Not-So-Great Northern Transmission

Area meetings

The U.S. Department of Energy is holding more public input meetings on the Great Northern Transmission Line at the following times:

Kelliher

Wednesday: 11 a.m. at Kelliher Public School, 345 Fourth St. N.W.

Bigfork

Wednesday: 6 p.m. at Bigfork School, 100 Huskie Boulevard.

Grand Rapids

Thursday: 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Sawmill Inn, S. U.S. Highway 169, Grand Rapids, Minn.

More info: 1.usa.gov/1mX00NR.

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July 22, 2014 · 3:11 pm

Wednesday & Thursday – DOE Scoping Hearings

Yes, it never ends. Tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday, we’re having scoping hearings before the U.S. DOE (and also Commerce). Yes, we’ve been through it before, but this is a MUCH more intense review of environmental impacts, and most importantly, ALTERNATIVES! Please come to the meetings and let them know what SPECIFICALLY should be covered in the environmental review.

These meetings are in an open house format, and after that, a formal comment period where your comments will be taken down by a court reporter. It’s important to give your comments to the court reporter because otherwise it won’t be part of the record and won’t be taken into consideration. You can also send comments in to the DOE:

Comments are due by August 11, 2014. Send comments to:

Julie Ann Smith

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE-20)

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue SW.

Washington, DC 20585

Via email: Juliea.Smith@hq.doe.gov

COME ON OUT TO THE MEETINGS!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014:

Kelliher, MN: Kelliher Public School, 345 4th Street NW., Kelliher, MN, 56650; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

Bigfork, MN: Bigfork School, 100 Huskie Boulevard, Bigfork, MN, 56628; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 24, 2014:

Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

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Filed under Environmental Review, Hearings, Meetings, Open Houses, Presidential Permit

July 18, 2014 · 4:49 pm

July 23 & 24 — DOE & MN Dept. of Commerce Scoping

Scoping meetings — again — but this time it’s the DOE! And Minnesota Dept. of Commerce for the Routing Permit. You may ask why so many scoping meetings, it does get confusing. The Dept. of Energy has been asked to issue a Presidential Permit for the border crossing for this project between Manitoba and Minnesota. So in addition to the TWO proceedings before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, there’s another federal docket for this Presidential Permit (scroll down to bottom of this post for that application). The Environmental Impact Statement for the state Routing Permit and the federal Routing Permit will be done by Commerce, and it will be more intense than their “Environmental Report” for the state Certificate of Need.

So here we go again, it’s time to show up/write comments for this much more thorough Environmental Impact Statement.

Comments are due by August 11, 2014. Send comments to:

Julie Ann Smith

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE-20)

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue SW.

Washington, DC 20585

Via email: Juliea.Smith@hq.doe.gov

Wednesday, July 23, 2014:

Kelliher, MN: Kelliher Public School, 345 4th Street NW., Kelliher, MN, 56650; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

Bigfork, MN: Bigfork School, 100 Huskie Boulevard, Bigfork, MN, 56628; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, July 24, 2014:

Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

Here’s the Federal Register Notice:

Federal Register — Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and conduct Public Scoping Meetings, and Notice of Floodplains and Wetlands Involvement; Great Northern Transmission Line

Presidential Permit Application

To look at the full Public Utilities Commission dockets, go to the “Search Dockets” page and search for docket 14-21 (Routing docket) or 12-1163 (Certificate of Need). Everything in the record is there.

What’s going to happen when? So far we only have a Scheduling Order for the Certificate of Need Docket:

Scheduling Order_1 PHO_20141-95906-01

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Filed under Environmental Review, Presidential Permit, Routing Docket

July 8, 2014 · 12:52 am

Hold yer horses, Conawapa…

conawapa

The recommendations of the Public Utilities Board of Manitoba, in short:

The Panel recommends to the Government of Manitoba that:

Spending on the Conawapa Project and the North-South Transmission Upgrade Project be discontinued immediately and the projects terminated;

The Keeyask Project proceed with an in-service date of 2019;

The 750 MW U.S. Transmission Interconnection Project proceed;

Manitoba Hydro be divested of Demand Side Management (DSM) responsibilities and the Government of Manitoba establish an independent arm’s length entity to deliver government-mandated DSM targets; and

The Government of Manitoba not approve any further generation and transmission projects, or approve the commencement of spending on such projects, unless such projects have been examined through a comprehensive and regularly occurring integrated resource planning process.

THE FULL REPORT.

