Born out of the 2013 Minneapolis Energy Options campaign, dedicated to empowering MN cities and towns to create clean, local, affordable, reliable energy.
At the Sabathani hearing on Xcel Energy's 15 year "preferred plan." Multiple speakers speak in opposition to Xcel's rising costs, nuclear power plant extensions, trash burners, and slow pace / blocking solar, slow-walking demand response & efficiency.
""Xcel's failure to manage its contractors fell far below what is expected of a reasonable and prudent nuclear plant operator," read a regulatory filing Assistant Attorney General Peter Scholtz signed." via @StarTribune
"If Xcel is not ready to move quickly on Minnesota's priorities, perhaps it is time to transition to a publicly-owned utility" - speaker at Sabathani public hearing on Xcel's 15 year energy plan. @SahanJournal@MPRnews@StribBiz
In case you missed it. Xcel is taking and creating heat, joining its utility peers in California & Hawaii: "More than 150 insurance companies sue Xcel, citing negligence over start of Marshall fire [Colorado’s costliest and most destructive fire]" https://t.co/IoH1DNkvMY
@walkerorenstein@walkerorenstein The headline sounds like the Xcel lobbyist version. In fact, this outcome leaves in tact the (~equal) COST to ratepayers of Xcel's solar while devaluing (retroactively) local solar. This isn't about "least cost" it is about "undermining threats to competition"
The proposal is one of many moves by the utility to curtail competition from non-utility energy producers, from an initial proposal to cap the program at 20 megawatts per year to slowing interconnection.
When you're not the one who will get blow back - you can #SayAnything. Xcel Energy won't get blowback from today's decision b/c it just suggested a thing. The State of MN approved it as legal. Colleagues don't let colleagues breach contracts.
Xcel #ResponsibleWhenRequired.
Distressingly, we must adjust the third piece of this story from what we hoped would be a clear-eyed view of what was going on today from the Commission. See edits below. It went something like this:
#MNPUC
When using the value of solar price as the comparative, the program cost Xcel has widely shared is inflated nearly 7 times more than the actual difference between the community solar compensation rate and the value of solar.
Commissioners and policymakers should practice using more "I statements" for example:
"I find this argument unpersuasive." <--that simply means that it's personally not making sense to you. Not that it doesn't make sense in fact and evidence. Those are two very different. #MNPUC
Who is watching this MPUC meeting? Commissioner describes a participant behavior as "offensive." Meanwhile multiple participants being treated with scorn, interruptions, and harsh tones. Favoritism and deference on display.
https://t.co/IJjOL9t823
The folks who defended Xcel's new acquisition of an overpriced gas plant in are now a star witness in defending Xcel claw back of commitments, savings, and solar energy credits from MN households #MNPUC
"So why DO people show up w/ signs? Why do people use humor & social media & marches & direct actions?" ...lobbyists who are welcomed into decision-making spaces ask
Because they are not allowed to speak, attend, or be taken seriously or offered the deference the lobbyists are.