Monthly Archives: January 2012
Keeping and Breaking Promises for Clean Energy
These are the best of times. These are the worst of times. Take your pick. On January 18, 2012, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission unanimously voted to approve power purchase agreements for 30 megawatts of locally-owned wind on the south … Continue reading
Hopeful Sign – MPCA Commissioner Says “Facts” Will Determine Policy
As a frequent skeptic about the capture of regulatory agencies by the regulated parties, I was delighted to learn that Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner Paul Aasen has been telling agency leadership that facts matter. In an internal letter … Continue reading
Midtown Greenway Protected – Historic Ruling to Bury Power Lines
Last week, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) made a landmark decision to require Xcel Energy to bury new power lines. In 2009, Xcel Energy proposed to put two “Hiawatha Project” 115 kV high voltage transmission lines on 75- foot … Continue reading