THE
%STATE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
%VOTED
UNANIMOUSLY THIS WEEK
TO
%APPROVE
A
NEARLY
100-MILE
LONG
%HIGH
VOLTAGE
TRANSMISSION LINE
%FROM
IOWA
THROUGH
SOUTHWEST
%WISCONSIN.
%THE
CARDINAL-HICKORY CREEK LINE
%WILL
START
IN
DUBUQUE
AND
HEAD
%THROUGH WISCONSIN
TO
JUST
WEST
%OF
MADISON.
%RATE
PAYERS
IN
WISCONSIN
WILL
%PAY
ABOUT
$67 MILLION OF
THE%$500 MILLION
PROJECT.
%THE
VOTE
CAME
AMID
OPPOSITION
%FROM
LAND
OWNERS IN
THE
REGION
%AND CONSERVATION
GROUPS, AS WELL
%AS
SEVERAL
STATE
LEGISLATORS%WHOSE DISTRICTS ARE
LOCATED
%ALONG
THE
POWER
ROUTE.
%THE
PSC
CHAIR,
A GOVERNOR TONY
%EVERS
APPOINTEE, SAID
THE
%DECISION WAS
DIFFICULT,
BUT
H
AS
%LONG-TERM
VALUE
.
%>>
THIS
APPROACH
IS
NOT
ONLY
FOR
%THE
TYPES
OF
ENERGY TO
BE
%PRODUCED
BUT
WHERE
THE
CLEAN
%ENERGY COMES
FROM.
%WE
NEED
CLEAN
ENERGY
RESOURCES
%BUILT RIGHT
HERE
IN
WISCONSIN,
%BUT WE
ALSO
NEED
ACCESS
TO
BOTH
%RESOURCES
FROM
OTHER
STATES.
%THE ONLY
WAY
TO
ACCESS
CLEAN
%SOURCES
OF
POWER
OUTSIDE
OF
%WISCONSIN IS
WITH
TRANSMISSION
.
%THE
RISKS
OF
NOT
BUILDING
THIS
%LINE
AND
BEING
WRONG
ARE
JUST
%TOO
GREAT.
%I'M VOTING
FOR
THE
PROJECT
TO
%ENSURE
ENERGY
RELIABILITY IN
%ORIGIN
AND
ACCESS
TO
LOWER
COST
%CLEAN ENERGY CAN
BE
ACHIEVED.
%>>
THE
CHAIR'S VIEW
THA
T
NEW
%LINES CAN BE
A
LINK
TO
CLEAN
%ENERGY IS
SHARED
BY
RENEW
%WISCONSIN, A
NON-PROFIT
%ORGANIZATION THAT
PROMOTES
%RENEWABLE
ENERGY IN THE
STATE.
%TYLER
HUEBNER
IS
THE
EXECUTIVE%DIRECTOR OF
RENEW
AND
HE
JOINS
%US NOW.
%THANKS A LOT
FOR
BEING
HERE.%>> THANK YOU FOR
HAVING
US.
%>>
SO
TELL
US
WHY
YOU
AND
REVIEW
%ARE IN
FAVOR
OF
THIS
%HIGH-VOLTAGE LINE.%>>
I
GO
AROUND THE
STATE
AND
%GIVE TALKS ABOUT THE
RAPIDLY
%CHANGING LANDSCAPE
OF
RENEWABLE
%ENERGY.
%AND WE'RE
REALLY
SEEING
THESE
%REVOLUTIONS
BOTH ON THE
%DISTRIBUTED
RENEWABLE
SIDE,
%SOLAR
ON
ROOFTOPS
OF
HOMES
AND
%BUILDINGS, BUT
ALSO
IN
OUR
%UTILITIES, AND
UTILITY
SCALE
%RENEWABLES.
%WHERE WE'VE SEEN THE
COSTS
OF
%SOLAR COME
DOWN
ABOUT 88%
IN
A
%DECADE,
THE
COST
OF
UTILITY
%SCALE
WIND
COME
DOWN 69%
IN
A
%DECADE, AND
THERE
IS
JUST
%TREMENDOUS
MOMENTUM
BEHIND
THIS
%TRANSITION AWAY
FROM
COAL
AND
%TOWARDS
CLEAN
RENEWABLE
ENERGY,
%BUT IN
WISCONSIN,
WE'RE
STILL
%55%
COAL-FIRED
POWER
PLANTS
FOR
%OWRL
ELECTRICITY
AS
!
