of the hoops for the PUC process, edited a bit by yours truly for handouts at the meetings a couple months ago, we’re at the very first box in the chart:

puc-process-edited1

Today, comments were due on the Minnesota Power request for Exemptions from some specific rules, Reply Comments, that is.  Here’s what’s been filed:

Minnesota Power Exemption Request

Commerce Comments – Exemptions Request

MP Exemptions Reply Comments

Overland-Legalectric Reply Comments

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Notice Plan – “Not-so-Great” Northern Transmission Line

mpbuildinglogo

Today Comments were due on Minnesota Power’s Great Northern Transmission Line.  I’m sorry, but I just can’t bring myself to call a transmission line “Great” and that’s just how it is…  Anyway, Minnesota Power is getting ready to file a Certificate of Need application, this is the lead up, what they have to do to provide notice to people when they actually file.  So here’s their draft plan:

Minnesota Power’s Notice Plan for Great Northern Transmission Line

Comments on that plan were due today.  Here’s what I filed:

Overland’s Notice Plan Comments, November 19, 2012

Here’s what Commerce filed earlier today:

MOES Comment – GNTL Notice Plan

moes-tavern

Haven’t gotten word on any others.

To keep an eye on what’s going on in this docket, go HERE and search for docket 12-1163.

A little sidebar here — while looking for a logo, some things popped out — did you know that Minnesota Power sponsors, with the Lignite Energy Council, a “Teachers Seminar” on coal?  It’s the only teacher workshop listed, though there are multiple listings under “School Programs” and “Educational Materials.”

Lignite Education Seminar

OH MY!  Check their “Electricity 101” pdf:

Electricity 101

p. 7:

1929—Stock market crash revealed that many holding companies were over-leveraged

–As a result, federal and state governments strengthened utility regulation.

There are some interesting charts and graphs in Electricity 101 that are interesting and that I’d like to see updated.  Hear that, MP!?!?!

mn-power-centennial-003

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Not-So-Great Northern Transmission

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Got that?  NO hockey sticks in the hotel!

Yesterday, both meetings, in Hermantown and in Grand Rapids, were well attended.  The Hermantown municipal building is new, nothing like that was there last time I was in town, it’s been a while.  Very nice building, wonder if Minnesota Power’s Arrowhead transmission line had anything to do with that?

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Here are copies of what I’ve been handing out:

Handout – November GNTL Meetings

Notice Plan Comment Form – click to download editable form

Notice Plan Comments are due November 19, 2012, and Reply Comments due December 10, 2012.  Send to burl.haar@state.mn.us, with “Great Northern Notice Plan Comments – Docket 12-1163” in subject line.

Minnesota Power’s Notice Plan for Great Northern Transmission Line

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I’ve been looking for the studies that support this line, made some progress, but not enough, MISO has a page on the Northern Area Study.  Here’s the kind of map I find interesting, one that shows the flows and areas where they want more, from 20120921 Northern Area Study Transmission Design:

interfacecontour

Here are the docs listed (hey MISO, don’t bother deleting them, I’ve got them saved…):

Northern Area Study TRG
NAS_LDE_Congestion_09212012
NAS_IntcInterfaceFlows_NASUn_CA_09282012
NAS_IncInterfaceFlows_NASUn_SS_09282012
NAS_IncInterfaceFlows_EastUn_SS_09282012
NAS_IncInterfaceFlows_EastUN_CA_09282012
NAS_HDE_Congestion_09212012
NAS_BAU_Congestion_09212012
20121102 Northern Area Study TRG Agenda
20121102 Northern Area Study Presentation
20120921 Northern Area Study Transmission Design
20120921 Northern Area Study Presentation
20120921 Northern Area Study FULL RESULTS
20120921 Northern Area Study Economic Factors
20120921 Northern Area Study Agenda
20120801 Northern Area Study Scope
20120711 Northern Area Study Presentation Scope Follow-up
20120607 Northern Area Study TRG Presentation
20120607 Northern Area Study TRG Agenda

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