Dan McKay's Blog – February 2025 Archive (38)

36 years of paying Net Energy Billing Costs Must End and Reparations Established.

The EUT Committee members now know that Net Energy Billing is unconstitutional. Not one member argued otherwise when they were informed during the public hearing for LD 32, An Act to Repeal Net Energy Billing. 

As an unconstitutional law, an effort to sue for reparations is possible. 
Considering 720,000 electricity customers do not participate in NEB but do pay to keep this program intact and considering the 113,000 customers who do…
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Added by Dan McKay on February 28, 2025 at 1:58pm — No Comments

ISO-NE takes steps to prepare for potential duties on Canadian electricity

February 26, 2025

ISO-NE takes steps to prepare for potential duties on Canadian electricity

ISO New England intends to file this week with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) a proposed mechanism by which the ISO can, if directed by the federal government, collect customs duties related to electricity imported from Canada and sold into ISO-administered markets. 

We believe this filing is prudent in light of …

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Added by Dan McKay on February 28, 2025 at 6:36am — No Comments

Net Energy Billing, an Unconstitutional Policy

Yesterday, during the Public Hearing on LD 32, An Act to Repeal net Energy Billing, we heard, not once but twice that Net Energy Billing is unconstitutional because it originated in the Maine Senate, whereas " all bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills."

And the EUT Committee knew this, as 2 times bills submitted by Senators " raising revenue" were given…

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Added by Dan McKay on February 28, 2025 at 5:43am — 2 Comments

Fox Island Electric Cooperative Wants Out of Net Energy Billing, Cost and Reliability Problems

Fox Island has reached 21.30% of its peak demand.

CMP has reached 53% of its peak demand

Versant has reached 102% of its peak demand for the Bangor Hydro District

Versant has reached 154% of its peak demand for the Maine Public District

FOX ISLANDS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. NOTIFICATION AND REQUEST FOR…
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Added by Dan McKay on February 28, 2025 at 5:25am — 1 Comment

Expensive electric bills put RI clean energy policies into spotlight

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Added by Dan McKay on February 26, 2025 at 4:53am — No Comments

Net metering under fire in Maine

Two pieces of legislation at Maine’s state capitol aim to repeal the state’s net energy billing law.

February 24, 2025 

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Added by Dan McKay on February 25, 2025 at 4:48pm — 1 Comment

Federal Regulator’s Approval for Gas Plant Queue-Jumping Sparks Outrage

Inside Climate News

Critics argue the federal decision props up costly fossil fuels power plants, does little to ensure grid reliability and undercuts state clean energy goals.

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Added by Dan McKay on February 24, 2025 at 5:22am — 3 Comments

Solar developers worry new conservation tax would render renewables unsustainable in Utah

Tensions between Republican lawmakers and solar energy developers came into the public eye when a House committee debated a bill that expanded the funding mechanisms for the state’s Species Protection Account on Thursday. 

While most agreed that the intentions of HB378 were noble, as it would broaden…

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Added by Dan McKay on February 23, 2025 at 12:49pm — No Comments

Stop the Madness, Reparate the Victims of NEB

The rocket growth of solar sited in Maine means a charge of an additional $100 per participating account would mean an additional $0 charge on non-participating accounts.

14% participate

86% non-participate

You want to use up space…

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Added by Dan McKay on February 22, 2025 at 9:22am — 3 Comments

Solar Does NOT Suppress Market Prices and This is the Proof.

ISO-NE, the keeper of a competitive electricity market, rightfully decided "front of the meter" solar should enter the day ahead market with bids for their output, just like all other resources.

So, what is the real, market value of solar,

First, consider it only brings generation to market during off peak hours, nevertheless, natural gas-fired generation generally sets the wholesale price during off peak and on peak hours.

In order to be…

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Added by Dan McKay on February 22, 2025 at 7:54am — No Comments

There Needs to be a Re-Examination of Carbon Dioxide as a Killing Gas

"The average residential CMP Delivery amount includes about $15 per month in non-CMP costs to support Maine public policy initiatives including net energy billing subsidies, low-income assistance and energy efficiency."
That message came with my electric bill. How much is too much to reduce greenhouse gases from the atmosphere?  As I listen to people telling of the dangers of carbon dioxide, and how this substance must be eradicated from electricity production,…
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Added by Dan McKay on February 21, 2025 at 11:08am — 2 Comments

Solar Effects on Grid Operations.

Two graphs

First graph tracks the daily load or the number of megawatts of generation required throughout the day

Second graph tracks the price to supply electricity for this load in the first graph

It is unusual for the price to be higher for the morning peak than the evening peak, as the morning peak load is smaller than the evening peak load. This oddity has been happening more and more frequently and is especially pronounced during the recent…

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Added by Dan McKay on February 21, 2025 at 7:07am — No Comments

The Need for New England Pipeline Expansions is All Too Real

The cold weather we are experiencing is causing wholesale electric prices to soar due to choking off natural gas supplies to generation plants. 33 out of the last 35 days have seen prices over $100 and during some hours, over $200 per megawatt (10 cents to 20 cents per kilowatt).