So if Canada’s Public Utilities Board says, “Manitoba Hydro had not made a strong enough business case for building the Conawapa dam,” why would there be any question that the Not-so-Great Northern Transmission line is not needed?

What does this mean? The DOE is starting their scoping hearings for the federal environmental review next week:

1. Roseau, MN: Roseau Civic Center, 121 Center Street East, Roseau, MN, 56751; Wednesday. July 16, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

2. Baudette, MN: Lake of the Woods School, 236 15th Ave. SW., Baudette, MN, 56623; Wednesday, July 16, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

3. Littlefork, MN: Littlefork Community Center, 220 Main Street, Littlefork, MN, 56653; Thursday, July 17, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

4. International Falls, MN: AmericInn, 1500 Highway 71, International Falls, MN, 56649; Thursday, July 17, 2014, 6:00 p.m.

5. Kelliher, MN: Kelliher Public School, 345 4th Street NW., Kelliher, MN, 56650; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

6. Bigfork, MN: Bigfork School, 100 Huskie Boulevard, Bigfork, MN, 56628; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

7. Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

8. Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

TODAY! Notice of Intent to Prepare EIS

It’s official, and thanks to the little birdie for letting me know!

Here is is in pdf:

GNTL NOI 06272014

There is no way I’d ever catch anything in the Federal Register — guess I’d better fine tune my google alerts!

Federal Register — Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and conduct Public Scoping Meetings, and Notice of Floodplains and Wetlands Involvement; Great Northern Transmission Line

Scoping meetings will be held at locations, below, on July 16th & 17th and 23rd & 24th. Mark your calendars!

Interested parties are invited to participate in the scoping process, both to help define the environmental issues to be analyzed and to identify the range of reasonable alternatives. DOE invites interested agencies, organizations, Native American tribes, and members of the public to submit comments to assist in identifying significant environmental issues and in determining the appropriate scope of the EIS. Written and oral comments will be given equal weight. Public scoping meetings will be held at the locations, dates, and times as indicated below:

1. Roseau, MN: Roseau Civic Center, 121 Center Street East, Roseau, MN, 56751; Wednesday. July 16, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

2. Baudette, MN: Lake of the Woods School, 236 15th Ave. SW., Baudette, MN, 56623; Wednesday, July 16, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

3. Littlefork, MN: Littlefork Community Center, 220 Main Street, Littlefork, MN, 56653; Thursday, July 17, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

4. International Falls, MN: AmericInn, 1500 Highway 71, International Falls, MN, 56649; Thursday, July 17, 2014, 6:00 p.m.

5. Kelliher, MN: Kelliher Public School, 345 4th Street NW., Kelliher, MN, 56650; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

6. Bigfork, MN: Bigfork School, 100 Huskie Boulevard, Bigfork, MN, 56628; Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

7. Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 11:00 a.m.

8. Grand Rapids, MN: Sawmill Inn, 2301 South Hwy 169, Grand Rapids, MN, 55744; Thursday, July 24, 2014, at 6:00 p.m.

The scoping meetings will be structured in two parts: first, a “workshop” period with presentations on the proposed GNTL Project, and the state and federal decisions, followed by informal discussion that will not be recorded; and, second, the formal taking of comments with transcription by a court stenographer. The meetings will provide interested parties the opportunity to view proposed project exhibits, ask questions, and make comments. The Applicant, DOE, and MN DOC-EERA will be available to answer questions and provide additional information to attendees to the extent that additional information is available at this early stage of the proceedings.

Persons submitting comments during the scoping process, whether orally or in writing, will receive either paper or electronic copies of the draft EIS, according to their preference. Persons who do not wish to submit comments or suggestions at this time but who would like to receive a copy of the document for review and comment when it is issued should notify Julie Ann Smith as provided above, with their paper-or-electronic preference.

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Filed under DOE (Dept of Energy), Environmental Review

· 7:22 pm

Info Request Responses from Minnesota Power

These responses came in about three weeks ago, things have been popping and demanding attention so I’ve not gotten to this until now, but HERE THEY ARE:

LPI 1-4 Cover Letter

LPI_IR_001 – FINAL

LPI_IR_002 – FINAL

LPI_IR_002.1 – Attachment Public

LPI_IR_002.2 – Attachment

LPI_IR_003 – FINAL

LPI_IR_004 – FINAL

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May 21, 2014 · 5:53 pm

Obama pushing GNTL – progress NOT!

(Yes, I know, this happened on May 17, but that was in the middle of this ITC Midwest mess of Public and Evidentiary hearing, AAAAAAGH!)

