Today's the deadline to tell the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) how you feel about both Dominion's Wise County coal-fired power plant proposal and the utility's request to build a huge new transmission line through Virginia. Please take a few minutes right now to tell the SCC to say no to both!
You can comment on the Wise County plant through the Chesapeake Climate Action Network's website. CCAN provides talking points for you, however you're also welcome to lift from my letter to the SCC, found over at The Green Miles.
The Department of Energy says Virginia has enough wind energy potential for utility-scale production. The only reason we're pursuing new coal instead is that right now, it's free to dump as much greenhouse gas as you want into our atmosphere. Once that changes, the market's going to shift towards clean energy in a heartbeat and we could be left in the dust.
As for the transmission line that would slice across our state to deliver dirty coal-fired power from the Midwest to the Northeast, you can submit comment quickly and easily through Virginia's Commitment.
The current estimate of the costs of these two projects, paid entirely by Dominion customers (i.e. us): $3 billion. Please take the time right now to act on these critical issues!
We urbanites are the ones demanding all this electricity. The rural folks are the one's who have to foot the "real" bill. If south-side VA farmers don't mind growing crops for biomass generation, neither do I. If the bay-side residences don't mind countless wind turbines in a natural treasure like the Chesapeake Bay, then neither do I. But something tells me, just like coal or a nuke plant, no one wants any sort of power infrastructure (clean nor dirty), in their backyard.
Energy efficiency reduces consumption.
Energy efficiency means less new generation and transmission.
Energy efficiency leaves no footprint.
Energy efficiency can literally save us money.
Energy efficiency has no GHG emmissions.
Energy efficiency is faster to implement, therefore,
Energy efficiency can affect climate change quicker.
Yes, our state is dead last in terms of conservations. Blame Dominion Power? Blame money to politicans? Who cares where the blame lies, I for one have been repeatedly raising this issue as the #1 method to address a slew of problems, combined or separetely, but all I have read here and on Green Miles (with the exception of one AMI post) is wind and solar/pv.
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Hot off the press....
The Viriginia State utility board's (aka the SCC) recommendation to the Governor and the Viriginia State Assembly
"...the picture of demand response (DR) in Virginia during the past three decades is one of missed opportunities. Although numerous states initiated aggressive and effective demand response programs in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Virginia continues to lag far behind.
However, the need for action is more pressing now than ever. The multiple challenges of rapidly escalating
fuel and electricity prices, global climate change, deteriorating electric reliability in the mid-Atlantic region, and energy security risks provide a clarion call for prompt action.
Moreover, new opportunities are now available to harness the potential for reductions in peak demand. These new opportunities are the result of: (1) development of new policies in the PJM90 market requiring the treatment of demand response on a par with supply-side options; (2) advances in telecommunications that allow for real-time communication among wholesale electric suppliers, retail suppliers, and customers; and (3) improvements in the affordability and functionality of demand response technology.
It is essential for the SCC to take advantage of new legislative authority granted in 2007 (as well as preexisting legislation enacted in 1976 requiring conservation of capital and energy resources) to meet these
pressing needs and harness the new opportunities. The time is now to implement critical regulatory reforms that will spur reductions in peak load demand. The 2007 legislation provides another window of opportunity for action in the Commonwealth of Virginia to promote demand side management. Virginia ratepayers and the State's economy and environment will suffer if this opportunity is squandered."
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Also last week the latest 2007 federal report from the NAPEE was issued.
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy...
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I just wish when it comes to climate change, new energy, energy security, etc., the first thing out of the mouths of neo-green and liberal folks is energy efficiency.
Who is going to complain that energy efficiency is blocking their beautiful view? Who's going to complain that energy efficiency is lowering their electricity bill. Who's going to get upset that energy efficiency is reducing C02. Get the picture?
Wind turbines, solar/pv etc, are behind energy efficiency, especially since EE requires less federal funds and incentives. See California state law.
More locally, in our state, three of the highest if not the top three counties with the greatest consumption of electricity, Loudoun, Arlington and Fairfax, haven't done anything about initiating energy efficiency measures on county owned properties and facilities.
Come on, aren't most of the officials elected in those counties Democrats?
As for Wise Co., of course its a tragedy. But given the fact of the coming infrastructure changes I noted previously to you, and the # of windmills the Chesapeake Bay would have to be sited with, when do you think Virginia voters will be ready to elect a governor who would push something like this through? Certainly the current governor isn't.
Redistributing wealth and influence by subplanting big energy isn't a pre-requisite of climate change.
You might appreciate taking a look at my (companion) diary:
Power Line: Questions to be asked
http://www.raisingkaine.com/sh...
A major focus is on Negawatts.