State Public Service Commission’s bias is showing

Posted on | October 5, 2012 | No Comments

October 04, 2012 4:30 am  •  Debra Severson

Dear Editor: Sens. Dale Schultz and Jennifer Shilling recently asked the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) to meet with them and community members to discuss energy infrastructure planning. The PSC said no, citing a policy to decline legislative requests for meetings like this to avoid confusion with official public hearings.

Days before the senators’ request, PSC Commissioner Phil Montgomery was the keynote speaker at the Wisconsin Utility Investors’ annual meeting. His topic? The PSC’s role in protecting the private investor and future of privately owned utilities.

Why would the PSC have policies that block legislators from facilitating public participation but allow appearances at industry functions to discuss protecting investor profits?

Deb Severson, The Cap Times October 4, 2012 click for details

Big Powerlines Creating Big Conflicts

Posted on | September 19, 2012 | No Comments

The public should also know how profitable transmission can be. In 2010, the largest for-profit transmission company, ITC Holdings, was reported to have the highest operating margin in the electric industry (51.7 percent). But ATC’s margin was higher (54.9 percent). These companies lead key planning groups of our regional grid operator.

Dear Editor: There’s a lot of fighting going on over high-voltage transmission lines.

CapX2020, which could run from South Dakota to the La Crosse area, is being challenged in court. The Badger Coulee line, which could plug into CapX in La Crosse and travel to Madison, is being fought both over

Xcel Energy wants to share ownership with the American Transmission Co. of Badger Coulee and receive a return on investment. But, when ATC was asked how much of its profit would be directly invested in the line, it answered, “None. As currently proposed, the cost … would be spread among electric ratepayers.” Presumably, Xcel would know this and the public should, too.

Debra Severson September 16,2012 The Cap Times  Click for details

Power line cost will be steep

Posted on | September 19, 2012 | No Comments

September 18, 2012 3:30 am  • Baraboo News Republic By state Rep. Fred Clark

Residents of Sauk and Columbia counties may soon be living with the high-capacity transmission line known as the Badger Coulee line, proposed to connect La Crosse and Madison. It would run on 150-foot towers through the Wisconsin River valley between Wisconsin Dells and Portage.

Proponents like to describe the Badger Coulee and projects like it as similar to new highways that meet the future energy needs of Wisconsin. In fact, large transmission lines are like a highway, but unfortunately they’re often the kind of highway you have to live next to and look at, but which most of us can’t actually get on.

click for details

Transmission line debate is far from over

Posted on | September 13, 2012 | No Comments

Letter to the Editor
by Linda Van Art Sept 9, 2012, La Crosse Tribune

A battle is raging. Yet how many folks whose family budgets, health, lives, livelihoods and land will soon to be affected by its outcome know nothing about it?

Three months ago, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission gave permission to three power companies — Xcel Energy, WPPI Energy and Dairyland — to build an enormous transmission line from Alma to Holmen.

Click for details

Crime and Courts: Power line opponents take PSC to court

Posted on | August 27, 2012 | No Comments

Groups opposing high-capacity power lines are hoping that a court challenge will torpedo plans to set up an electricity transmission system they say the state doesn’t need.

NoCapX 2020 and Citizens Energy Task Force are asking a Dane County judge to review the state Public Service Commission’s decision approving the CapX 2020 line, which will run from the Dakotas, through Minnesota, then from Alma to Holmen to serve the La Crosse metro region. It’s one of eight high-capacity lines either under way or proposed in Wisconsin.

by Steve Elbow, The Capital Times, August 26, 2012 click for details

Learning from the Cascading Power Failures that Brought Down the Power Grid in India

Posted on | August 27, 2012 | No Comments

Government studies show that cascading blackouts, like the one San Diego experienced in 2011, are still possible due to fundamental flaws in the nation’s power grid.

by Debra Severson San Diego Free Press August 25, 2012  click here for details

Citizen groups go to court to stop Minn.-Wis. power line

Posted on | August 26, 2012 | No Comments

Opponents of a high-voltage power line linking the La Crosse area and Rochester, Minn., have filed a lawsuit challenging the state Public Service Commission’s decision in May to approve the project.

The project is part of an array of power lines mainly in Minnesota proposed by a coalition of utilities led by Xcel Energy Corp. The CapX2020 projects aim to beef up the region’s network of 345,000-volt transmission lines.

by Thomas Content Journal Sentinel  click here for details

Bigger power grid doesn’t equal a better power grid

Posted on | August 26, 2012 | No Comments

On May 30, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission approved the CapX2020 high-voltage transmission line despite testimony that the line will lead to inherent grid instability.

La Crosse Tribune Commentary August 14, 2012 click here for details

Pat Conway: No USDA dollars for CapX2020

Posted on | August 26, 2012 | No Comments

Dairyland violated the public’s trust when it applied for $40 to $50 million from the USDA rural electrification fund, Rural Utilities Services (RUS), to pay for its share of the CapX2020 line. According to USDA guidelines, RUS money must go to non-profit electric cooperatives only for the purpose of improving electrical services to “persons in rural areas.” No one in Wisconsin will benefit in any way from the CapX2020 line. Please write your federal legislators and request they do all they can to stop the RUS funding for the CapX2020 line in Wisconsin.

Winona Daily News Opinion August 24, 2012 click for details

NOT THE END OF THE LINE ! A Court Appeal is the Next Step for CapX2020

Posted on | July 30, 2012 | No Comments

On July 12, 2012, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) rejected the 14
Petitions for Rehearing. But, this is not the end of the line.

We’ve prepared a summary of the legal issues click for details 

Please send contributions to: 

CETF

P.O. Box 3571

La Crosse, WI 54602  

For tax deduction: Make check payable to: MRR/CETF Fund