OUR
ELECTRICITY
AS
OF 2017
SO
WE
%SEE THIS
LINE AS
A
LINK
FOR
MORE
%RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT NOT
ONLY%IN
THE
MIDWEST BUT
ACTUALLY IN
%WISCONSIN.%>> SO YOU THINK
THAT
THIS
%TRANSMISSION LINE
WILL
HELP
%WISCONSIN
BECOME
CARBON-NEUTRAL
%BY 2050 AS IS
THE
DECLARED
GOAL%ABOUT
THE
EVERS'
%ADMINISTRATION?%>> EXACTLY.
%GOVERNOR TONY EVERS HAS
JUST
%REINSTATED
THIS
GOAL
WITH
HIS
%EXECUTIVE
ORDER
LAST WEEK
FOR
%THE STATE TO
BE
100%
CARBON-FREE
%ELECTRICITY
BY 2050.
%WE VIEW
THIS
LINE AS
A
LINK
TO
%HELP MAKE
THAT
HAPPEN.
%WE
THINK A
LOT
MORE
NEEDS
TO
%HAPPEN
BESIDES
THAT,
CLEARLY,%AND
WE
UNDERSTAND THE
%COMPLEXITIES OF
REACHING THAT
%GOAL.
%WE
THINK
DISTRIBUTED ENERGY
HAS
%A THANK YOU!
!
HUMONGOUS
ROLE
TO
PLAY IN
%THAT, BUT
WE
ALSO
THINK
THE
%SCALE
OF
TRANSITIONING OUR
GRID
%AWAY
FROM
COAL
AND
TO
LARGE
%SCALE
WIND
AND
LARGE
SCALE
SOLAR
%IS GOING
TO
REQUIRE
AN
%INVESTMENT
LIKE
CARDINAL-HICKORY
%CREEK.%>> BUT
WILL
THE
WIND
ENERGY
FROM
%IOWA, MINNESOTA
AND
THE
DAKOTAS
%JUST PASS
THROUGH
THIS
WISCONSIN%LINE
HEADED
FOR
OTHER
STATES
%THAT
ARE
EAST
OF
US?
%>>
NO,
WISCONSIN
IS -- YOU
KNOW,
%WE'VE GOT
THE
MADISON
AREA
AND
%WE'VE
CERTAINLY
GOT
MILWAUKEE.
%THOSE
AREAS
ARE
WELL
CONNECTED
%BY
TRANSMISSION
TODAY,
AND
THIS
%IS
REALLY
THE
FINAL
LINK
OF 17
%LINES
THROUGHOUT
THE
WHOLE
%MIDWEST, AND
THIS
ENERGY IS
%GOING
TO
COME
INTO
WISCONSIN.
%WE
THINK
IT'S
VERY
EXCITING
%BECAUSE WE KNOW
THAT
IT'S
VERY
%LOW
COST.
%AS I
SAID, THE
COST
OF
WIND
%POWER
HAS
COME
DOWN
ALMOST
70%.
%THE WAY
THAT
THE
MIDWEST
MARKET
%WORKS IS
THE
LOWEST
COST
%RESOURCES GET
DEPLOYED FIRST.
%AND
SO
THAT
WIND IS
GOING
TO
%COME
IN FIRST
AND
THEN
MORE
%EXPENSIVE STUFF IS
GOING TO
GET
%LAYERED OP
TOP
OF
IT,
AND
W
E
%THINK OVER
TIME, IT'S
ACTUALLY
%GOING
TO
DISPLACE MORE
OF
OUR
%COAL
POWERED
GENERATION IN THE
%STATE.%>>
ISN'T
THIS
TRANSMISSION LINE
%ALSO
FOR
FOSSIL
FUEL?%>>
WELL, IT IS
PART OF
THE
%ENDIRE MIDWEST
GRID,
AND
SO
IT'S
%GOING
TO -- YOU
KNOW,
THE
POWER
%PLANTS THAT
ARE
ON
TODAY
ARE
%GOING TO
BE
ABLE
TO
USE
THAT
%LINE, THAT'S
TRUE, BUT
WE
ALSO
%HAVE TO
LOOK
AT
WHAT
IS
THAT
%FUTURE MIX GOING
TO
LOOK LIKE
%AND HOW
DO
WE
GET
THERE,
AND
IN
%OUR
VIEW, THIS
IS
THE
TYPE
OF
%LINE THAT'S
GOING
TO
ALLOW
LOWER
%COST
WIND
AND
LOWER COST
SOLAR
%TO
ACTUALLY
DISPLACE
HIGHER
%COST, SPECIFICALLY
COAL
POWER
%PLANTS
AS
TIME GOES
ON.