Added by Dan McKay on February 20, 2025 at 5:36am — 2 Comments

Heavyweights Acquiring Energy Assets in Maine and New England

Constellation Energy, the nation’s largest nuclear power plant operator, has agreed to buy another electricity producer, Calpine, for $16.4 billion, a deal that shows how fast-rising demand for power, partly a result of the data centers being built for artificial intelligence, is having far-reaching effects on the economy

Included in this sale are 3 natural gas-fired plants in New…

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Added by Dan McKay on February 19, 2025 at 10:20am — No Comments

The " Green New Energy Giant " is Gaining Steam

All of a sudden, nuclear energy has become the darling energy resource for the most hardened wind, solar and battery storage zealots.
The U.S. Department of Energy has placed a major focus on nuclear energy : "The potential of advanced nuclear is highlighted in the U.S. Department of Energy’s “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Advanced Nuclear report…
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Added by Dan McKay on February 18, 2025 at 8:48am — No Comments

They Lied About Wind and Solar Lowering Rates and Climatic Conditions Raising Rates

NOTICE HOW THE WHOLESALE MARKET COSTS GO UP AND DOWN AS THESE COSTS ARE VERY CLOSELY DEPENDENT ON WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE AVAIIBILITLY OF NATURAL GAS. MAN HAS NO CONTROL OF THE WEATHER; HOWEVER, MAN DOES HAVE CONTROL OF NATURAL GAS SUPPLIES AND FLOWS TO GENERATION PLANTS.

ALSO NOTICE HOW THE SEPARATION BETWEEN WHOLESALE COSTS AND RETAIL RATES HAVE INCREASED OVER TIME WITH THE ADDITION OF GROWING INTERMITTENT WIND AND SOLAR SUBSIDIES ADDED TO…

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Added by Dan McKay on February 15, 2025 at 9:18am — 1 Comment

Storage Costs, Coal Versus Battery

On-Site Fuel Storage: Billions Better than Batteries

Coal offers on-site fuel storage for a fraction of the cost of battery storage. According to EIA data, the average coal plant has more than 60 days of fuel on-site, which means the average coal plant has 1,440 hours of storage on-site. This is an enormous amount of energy storage when we consider that many grid-scale batteries have …

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Added by Dan McKay on February 15, 2025 at 7:13am — No Comments

LD 342 and LD 343 Nuclear Power for Maine

Republican legislators pushing for possible nuclear energy comeback in Maine

By: …
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Added by Dan McKay on February 14, 2025 at 8:56am — 1 Comment

EV Goals by State by Year in New England

Added by Dan McKay on February 14, 2025 at 8:29am — No Comments

Electric Demand Down, Natural Gas Prices Down. Why are Electric Prices Up?

February 12, 2025   ISO-NE 

Market monitor: Fall energy costs rose despite lower demand

Increased emissions costs and supply limitations drove higher year-over-year wholesale electricity costs in the fall of 2024, according to the latest quarterly report from ISO New England’s Internal Market Monitor (IMM).

The …

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Added by Dan McKay on February 14, 2025 at 5:10am — 4 Comments

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Maine as Third World Country:

CMP Transmission Rate Skyrockets 19.6% Due to Wind Power

 

Click here to read how the Maine ratepayer has been sold down the river by the Angus King cabal.

Maine Center For Public Interest Reporting – Three Part Series: A CRITICAL LOOK AT MAINE’S WIND ACT

******** IF LINKS BELOW DON'T WORK, GOOGLE THEM*********

(excerpts) From Part 1 – On Maine’s Wind Law “Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine if the law’s goals were met." . – Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, August 2010 https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/From Part 2 – On Wind and Oil Yet using wind energy doesn’t lower dependence on imported foreign oil. That’s because the majority of imported oil in Maine is used for heating and transportation. And switching our dependence from foreign oil to Maine-produced electricity isn’t likely to happen very soon, says Bartlett. “Right now, people can’t switch to electric cars and heating – if they did, we’d be in trouble.” So was one of the fundamental premises of the task force false, or at least misleading?" https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-swept-task-force-set-the-rules/From Part 3 – On Wind-Required New Transmission Lines Finally, the building of enormous, high-voltage transmission lines that the regional electricity system operator says are required to move substantial amounts of wind power to markets south of Maine was never even discussed by the task force – an omission that Mills said will come to haunt the state.“If you try to put 2,500 or 3,000 megawatts in northern or eastern Maine – oh, my god, try to build the transmission!” said Mills. “It’s not just the towers, it’s the lines – that’s when I begin to think that the goal is a little farfetched.” https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/flaws-in-bill-like-skating-with-dull-skates/

Not yet a member?

Sign up today and lend your voice and presence to the steadily rising tide that will soon sweep the scourge of useless and wretched turbines from our beloved Maine countryside. For many of us, our little pieces of paradise have been hard won. Did the carpetbaggers think they could simply steal them from us?

We have the facts on our side. We have the truth on our side. All we need now is YOU.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

 -- Mahatma Gandhi

"It's not whether you get knocked down: it's whether you get up."
Vince Lombardi 

Task Force membership is free. Please sign up today!

Hannah Pingree on the Maine expedited wind law

Hannah Pingree - Director of Maine's Office of Innovation and the Future

"Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine."

https://pinetreewatch.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/

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