www.windaction.org | Transmission

The Northern Pass: Bringing hydro-power to New England
December 29, 2010 by Chris Jensen in New Hampshire Public Radio

"What we are trying to do is meet the regional's state's goals to provide a renewable energy source to New Hampshire and New England." But despite its worthy goals, the project has caused a furor in The North Country. ...Russ Johnson is a Columbia resident. "We the people of Northern New Hampshire don't want you. We don't want you defiling our landscape and our economy by forcing your way over our forests and mountains and homes and we will fight you every step of the way."

Also filed under [ New Hampshire| Canada]

Mountain protection: Two county leaders say Mercer should consider ridgeline ordinance
December 26, 2010 by Greg Jordan in Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Mercer County currently does not have a ridgeline protection ordinance that would regulate the height of structures constructed atop the county's mountains. Two people planning to serve on the Mercer County Commission have said that the county should consider such a rule. "In my opinion, I don't like it myself," Mike Vinciguerra of Bluefield said when asked about the idea of wind turbines erected in the county.

Also filed under [ Zoning/Planning| Virginia]

Ruling: Wind transmission line costs can be passed on to states
December 18, 2010 by Dan Piller in The Des Moines Register

A Federal energy regulators said this week that builders of proposed transmission lines to carry wind energy east from Iowa can pass costs along to customers in other states. "If we hadn't gotten this ruling from FERC, the transmission proposals probably would be dead," said Dean Crist, vice president of regulatory affairs for MidAmerican Energy of Des Moines.

Also filed under [ USA]

Wind energy gets boost as feds OK system to pay for new lines
December 17, 2010 by Leslie Brooks Suzukamo in Pioneer Press

Federal authorities on Thursday approved a plan that could make it easier to deliver wind energy from Minnesota and the Dakotas to the eastern United States. The proposal boosts the chances that a $725 million high-voltage power line proposed from Brookings, S.D., to Hampton in Dakota County will be built.

Also filed under [ USA| Minnesota]

MATL spokesman says eminent domain ruling is wrong
December 17, 2010 by Ric Swihart in Great Falls Tribune

Officials are confident work will proceed on the Montana Alberta Tie Ltd. electricity transmission line - both north and south of the border - despite a Montana court decision limiting right of entry to private lands.

Also filed under [ Montana]

Northern Pass Transmission LLC files Transmission Service Agreement with FERC
December 16, 2010 in Yahoo Finance

A project aimed at importing low-carbon, hydroelectric energy into New England from Québec reached a significant milestone yesterday with the filing of a Transmission Service Agreement (TSA) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The TSA details the terms for the commercial use of the proposed transmission line.

Also filed under [ New Hampshire]

Wind farm agrees to fund transmission upgrade
December 15, 2010 by Laura Lundquist in Magic Valley Times-News

With wind farms sprouting all over southern Idaho, newer companies are being required to install more than just turbines. ...The 10 MW will itself be enough to stress Idaho Power's transmission capability. Idaho Power discovered threat of an overload in 2007 when Idaho Winds proposed a slightly smaller project.

Also filed under [ Idaho]

Judge denies MATL use of eminent domain powers
December 14, 2010 by Karl Puckett in Great Falls Tribune

A district judge in Montana ruled Monday that a Canadian developer of a high-voltage power line has no authority to condemn private property for the project. The decision, filed Monday, is a victory for landowners trying to limit the impact of the Montana Alberta Tie Line. It also could carry ramifications for other developers proposing transmission projects to meet demand from wind developers asking for additional shipping capacity.

Also filed under [ USA| Montana]

Judges to hear power line case
December 11, 2010 by Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe in Denton Record-Chronicle

A north-south battle line took shape Friday as residents and attorneys for large property owners gathered before a panel of judges that will hear testimony on the proposed Krum-Anna power line. Two judges with the State Office of Administrative Hearings laid the groundwork Friday for about 700 intervenors to participate in a trial for a new 345-kilovolt line that would cross Collin, Cooke, Denton and Grayson counties.

Also filed under [ Texas]

MATL construction problems draw attention from DEQ
December 10, 2010 by Karl Puckett in Great Falls Tribune

Excessive rutting caused by vehicles, disturbance of a Native American archaeological site and placing poles too far from fence lines has occurred during construction of the Montana Alberta Tie Line, according to the state Department of Environmental Quality.

