Since it does not come particularly close to where I live, I suppose I do not worry too much about the subject power line as an eyesore. Nonetheless, I am not exactly happy about it. I like trees too.
Just the same, we all have a problem. We all depend upon inexpensive electrical power. So I do not support Not In My BackYard (NIMBY) movements that prevent the construction necessary public infrastructure. If a NIMBY movement just engages name-calling and does not offer any reasonable alternatives, I have no use for it. Thus I hope the folks at rallies such as the we had locally (here) and in Richmond (here) can add more to the discussion than “Dominion Power is the Grinch.”
Dominion Virginia Power is a stockholder owned corporation; it is a business, and its purpose is to make money for its stockholders. Dominion wants the I-66 power line because it expects to make money off it. While the power line may be an expensive way to ship electrical power, Dominion has another problem that it hopes the power line will solve. NIMBYs do not want electrical power plants built anywhere near them either.
Dominion is not saintly, but it is an exaggeration to label it villainous; Dominion is just playing by the rules we have given it. Those rules, too often promulgated by politicians posturing for whinny public, leave the company little alternative except to represent the interests of its stockholders as an organized political constituency (see here).
Fortunately, some of the NIMBYs in our area have started talking about where the power shortages actually exists and alternatives. While some of these alternatives are silly, some approach being reasonable. Here are some of those alternatives:
- Some papers (here and here) have started reporting where our regional power network is deficient, and they are getting experts to suggest their ideas.
- Delegate C. L. “Clay” Athey has proposed returning the Virginia electric power industry to a fully regulated monopoly (here). In addition, he has bills that require Dominion to propose an alternative to the power line and a bill to limit its eminent domain powers. Essentially, it seems like Athey has decided he wants to run the power company. Given that the state and the Federal government already have agencies that oversees the utility companies, Athey’s bills may be overkill and ultimately futile (see here).
- Dominion has expanded the number of right-of-way options (see here and here).
Tom, I’m not happy about Dominion’s plan either. I work with Virginians for Sensible Energy Policies (VSEP) in opposing this plan, no matter the location. IMO, this isn’t a NIMBY fight, this is about the simple fact that Dominion is using false claims to get this line built purely for profit.
As you noted, “Dominion is not saintly” and that is putting it very mildly. First, as I noted this plan is purely about profit. Dominion is discarding any attempts to be a good corporate citizen by attempting to build these lines not for VA, but to ship electricity from dirty coal-fired plants in the Midwest, through Virginia and up to the Northeast. This plan will further exacerbate the Dominion’s pollution problem; if Dominion were a country it would rank 34th in the world in terms of pollution!
Second, Dominion has not provided any proof that power capacity is a real problem. In fact, Power capacity in Virginia is “not a reliability concern at this time,”¹ according to a 10-yr outlook by the North American Electric Reliability Council (2005).
Third, if the facts prove their claims, why is Dominion spending millions in ratepayers money on a misleading ad campaign and lobbying activities? As this recent article notes, Dominion is a very powerful force in Richmond, donating millions in the past decade to state legislators,
http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=117937&ran=33105
Fourth, we all should care about this issue, no matter if Dominion proposes the current path through Prince William, Loudoun and Fauquier counties, along 66, or anywhere in Virginia. All Dominion ratepayers will foot the bill for this multi-million dollar project while Dominion earns up to a 12.5% return on investment.
These are just a few of many points to consider, and I would urge everyone to read the facts and tell Dominion that Virginia doesn’t need, doesn’t want and can’t afford these power towers.
DISTRIBUTED GENERATION: On-site low emission high-efficiency generator which to serve larger industrial facilities, corporate and retail centers. The DOE is pushing this. Other utilities see the writing on the wall, and have embraced it. AEP for example is trying to get ahead of the market by producing a “plug-n-play” product which to provide its largest customers with a turn-key service before others pick them off. WalMart is a proponent of this and believes it’s cheaper for them to produce their own electricity than it is to buy it. The area where the overload fears are projected during peak demand in 2011-16 is from Arlington west into Fairfax and Loudoun counties, yet not one such unit exists there, although many exist elsewhere. Why doesn’t Dominion utilize this solution? Reason – reduced electricity consumption lowers Dominion revenue. (And you can bet Dominion will contribute more money to legislators and request to keep the market closed when this development is commercialized.)
SUPERCONDUCTORS: New aluminum composite cables which have two to three times the carrying capacity as traditional lines which are based on 1950’s technology. AEP has purchased it three times, many have tested it, and China has purchased over 800 miles to address their grid congestion. Why doesn’t Dominion utilize this? Reason – 1950’s technology is cheaper.
DEMAND SIDE MGMT: programmed methods to cut back energy during peak hours during the summer. PJM’s own study states current DSM reduces only 1.9% off of peak demand, 40% lower than what it was in 1996. Furthermore the 1.31.2007 study reported 3% additional DSM can put off load capacity increases by at least two years! Dominion put out an RFP on 11.17.2006 for 300MW of DSM for which to compare to its cost for a 300MW generator for Northern Virginia. Covering their back-side or is that all that is needed, and why not 600MW? Reason – because lowered consumption during peak hours when electricity is most expensive, reduces Dominion revenue.
TECHNOLOGY: data monitoring and metering devices to assist the grid to communicate sending electricity where it is needed most. Although the technology is not commercialized yet, Dominion hasn’t tested anything along these lines, unlike other utility providers in other urban grids of Denver, Boston and SoCal who will have the 1st operational “SmartGrid” by the year 2010 to 2012. Within our state, the NoVa tech corridor and Va Tech are two of the leaders in technology within their respective domains who could easily partner with Dominion, but our state utility monopoly feels no need to lead, and prefers others take up the challenge.
EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS for larger industrial, corporate and retail facilities are only voluntary at a federal level, and neither Dominion nor the state offers a program to assist these facilities to cut energy waste. 70% of energy is consumed by businesses. Examples, Quad Graphics, the largest magazine print facility reduced 3.5MW of usage annually from ten plants; Bemis, a manufacturer of household goods reduced 0.75MW per year at one plant in Wisconsin. Encourage the change from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). Electricity is appx. 35% of total electricity used by businesses alone. In fact DOE estimates if 100% participation was met by U.S. businesses, 21,000 MW of electricity could be displaced by CFL’s. That is the equivalent of nearly 12 nuclear power plants the size of the current North Anna facility. Why doesn’t Dominion run commercials to change to CFL’s and to ask the public to pressure businesses to be more energy efficient? Reason – reduced energy consumption lowers Dominion revenue.
Dominion is restructuring its corporate existence from an energy conglomerate of sorts to strictly a generation, transmission and distribution company. The re-regulation bill that just passed the Va Assembly is claimed so Dominion can raise cash to develop more coal-fired power plants and to pay for the proposed North Anna expansion project. All this means more transmission lines. And forget about Dominion increasing the transmission from 500kv to 753kv, which have the carrying capacity approaching 3x of one single 500kv line. Dominion would rather run more transmission lines than to use technology which could reduce two more additional 200’foot wide right-of-ways. Reason – of course, a higher return on investment.
Being a monopoly, Dominion isn’t going to cut back an investment with a higher return for a lower one unless they are forced to. If these non-transmission solutions were really “wishful thinking” as Dominion Pres. Paul Koonce stated on 1.18.2007, then where’s the harm in releasing the info which states the same, and which so many public officials have asked for? This isn’t about being a tree-huggin’ energy industry hating liberal wannabe, it’s about what’s real, and unfortunately what is real is Dominion has a corporate mentality which pre-dates the 1970’s.
You say, “not in my backyard?” Not hardly. How about not in my state!