%>>
N
OW I
KNOW
THAT
AMERICAN
%TRANSMISSION COMPANY IN
THE
PSC
%SAID THIS
LINE
WAS
NEEDED
TO
%PROVIDE
RELIABILITY
I
N
ENERGY,%AND YET
I
UNDERSTAND
THE
OTHER
%EXPERTS SAY
THAT
THERE'S
A
%SURPLUS
OF
ELECTRICITY
SUPPLY
IN
%WISCONSIN,
AND
RELIABILITY ISN'T
%
AN
ISSUE.
%WHAT ABOUT
THAT?%>>
YEAH,
SO
THIS
PROJECT
WAS ONE
%OF 17
PROJECTS
CALLED
THE
%MULTIVALUE PROJECT
PORTFOLIO,
OR
%MVP
PORTFOLIO
THROUGHOUT THE
%REGION.
%ALL 17 OF
THOSE
WERE
STUDIED
%TOGETHER, BUT
EACH
LINE
HAD
TO
%PROVIDE NET
POSITIVE
BENEFITS T
O
%THE
WHOLE
REGION IN
TERMS
OF
%INCREASING
RELIABILITY, IN
TERMS
%OF
ALLOWING
LOWER
COST
ENERGY
TO
%FLOW,
AND
REDUCING
CONGESTION
%BETWEEN DIFFERENT
AREAS,
AND
%THIRD, TO
HELP
US
AS
OUR
STATES,
%TO
HELP
OUR
STATES
MEET
%INCREASING
RENEWABLE
ENERGY
%TARGETS.
%NOW THAT WAS BACK
IN 2011.
%IN
THAT
TIME
WHEN
THEY
STUDIED
%IT
ORIGINALLY,
THEY
PREDICTED
BY
%2025, WE
WOULD
HAVE
ABOUT
13,000 MEGAWATTS OF
WIND IN
THE
%MIDWEST.
%THAT
WOULD
BE
ABOUT
7%
OF
MISO,
%THE
INDEPENDENT
SYSTEM
OPERATORS
%ELECTRICITY.
%SO
THEIR
PREDICTION
WAS 13,000
%BY 2025.
%WE'RE
ALREADY
OVER 16,000 MEGA
%
WATTS
TODAY,
WITH
ABOUT --
AND
%WE
WILL
SOON,
IN
2020, BE
AT
%ABOUT
24,000 MEGAWATTS.
%SO WE'RE
GOING
TO
BE MORE
THAN
%TWICE THE
AMOUNT
OF
WIND
THAT
%THEY
PREDICTED
FOR
2025, WE'RE
%GOING TO
HIT
THAT
BY 2020.
%THERE'S
ANOTHER
20,000 MEGAWATTS%BEYOND
THAT,
AND
THEN
THERE'S
%ABOUT 20,000 MORE IN
EARLIER
%STAGES.
%SO WE COULD
BE,
B
Y
2025, 2030
%TIME
FRAME,
6 TO 10
TIMES
MORE
%WIND
IN
RENEWABLES
THAN WHAT
%THEY
HAD
STUDIED
PREVIOUSLY.
%SO
THAT
MARKET JUST
CHANGING
SO
%DRAMATICALLY, AND IT'S
ACTUALLY
%FORCING
THE
CONVERSATION BACK
TO
%THE MIDWEST TO
THE
INDEPENDENT
%SYSTEM
OPERATOR.
