Dominion: the truthiness continues ... forever?
By: A Siegel
Published On: 3/24/2008 7:27:56 AM
Coal is a booming business, with price increases even exceeding those seen for oil. Fossil Fuels and the polluting of the atmosphere are, we can hope, burning their last embers of extravagant enthusiasm.
But, progress in the fight against polluting coal is uneven across the globe and across the nation.
Virginia is not one of the nation's or globe's leaders toward a prosperous, climate friendly society.
cross-posted from Energy Smart.
While coal is a booming business, it is also a 
business under fire, with people like Governor Sibelius standing tall in the fight against coal-plant expansions and plant after plant being canceled as, for example, the financial industry wakes up to the real risk with investing in such polluting infrastructure. This reality seems to have a difficult time penetrating the dense barriers to reality that seem to exist in the great Commonwealth of Virginia, fostered by heavy investments in truthiness by Dominion Virginia Power. Bit by bit, it seems, the veil shielding that truthiness is being lifted, for example in this Richmond Times Dispatch story: Utility reaches deal on plant: Dominion Va. Power loses proposed bonus for clean-burning facility. Dominion had been pursuing a deal to have a proposed plant get a 1 percent bonus for being ready to be 'clean' via CCS, the regulatory body rejected that and took away the bonus.
Poor Dominion VA Power.
For their aggressive pursuit of a polluting future, they will have to be satisfied with a guaranteed 12.12% profit, rather than a 13.12% profit. 
Still my heart as the world's smallest violin plays a song of mourning for Dominion Virginia Power and their serial polluting practices while the world sheds a tear.
The real issue here is the power of taking truth out of truthiness with the phrase "Clean Coal". Sadly, this is a Luntzian phrase to mislead all that is, too often, adopted by Democratic Party leaders as if it is reality rather than little more than Power Point presentation thick.
In reality, "Clean Coal" is more appropriately described as Slightly Less Deadly Coal, Sort-of Less Dirty Coal, Somewhat Less Polluting Coal. There is, in truth, no capacity to conduct carbon capture and storage at this time. 
"Clean Coal" will still emit mercury (even if less) and have huge amounts of dirty ash post burning. "Clean Coal", my ass (and theirs' ...).
Yet, the propaganda continues. The efforts to deceive continue ... and continue to work. It is time to call it what it is, a very cruel April Fool's joke that is accelerating our race toward catastrophic climate change.
Back to Dominion,
Dominion Virginia Power has characterized the plant as being a clean-coal plant, but ... the public considers clean coal to include the capture of carbon-dioxide emissions.
the agreement is an admission by the utility that it has misrepresented the plant to the public.
Will Governor Kaine recognize the utility's deceptive practices? Will Governor Kain recognize the threats the planet faces? Will Governor Kaine stand up and provide leadership like his fellow Democratic Party Governor, Sebelius, in Kansas?
The world waits for an answer.
Hat tip to VB Dems and Green Miles here at Raising Kaine.
Comments
Kaine won't bend (floodguy - 3/24/2008 10:16:59 AM)
There does not seem to be the pressure to do so from the leading democrat on energy in this state, who happens to chair on the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Air Quality. Dominion has promised to convert the Wise plant to CCS when it becomes available, so back in 2006, Rep. Boucher was quoted as saying he was pretty much delighted that Dominion choose his district as the site. With the DOE withdrawing funding from FutureGen, one has to wonder just how far off scientists are in achieving market ready technology.
Secondly, transmission policy is regionally controlled and planned by the regional transmission operator. The RTO doesn't recommend generation, so they plan accordinly. Policy on generation is state controlled and planned by its utility board.
We must realize, after the Energy Policy Act of 2005 the DOE's new policy encourages utilities like Dominion to export states' electricity capacity to the northeast. The DOE even provides financial incentives for interstate transmission. Seven older power plants in D.C. and NJ are being forced into retirement due to tougher clean air laws and environmental lawsuits. With lax generation policy in our state, Virginia will permit Dominion to basically build and burn fossil-fuel generation here and shipped it there. The DOE's national transmission corridor has pretty much locked the state up in a regional transmission plan, while other states more energy-conscious with tougher policies on generation, therefore get opt to import cheaper electricity than it would if it constructed their own.
The loyal "big energy" badge-wearing politicans and voters are leading this state to become the industrialized energy provider to the northeast. Only when big energy came knocking on their door did conservatives in Northern Virginia flip against Dominion.
With new expenses on just recently passed (new ozone standard) and while others are being considered (cap-n-trade and/or GHG transmission), read my lips Virginia will likely see significant increases in both its electricity and natural gas rates, more than likely as early as this summer.
The "this summer" comment (A Siegel - 3/24/2008 10:44:34 AM)
at the end somewhat surprises me. I've been thinking that the big hit will be in a couple years, when deregulation occurs.
Adam, I posted a reply below (floodguy - 3/24/2008 12:02:23 PM)
I wouldn't doubt it (TheGreenMiles - 3/24/2008 12:20:35 PM)
Just look at what recently happened in
West Virginia
state utilities can still file for rate increases (floodguy - 3/24/2008 12:01:06 PM)
for increased expenses due to environmental and reliability costs, such did Appalachian Power this last month.
I'm not entirely sure of the details of the new ozone standards; however, the standard's plan is to impose mandates for capital improvements to clean emissions or imposed fines on fossil-fuel operators. Such costs are simply passed down to the utility customers.
don't forget VA price caps expire 12-31-2008 and (re-) regulation returns (floodguy - 3/24/2008 1:50:32 PM)
If Dominion attaches the carbon cost solely to the exported electricity, purchasers may look more towards other cleaner or less dirty resources in part or in full, especially if the cost is similar. Consequently, Dominion will undoubtedly spread its rising carbon costs it will soon bear, where it currently provides cheaper electricity - here in the state of Virginia. By keeping the price of exported capacity as low as possible, which is already higher because it involves transmission, Dominion enables the greater chance of beneficial and long-term power purchase agreements by norteastern state utilities.
There are sound environmental reason, state rights reasons, and financial reasons against Dominion's plan, current state policy, and the DOE's transmission policy.
If the lead opposition to Dominion and carbon, opened its tent to a larger array of opinion, the opposition would swell quite large.
If the current forces against Dominion and carbon are unable to tip state policy or Kaine to their side, then environmentalists should reach out more to the right for the benefit of their cause, and do so soon.