www.windaction.org | Transmission

Northern Pass towers tall concern
June 28, 2011 by Dan Tuohy in New Hampshire Union Leader

Sonny Martin of Lancaster is among those who want guarantees on the height of towers, calling the project's height ranges too vague. He lifted an orange balloon to an estimated 135 feet on Sunday as a visual cue to make a point.

Also filed under [ New Hampshire]

High-Voltage power line plan sparks controversy
June 27, 2011 in Channel 3000

A power giant is hoping to bring more high-voltage transmission lines to Madison, promising to deliver clean and green energy from the west. But critics are questioning the logic of building a 150-mile power line for electricity that could be generated closer to home.

Also filed under [ Wisconsin]

Canada's Tonbidge needs $25 million to finish Montana power line
June 24, 2011 by Karl Puckett in Great Falls Tribune

Wind developers in Montana are counting on the trans-border transmission line to build their projects, which would connect the electricity grids of the two countries at Great Falls and Lethbridge. The line's construction has been slowed by disputes with landowners and construction contractors.

Also filed under [ Montana| Canada]

SCE gets an earful; Residents protest new power lines
June 24, 2011 by Mediha Fejzagic DiMartino in Inland Valley Daily Bulletin

As their day in court approaches, Chino Hills residents are stepping up their fight against Southern California Edison's Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project.

Also filed under [ California]

Governor vetoes controversial last-minute energy bill
June 18, 2011 by David McGrath Schwartz in Las Vegas Sun

"To increase utility rates on Nevadans struggling to emerge from a severe economic recession would result in the imposition of an unnecessary and unfair burden on our recovery," he wrote. The bill, critics said, could have put ratepayers on the hook for $1 billion in transmission lines.

Also filed under [ Energy Policy| Nevada]

MATL moves to condemn 11 properties near Dutton
June 17, 2011 by Karl Puckett in Great Falls Tribune

Thursday's move to condemn the property brings to a head the disagreement between Tonbridge and landowners along the southern end of the 214-mile project from Cut Bank to Great Falls.

Also filed under [ Maine]

Property rights limited in budget bill
June 12, 2011 by Thomas Content in Journal Sentinel

"The majority of condemnations involve small amounts of land taken from ordinary people. Taken together, that adds up to a lot of value that should be protected, and property rights are fundamental to our republic," said Robert Roth, a Menomonee Falls lawyer who specializes in eminent domain cases.

Also filed under [ Wisconsin]

Montana Supreme Court: New law trumps eminent domain case
June 8, 2011 by Mike Dennison in The Missoulian

Hertha Lund, a Bozeman attorney, said she thinks the question of the law's constitutionality and how it affects condemnation of the property should both be decided by Judge McKinnon. "The fact that the Supreme Court remanded (the case) back to the District Court is a victory for Salois and the other landowners."

Also filed under [ Montana]

Midwest power transmission project targets Kansas wind
May 29, 2011 by Jeffrey Tomich in St Louis Post-Dispatch

Developers there are lining up to build new wind farms, representing thousands of megawatts. Projects have been permitted and land has been leased, but work won't go forward without additional transmission ...the existing transmission grid lacked capacity to move Kansas wind power to eastern Missouri.

Also filed under [ USA| Kansas| Missouri| Ohio]

Moving a proposed utility line to protect endangered birds could cost millions
May 16, 2011 by Associated Press in LJ World

The Kansas Corporation Commission began hearing testimony on Monday from opponents and supporters of a proposal to move a wind energy power line from a route near Dodge City in order to protect the habitat of about 140 lesser prairie chickens. Supporters of the change said the proposed route would disrupt the habitat where the birds breed.

Also filed under [ Kansas]

Northwest wind power to double but inconsistency creates grid nightmare
May 6, 2011 by Ted Sickinger in The Oregonian

Even the lower end of the range -- which assumes no development for California -- is a substantial amount of power, and would exacerbate transmission issues and volatility in wholesale power prices. Wind development has already outstripped growth in regional demand. And an already clogged transmission system means the energy generated can't always be exported.

Also filed under [ Energy Policy| Oregon]

Strange bedfellows join forces to kill power-line-siting bill
April 24, 2011 by Tony Davis in Arizona Daily Star

The farm bureau and cattle growers sided with environmental groups, with whom they often are at loggerheads, such as the Sierra Club, as well as grass-roots activists in rural communities such as the Cascabel Working Group north of Benson and residents in Picture Rocks northwest of Tucson.

Also filed under [ Arizona]

Galloo line path remains in limbo
April 18, 2011 by Nancy Madsen in Watertown Daily News

Mr. Kessel said in May that wind power projects in Jefferson County wouldn't get power purchase agreements after the county's Board of Legislators voted in March to oppose the offshore wind project, which possibly included some off Jefferson County's shores.

Also filed under [ New York]

Landowners concerned about power lines near wind project
April 14, 2011 by John Dillon in Vermont Public Radio

A proposal for 20 turbines on Lowell Mountain has stirred controversy in the Northeast Kingdom. But there's another piece of the project that hasn't received as much attention. Utilities want to build a new, 15-mile power line to get the wind power out to the grid.

Also filed under [ Impact on Landscape| Impact on People| New Hampshire]

Northern Pass request stirs up residents; DOE asked to drop alternative routes
April 14, 2011 by Tara Ballenger in Concord Monitor

But displeased residents and environmental advocacy groups say that most of the opposition for the project wasn't borne of "not in my backyard" sentiment along alternative routes to begin with, so asking the department to stop consideration of those routes won't go very far in reducing the antagonism toward the project.

Also filed under [ New Hampshire]

Stalled eminent domain bill threatens 214-mile power line
April 12, 2011 by John S. Adams in Great Falls Tribune

Supporters of the bill are doubtful that there are enough votes in the 50-member Senate to blast the bill onto the floor, meaning the bill is probably dead unless supporters are able to muster enough votes to force a floor debate.

Also filed under [ Montana]

Eminent domain bill killed; power line work will stay halted
April 11, 2011 by Mike Dennison in Independent Record

A Senate panel this morning killed a high-profile bill designed to override a court decision on land condemnation that has stalled construction of a major power line for wind energy in northern Montana. ...The panel then voted to table the measure, likely killing it for the session.

Also filed under [ Montana]

Wind farm put on hold; Company seeks line upgrades
April 11, 2011 by Brian L. Huchel in The Commercial-News

McMahon said the company had been looking for an upgrade to Ameren power lines to handle the power generated by the turbines. It was a concern that, as of Monday, no upgrade was scheduled, McMahon said.

Also filed under [ Illinois]

Concerns of Thumb Loop aired at planning meeting
April 9, 2011 by Kate Hessling in Huron Daily Tribune

The matter was brought up by Huron County Commissioner Clark Elftman, who said he received a call from a concerned constituent who said a representative from ITC Transmission came to her home and was not friendly or willing to work with the landowner. Planning Commissioner Bernie Creguer said he has heard concerns from people as well.

Also filed under [ Michigan]

New Hampshire blocks Hydro-Québec plan
April 1, 2011 by Lynn Moore in The Gazette

Martin Murray, spokesperson for Public Service Co. of New Hampshire says public opinion is solidly against the venture. The challenge is to determine "how we can achieve a new and significant source of renewable energy at an economic price and do it with as little impact on our north country as possible."

Also filed under [ New Hampshire| Canada]