Public Power - June 2008 - (Page 34)

Whose Grid Is It Anyway? ity and adequacy of bulk electricity supply in the state. “At FRCC meetings, we often talk about transmission issues,” said Fontes. “The solution is joint ownership.” Ultimately, it may take what Fontes calls a “grid pinch” to shift attitudes. “We could have five to six years before crunch time, but the crisis line is rising faster than the solution line.” Fontes would like to see strong leadership at the federal level. But despite calls for FERC to mandate joint ownership of transmission, it has yet to do so. APPA asked FERC to tie rate incentives for proposed transmission to public power ownership. Although the commission said it “encourages” joint ownership, it declined to condition incentives on public power participation, and said it would take up the issue in its then-pending open access transmission reform rulemaking. APPA asked the commission to mandate “open seasons” at For 130 years, there has been only one company whose name is associated with the highest level of product quality and excellence: The Okonite Company. Time has strengthened our resolve to bring our customers uncompromising programs in service and technology. We are not content to rest on our past achievements and are always developing innovative ways to keep us in the forefront of leadership in the industry. So, if you have not tried Okonite Cables, it's time you found out why we have been the leading supplier of wire and cable products since 1878. For additional information please contact: THE OKONITE COMPANY 102 Hilltop Road, Ramsey, NJ 07446 201.825.0300 Fax: 201.825.9026 E-Mail: okonite.com visit us on the web at www.okonite.com least for large new transmission projects to accommodate joint ownership. But in Order 890, issued in 2007, the commission recognized the benefits of joint ownership, but, again, failed to provide incentives for public power participation. The commission’s reluctance to do more to promote joint ownership in Order 890 appeared to be based on concerns raised by some at an October 12, 2006 planning technical conference. Among the concerns: that joint ownership would add complexity and cause projects to take longer to develop. Those exaggerated concerns cannot justify maintaining an exclusive “transmission owner club,” said Cindy Bogorad, an attorney with Washington, D.C.-based Spiegel & McDiarmid LLP. “They ignore the solid track record of inclusive joint ownership arrangements in bringing in new sources of capital, minimizing disputes, and getting needed transmission built.” In fact, “joint ownership arrangements can broaden support for transmission additions and speed the often-contentious siting process,” she said. CapX 2020 has successfully brought together IOUs, co-ops and public power utilities to plan and build needed transmission infrastructure in the Midwest. “For any joint owned project to be successful, each of the parties has to learn to compromise. I think the parties have learned to do that with each other in the CapX projects,” said MRES’s Wahle. Could this approach work elsewhere? One key to success is the early involvement of local governments and landowners in proposed projects. Some states, such as Minnesota, require that landowners be notified if there is potential that a transmission corridor crosses their land. “We thought a good way to get landowner buy-in was to hold a series of open houses,” said Wahle. Project participants sent a formal notice to some 77,000 landowners. “We started with very wide corridors—about 12 miles—and are working with landowners to narrow those corridors down to a preferred route. Project participants have also sent newsletters to the landowners, as well as to state and local government offices. In addiPUBLIC POWER 34 JUNE 2008 http://www.okonite.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Public Power - June 2008

Public Power - June 2008 Contents Perspective 10 Questions Finding Common Ground on Climate Change Solutions A Patchwork Approach to Renewable Energy Whose Grid Is It Anyway? The Little Utility That Could Benchmarking Customer Service Can Prairie Hay Power Your Town? Storming the Control Room Investing in the Smart Grid Coming of Age: Superconducting Cables Community Broadband Economic Development Customer Service Human Resources For Governing Boards Safety Parting Shot

Public Power - June 2008

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