Maine Democrats and High Electric Bills

by Dan McKay

Jun 1

The net carbon zero debate in the EUT Committee continues to interrupt the advancement of the golden energy age of Maine because of a majority of Democrats.
 
Democrats on the Committee have convinced themselves that wind, solar and battery storage will provide Maine with low cost, emission free electricity, while Republicans have decided a common sense, realistic approach that produces  low cost, reliable electricity can be had without extrasential harm to the atmosphere. 
 
The Democrats, except for Representative Shopia Warren, say nuclear electricity generation is so far in the future, consideration of Republican Paul's bill to allow Maine to advance interest in nuclear energy is fruitless. So, President Trump put his signature on an Executive Order setting a goal of 5 GW of power uprates for existing nuclear reactors and constructing 10 new large reactors by 2030.  Trump's plan also includes increasing American nuclear capacity from 100 GW to 400 GW by 2050. Looks like the older Democrats on the Committee are a bit overwhelmed by thoughtful foresight. Democrat Representative Geiger freely admitted she protested the Seabrook Nuclear Plant way back in the day. Will she protest the inevitable construction of Maine's first small modular reactor? Will she continue to declare her rooftop solar panels will save the planet as these panels will always rely on other ratepayers to fund them and traditional Maine businesses forced to subsidize them will have to pay ridiculous high power bills putting them on the brink of termination?
 
Republican Representative McIntyre offers his blessings to more hydro in Maine. A good choice and made in Maine. 
 
Republican Representative Foster, a long time Committee member, fights hard for the ratepayers and businesses being stung by growing electricity costs. He introduced a bill to repeal Net Energy Billing that would reduce rates by hundreds of millions of dollars. Alas, the Democrats only have empathy for the solar developers, so much so that Chair Lawrence brought forth a bill to save two solar projects that were late in getting contracts from the utilities. The business risk worries for solar developers do not exist in Senator Lawrence's orbit.
 
The Committee consists of 8 Democrats and 5 Republicans, so you can guess how energy matters sway towards an idealistic and religious partisanship that considers "the new green scam" as gospel. 
 
Salutes to the 5 Republicans who wouldn't be coerced by the false pretense of the Committee Democrats nor the parade of solar and wind developers, environmentalists and the Governor's Energy Office nerds who testified before them. They were so in unison to the narrative; it was tremendously boring.