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Comments I sent in on the current funding cycle of the Xcel “Renewable Development Account”

By on December 2, 2013 in air pollution, City of Red Wing (Minnesota), Garbage, Garbage Incineration, Xcel Energy

I’ve been looking a the Xcel Renewable Development Account (commonly called the Renewable Development Fund“) and it has a pretty sad history.   Very little good has come of it and much money has been wasted that could productively have been invested in conservation/efficiency projects.

Examples: Ten million or so went to the promoters of a new coal burner on the Range–because of the machinations of the politically connected Tom Micheletti.  Not only was this money totally wasted, but people had  to devote lots of time and energy to fighting permits for the scheme (Excelsior Energy/Mesaba Project.  Carol Overland is the expert on this.  I seem to recall a hearing in Hoyt Lakes, in an unheated hockey rink in January, and not being allowed to finish my questioning of the technical witnesses…..) Continue Reading →

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Permanent shutdown of Vermont Yankee nuke plant announced–Monticello should be next

By on September 4, 2013 in Minnesota energy policy, Nuclear Power, Xcel Energy
Xcel’s Monticello nuke plant deserves the same fate, ASAP

This is significant to Minnesota as Vermont Yankee is similar in age and design to the Monticello nuke and also to the four destroyed Fukushima-Daiichi reactors that seem to pose an expanding threat with the passing of time.  (VT Yankee is a couple of years older, slightly smaller and has had more high-publicity scandals.) “Fukushima radiation leaks reach deadly new high” Exposure to emissions would be fatal within hours, say Japanese authorities, as race to build frozen wall begins. Continue Reading →

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