Pres. Obama, do explain how locking us into outmoded infrastructure for long distance transmission of central station power is in the public interest? For a long time, we’ve known Obama is from a coal state and takes a lot of money from dirty interests, like coal and energy and utility interests, and we’ve known for a long time that Obama promotes transmission:

What does Obama’s Xmsn push mean?

Obama’s Transmission BS in the News

Now we have yet another example of what it means, as if “fast-tracking” the CapX 2020 Hampton-LaCrosse transmission line wasn’t enough.

FACT SHEET – Building a 21st Century Infrastructure: Modernizing Infrastructure Permitting

Read this carefully, because media has been MISREPORTING this as some sort of approval, “a nod” or worse. Really, it’s much ado about nothing. All this means is that the feds have received Minnesota Power’s Presidential Permit application and put it in queue, on their Federal Infrastructure Projects Permitting Dashboard. Here’s the link for the Not-so-Great Northern Transmission Line, listed as an upcoming project, and there’s really no information here, nothing about schedule, no contact people, nothing about how to get on service list or any other manner of notification:

Great Northern Transmission Line

And here’s their Presidential Permit Application, it’s pretty much a cut and paste of their Minnesota application (thanks MP for sending a hard copy!):

Presidential Permit Application

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Filed under Presidential Permit

April 29, 2014 · 12:53 am

Will Braun’s OpEd in the Winnipeg Free Press

Conawapa Dam — who needs it? Who wants it? Again, it’s that difference between need, and public purpose, and what it is that the utilities want. WANT. DESIRE. It’s anything but need.

A deal was struck so this damn dam would be built, but things have changed, and the Wuskwatim dam is losing money. Now Conawapa, to throw good money after bad? Why? So Manitoba Hydro can make even more electricity to export for profit? Minnesota Power too? Will this business plan be any better?

Dam deal loses shine

First Nations gambled on bold talk of prosperity

Premier Greg Selinger once said Manitoba Hydro’s partnerships with First Nations “yield phenomenal social licence.”

Indeed, the fact five hydro-affected First Nations have joined Hydro in development of new dams has lent moral clout to the utility’s ambitious plans.

That moral high ground is eroding. Hydro’s “new era” of northern dealings is in trouble as it sits on the brink of committing to the $6.5-billion Keeyask project.

Phase one of the new era was the Wuskwatim Dam, which went into operation in 2012. Hydro offered Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation the option to purchase a 33 per cent share in the dam.

Hydro, government and NCN said the partnership held great promise for the future. In 2011, a band councillor said Wuskwatim would earn up to $40 million a year, a third of it going to NCN.

It hasn’t worked out that way. According to Hydro, NCN’s share of Wuskwatim’s losses will total $24 million for the past fiscal year and a combined $134 million over the first decade of the dam’s operation.

That’s worth another take. The community of 4,800 people, 80 kilometres west of Thompson, has invested $108.4 million — most of it borrowed from Hydro — in a venture that is predicted to lose the community $134 million over 10 years.

Welcome to the new era.

Hydro has said NCN will not actually have to pay the utility for its share of annual losses, as the original agreement would have required. Hydro will cover those losses for now, incorporating them into its long-term financial agreement with NCN, essentially borrowing from NCN’s future profits to pay for present losses.

One way or another, NCN is stuck with the losses.

Hydro is also stuck with its share of losses, but that’s different. It simply passes them on to ratepayers. But NCN doesn’t have the option of raising anyone’s rates because its revenue stream is based on export prices, not domestic rates.

To be fair, NCN’s benefits from Wuskwatim also included a $5.7-million adverse-effects settlement as well as training and employment opportunities. Hydro and governments spent $60 million on a training program centred at NCN. About one-third of person-hours of employment during the construction of the dam went to NCN members. Less impressive were the turnover rate of 41 per cent and the average duration of employment: eight months.

That was the construction boom. At last report, only four NCN members work at long-term jobs at the dam.

Now four other First Nations — Tataskweyak, York Factory, Fox Lake and War Lake — are lined up for similar “new era” agreements on the proposed $6.5-billion Keeyask dam. They can purchase a combined stake of up to 25 per cent in the dam if they come up with about $375 million.

The “Keeyask Cree Nations” negotiated another option that would amount to a roughly two per cent stake in the dam, with a guaranteed minimum annual payment whether or not the dam makes money. Of course, the payments to the communities would be far less than the windfall once touted under the 25 per cent share.

The current assumption is the KCNs will choose this “preferred” option, providing the First Nations a combined $5 million annually in the early years of the dam.

