Long Islander's Blog – July 2018 Archive (31)

8/4/18 - At the end of this post from 7/31/18, there are some new and interesting comments worth a read.

Over the past 15 years, Maine’s partner to the north has been preparing for increased clean energy needs by building new power plants — enough to supply roughly five million New England homes — and is in the process of making its existing ones more efficient. Thanks to this approach, Hydro-Québec has…

This newspaper article preserves a perfect record for the Maine media by once again never mentioning that the Vice Chair of Avangrid, the second largest wind company in America, is non other than ex-Gov John Baldacci, the creator of the horrendous expedited wind law. Why do they protect this heinous revolving door? Who does the media work for?

Despite all the protestations from politicians, remember that talk is cheap. Follow the ultimate outcome, not the words. Follow the…

Massachusetts utilities have wrapped up contract negotiations to buy large amounts of Canadian hydropower, which would be carried over a yet-to-be-built Maine transmission line.

Electric companies affiliated with Eversource, Unitil and National Grid last week agreed on terms to buy 9,450,000 megawatt-hours annually from Hydro-Quebec using Central Maine Power's New England Clean Energy Connect power line.

The wholesale power would be procured at a levelized price of 5.9 cents…

The zero-credibility media owe Mr. LaBrecque an apology and the people of Maine truthful coverage of an industry they've protected and promoted at the expense of everyone else.

An informal energy adviser to Republican Gov. Paul LePage has repeated a tall tale about the wind turbine at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Refrigeration technician James…

Central Maine Power has agreed to give $50 million to energy-assistance programs that will benefit low-income electric customers – in Massachusetts.

CMP will provide $50 million over 40 years to several programs and initiatives in Massachusetts, as a condition of winning the bid to build a high-voltage transmission line from Quebec through Maine that will carry hydroelectricity to the Commonwealth.

The disclosure comes as CMP is…

The Bangor Daily News is the only daily newspaper in the state that Brower does not own.

By Bill Trotter, BDN Staff • July 25, 2018 10:35 am

Updated: July 25, 2018 4:57 pm

ELLSWORTH, Maine — The Ellsworth American and Mount Desert Islander weekly newspapers in Hancock County have been sold to a man who owns several other newspapers in the state.

Reade Brower of Rockland is owner of six of Maine’s daily newspapers and 19 Maine weeklies. The Bangor Daily…

BAKER ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS said a massive purchase of hydro-electricity from the Canadian province of Quebec will be priced at a levelized flat rate of 5.9 cents a kilowatt hour for 20 years, resulting in a 2 to 4 percent reduction in Massachusetts customer bills over that period and total direct and indirect savings of as much as $4 billion.

In a letter to the Department of Public Utilities accompanying separate contracts negotiated by…

Despite "extreme fire hazard" conditions and a region-wide fire ban, a number of workers say crews continued to blast rock and use heavy machinery that had set off several small fires earlier last week. The workers asked CBC News to withhold their names out of fear of losing their jobs.........

But by the weekend, the flames spread to about 48 square…

LePage’s order says no wind turbine permits are to be issued until a new wind energy advisory commission reports on the impact of wind projects. The governor claims wind turbines have a negative impact on tourism, property values and avian migratory pathways.

Two groups – the Conservation Law Foundation and Maine Renewable Energy Association – had challenged the constitutionality of the order issued in January, claiming it is causing uncertainty in the wind…

A wind ordinance is ordnance to the wind developers. Let it rain ordinances on these pickpockets.

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Greenwood selectmen have set Aug. 6 for a special town meeting to decide on proposed amendments to the commercial wind farm section of the town ordinance.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall on Gore Road, next to the Town Office.

On July 9,…

The following is a list of Maine municipalities that have enacted wind ordinances. Please see the source link below where many of the municipality names are clickable and follow these hyperlinks to additional information. Please post comments if you have additional municipalities to add - not just for ordinances but also ordinances under consideration and/or wind power moratoriums.…

7/18/18

Rest in Peace Rand, with deepest sympathies to the Stowell family.

From the website of Friends of Maine's Mountains.

July 18, 2018…

More than 600 Central Maine Power Co. customers who believe they have been overcharged on their electricity bills have sued the company and are seeking class-action status, according to a law firm representing them............................CMP has acknowledged that new billing software introduced last October created issues for some customers, but the company attributed the spike in bills to an 18 percent increase in the standard-offer electricity…

July 20, 2018

Referring to the proposed Canadian hydro transmission line Smith writes "They reported that the project will suppress existing and future renewable energy generation in Maine due in part to increased congestion on the transmission line."...........................................And of course, this project will drive many tourists out of western and northern Maine, another cruel blow to sporting camps, guides, and rural Maine businesses and…

7/19/2018

Celeste Wanner, an analyst at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA, Washington, DC, US), kicked off the event with an update of the state of the National industry. In 2016, energy capacity from wind, surpassed hydropower as the number one source of renewable energy. At the end of the first quarter of 2018 AWEA estimated the cumulative capacity of US wind at 89,379 MW. Land-based turbines now generate more than 6% of the nation’s electricity. Bigger, more-efficient…

July 19, 2018

It's disturbing how uninformed some of the comments are regarding President Trump's recent strong messages to our European allies, especially Germany. Consider this basic overview about a key element that he rightly expressed concern about regarding the German energy plan:

Fact #1: Germany was a lead proponent of the Paris "Accord." In that agreement, the signatories have identified "climate change" as a matter of utmost importance.

Fact #2: Those same…

The substation project is part of a $214 million effort to improve the power transmission system throughout Greater Portland, including substation proposals in Freeport, North Yarmouth, Cumberland, Gray and Portland................

In addition to building or upgrading several substations throughout Greater Portland, the Brightline Initiative calls for upgrading transmission lines through Gray, North Yarmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, Cumberland, Falmouth, Westbrook and…

The Maine Public Utilities Commission voted Wednesday to launch a new investigation into whether Central Maine Power Co. has been overcharging its customers.

PUC Chairman Mark Vannoy said the vote came in response to a complaint filed by over a dozen CMP customers on May 29. The complaint, led by former state Rep. Herbert Adams, D-Portland, accuses CMP of charging rates that exceed the state limit for the utility’s return on equity. It also alleges that CMP has been deliberately…

CMP Ratepayers United, which has demanded that the state conduct a more thorough investigation into customers’ complaints of inflated CMP bills, also has been invited to join the lawsuit, said Sumner Lipman, the founding partner of Lipman and Katz.

CMP Ratepayers United has more than 4,800 members.

About 97,000 Central Maine Power customers‘ monthly bills increased 50 percent or more in December, January or February over the same month a year earlier, according to information…

Gov. Paul LePage’s lawyers asked a judge Friday to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the governor’s executive order to halt wind turbine permits in western and coastal regions of rural Maine.

Advocacy groups challenged the constitutionality of LePage’s January order, claiming it’s causing uncertainty in the wind industry. A judge in Cumberland County heard arguments Friday.

LePage’s executive order says no wind turbine permits are to be issued…