Also filed under [ Impact on Landscape| Montana]

Opposition to power line near US 380 grows
December 7, 2010 by Jason Whitely in WFAA TV

Oncor's biggest fight in getting green energy from West Texas to North Texas will play out in Austin next week. Oncor wants its new 345 kilovolt transmission lines from Krum to cut through Denton ..."It [the route] comes close to four or five of our educational facilities," said Dr. Curtis Ramsey, Denton ISD trustee.

Also filed under [ Texas]

Jefferson County wants state to hire consultant in power line review
December 7, 2010 by Justin Post in Montana Standard

Jefferson County is asking the state to hire a consultant on its behalf as it reviews a controversial power line project. ...The requests come as the DEQ works to develop a draft environmental impact statement for NorthWestern Energy's controversial Mountain States Transmission Intertie, or MSTI, power line.

Also filed under [ Montana]

Texas lawmakers discuss renewable energy at Abilene conference
December 2, 2010 by Jaime Adame in Abilene Reporter-News

Opposition to the construction of high-voltage transmission lines in Texas could result in a smaller-scale project than originally envisioned by state officials, State Sen. Kirk Watson told a crowd of local workforce leaders Wednesday at a conference on renewable energy and state politics. "Elected officials and regulators are working at scaling back and actually scrapping portions of the CREZ lines."

Also filed under [ Energy Policy| Texas]

ROADBLOCK: Transmission shortage threatens to halt Kern's alternative energy boom
November 29, 2010 by James Burger in The Californian

Les Starck, vice president for local public affairs for Southern California Edison, said once a decision to place a line is made, and the company or agency that will build the line is determined, there is an extensive public and environmental process that must be followed before construction can begin.

Also filed under [ California]

Transferring wind power; HVDC transmission line could cut through Iowa
November 29, 2010 by Larry Kershner in The Messenger

A non-public meeting with local government and development leaders in Webster County will be held Dec. 8 in Fort Dodge as the first stage in determining if a new electric transmission system can be routed through or near this county. Clean Line Energy Partners is planning to construct 500 miles of new high voltage direct current transmission line across Iowa.

Also filed under [ Iowa]

Houston company proposes new wind power connection for TVA
November 29, 2010 by The Associated Press in KnoxvilleBIZ

The Tennesseee Valley Authority favors a Houston company's effort to build an electrical connection between windmills in Oklahoma and Texas and power users in the Tennessee Valley. The proposed $3.5 billion project would use direct current rather than the alternating current.

Also filed under [ Oklahoma| Tennessee| Texas]

Power line project faces challenges in California valley
November 28, 2010 by Matthew L. Wald in The New York Times

Although the line won approval from the United States Forest Service, the federal Bureau of Land Management and the State of California after the utility submitted an 11,000-page environmental impact statement, neighbors and wilderness advocates have filed lawsuits challenging those decisions. Opponents argue that the transmission line is not mainly about renewable energy.

Also filed under [ Maine]

In North Country, battle preparations; Power line project meeting resistance
November 27, 2010 by Tara Ballenger in Concord Monitor

North Country residents aren't crazy about the routes Northern Pass transmission lines would take through their towns. Northeast Utilities, the parent company of Public Service of New Hampshire, is planning to build a new converter terminal in Franklin.

Also filed under [ New Hampshire]

SPP execs cannot explain why power line costs were not rigorously studied
November 23, 2010 by Lynn Doan in SNL Financial LC

While being grilled by Missouri regulators on the rising costs of planned transmission lines, Southwest Power Pool Inc.'s CEO and a senior vice president said Nov. 23 that they "don't know" why the initial cost estimates were not more rigorously examined for accuracy.

Also filed under [ USA| Missouri| Oklahoma]

Transmission debate continues after ruling
November 20, 2010 by Kevin Welch in Amarillo Globe-News

A judge's ruling has just kept the debate going over where to put wind energy transmission lines near Amarillo. The proposed transmission would connect new substations near White Deer and Hereford. The battle is between people trying to block routes from south of Palo Duro Canyon State Park to the Canadian River and especially in between.

Also filed under [ Texas]