These communities agreed to the dams based in part on the bold talk of hefty profits and a prosperous future. But the deals were negotiated before the recession and the spike in shale-gas production sank the export market, which is key to the profitability of the dams.

How would they vote today?

What happens if they toss their partnership agreements in the murky old-era waters of the Nelson River, either now or in a decade? Legally they can’t, but morally who could fault future generations for defying this form of partnership?

Hydro’s First Nations partners used to defend the new dams vehemently.

No one talks that way anymore. KCN leaders are contractually required to speak in favour of the dams, but the vigour is largely gone. And the behind-the-scenes grumbling is leaking out.

That’s not what Hydro and Selinger want to hear after paying northern First Nations $241 million for negotiation costs since 1999.

Selinger said last year Hydro’s “legacy of bitterness” in the north has been replaced by a spirit of partnership. Sadly, the new era of dams may exacerbate the bitterness rather than heal it.

Add that social risk to the massive financial risk of Keeyask, and Manitobans should ask whether Hydro has general societal approval to proceed with the dam.

By July, when Hydro wants to start building Keeyask, our utility is likely to have an Environment Act licence and a Water Power Act licence for the megaproject. But will it have a legitimate social licence?

Will Braun works for the Interchurch Council on Hydropower.

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Filed under Canada permitting, Media, Need

April 21, 2014 · 11:16 pm

Odd MISO filings at FERC

Today I received notice of some sort of odd filings at FERC by MISO… oh, not that type, THIS type, the Midcontinent Independent Service Operator, f/k/a Midwest Independent Transmission Service Operator, type:

Here is what they’ve filed:

2014-04-21 Docket No. ER14-1748-000_1 of 2

2014-04-21 Docket No. ER14-1749-000_2 of 2

First, these were both “initial” filings, with docket number blank, and it’s Part 1 of 2 and Part 2 of 2, so I think that the docket numbers may be combined, one or the other eliminated, soon.

What they’re doing is eliminating a trust provision in a Coordinated Agreement between MISO and Manitoba Hydro which contained a trust, and that part of the agreement is being eliminated because JP Morgan has pulled out of being the trustee and they can’t find another trustee. ???

What’s that about? I’m presuming there’s a backstory here. Ideas, anyone?

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Filed under MISO, Need

April 17, 2014 · 3:33 pm

And on MPR yesterday…

Got a call from Dan Kraker at MPR up in Duluth yesterday, he’d found this blog, not surprising if you google “Great Northern Transmission Line,” because guess what pops up!??! I wish I’d been clearer about this being just a small part of the MISO Northern Area Study Final Report larger plan (see map, p. 5):

Here’s the MPR piece:

Minnesota Power seeks permit for new power line; skeptics question need

Business Dan Kraker · Duluth, Minn. · Apr 16, 2014

Duluth-based Minnesota Power has filed permit applications with state and federal regulators to build a new transmission line from Canada to the Iron Range.

The Great Northern Transmission Line would carry at least 750 megawatts of electricity into the U.S. beginning in 2020. Minnesota Power plans to import 250 megawatts of hydropower generated from dams in northern Manitoba. The utility says it will help power new mining operations and continue its diversification away from coal.

But Carol Overland, an attorney who represents a group of landowners in northern Minnesota with concerns about the project, says it’s not needed.

“What it does is give you this gigantic line, to nowhere,” Overland said. “Why are we building this, what would be the cost to Minnesota ratepayers?”

The Minnesota Public Utilities commission is scheduled to decide on the project’s certificate of need and routing applications in 2015.

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Filed under Media, PUC Filings, Uncategorized

Not-so-Great Transmission in the news

Landowners riled up by Minnesota power line

Wednesday & Thursday – DOE Scoping Hearings

July 23 & 24 — DOE & MN Dept. of Commerce Scoping

Presidential Permit Application

Hold yer horses, Conawapa…

TODAY! Notice of Intent to Prepare EIS

Info Request Responses from Minnesota Power

Obama pushing GNTL – progress NOT!

What does Obama’s Xmsn push mean?

Obama’s Transmission BS in the News

FACT SHEET – Building a 21st Century Infrastructure: Modernizing Infrastructure Permitting

Presidential Permit Application

Will Braun’s OpEd in the Winnipeg Free Press

Dam deal loses shine

First Nations gambled on bold talk of prosperity

Odd MISO filings at FERC

And on MPR yesterday…

Minnesota Power seeks permit for new power line; skeptics question need

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