%YOU
HAVE
TO
PLAN
FASTER
BECAUSE
%THIS REVOLUTION IS
HERE.%>> ALL
RIGHT.
%TYLER
HUEBNER, THANKS VERY MUCH.%>>
YOU
BET
.
%>>
MORE
NOW ON
THE
%CARDINAL-HICKORY
CREEK
%TRANSMISSION LINE AND
ANOTHER
%VIEW.
%THE
DRIFTLESS
AREA
LAND
%CONSERVANCY IS
DEDICATED
TO
THE
%PRESERVATION OF THE
NATURAL
%LANDSCAPE OF
SOUTHWEST
%WISCONSIN.
%THE
CONSERVANCY
OPPOSES THE
NEW
%TRANSMISSION LINE AND
IS
%REPRESENTED
BY HOWARD
LEARNER,
%AN ATTORNEY WITH
THE
%ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
AND
POLICY
%CENTER OUT OF
CHICAGO.
%THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
BEING
HERE.%>>
GOOD
TO
JOIN
YOU.%>> SO
I
UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU
DO
%ANTICIPATE
FILING
A
LAW
SUES%OVER
THE
PSC
RULING.%>>
THE
DRIFTEST
AIR
LAND
%CONSERVANCY AND THE
WISCONSIN
%FEDERATION
WHO
SAID THE
%COMMISSION GOT IT
WRONG IS
A
%MATTER OF
LAW, AS
A
MATTER
OF
%FACT
AND AS A
MATTER
OF
POLICY,
%IF
THEY TRY
TO
DO
AN
INTERIM
%ORDER THAT
REFLECTS
THE
%DISCUSSION
EARLIER THIS WEEK.
%IF
SO,
THEY
SAID WE'RE
GOING
TO
%APPEAL.%>>
ON
WHAT
SPECIFIC GROUNDS DID
%THEY GET
IT
WRONG?%>>
FIRST OF
ALL, THE
LAW
IN
%WHICH IS,
YOU
HAVE
TO
%DEMONSTRATE THAT
THE
%TRANSMISSION LINE IS
NEEDED
FOR
%RELIABILITY.
%THIS ONE ISN'T.
%WISCONSIN HAS
A
SURPLUS
OF
%POWER, THE
STAFF OF
THE
%COMMISSION
TESTIFIED THA
T
IT
%WASN'T
NEEDED,
THERE'S
EXTENSIVE
%EVIDENCE IN THE RECORD.
%THE
COMMISSION ALSO
HAS
TO LOOK%AT
THE
IMPACT ON
THE
%ENVIRONMENT, AND
WHEN
IT
COMES
%TO
THE
ENVIRONMENT,
THIS IS
A
%HUGE
TRANSMISSION
LINE
WITH 17
%STORY HIGH
TOWERS
GOING
THROUGH
%THE
HEART OF
THE
DRIFTLESS
AREA,
%KIND OF
A
WIDE
SWATH RIGHT
%THROUGH THE
MIDDLE OF
THE
%DRIFTLESS
AREA
.
%COMMUNITIES,
FARMS,
NATURAL
%RESOURCES
GO
THROUGH
THE
BLACK
%EARTH
CREEK
WATERSHED AS
WELL,
%AND ON
THAT,
COMMISSION
DIDN'T
%GIVE ENOUGH
WEIGHT TO IT.
%THEY SAID WE
THINK
THIS
LINE
%SHOULD GO
FORWARD,
SO
THE
%ENVIRONMENTAL PIECE OF
IT,
%THAT'S JUST GOT TO
GO.
%AND
FINALLY,
THIS IS
A
%TRANSMISSION LINE THAT
FACED
%UNPRECEDENTED
PUBLIC
OPPOSITION.
%THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE
TURNING
OUT
%AT
PUBLIC
HEARINGS,
AND
THE
%LEGISLATORS, BOTH
REPUBLICANS
%AND
DEMOCRATS FROM THE
AREA,
THE
%DANE COUNTY
BOARD,
THE
IOWA
%COUNTY BOARD ALL
SAYING TO
THE
%COMMISSION, DON'T DO
THIS.
%AND THE
COMMISSION
HAS
%DISRESPECTED THE PEOPLE
IN
%SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
AND
THE
%PUBLIC
OFFICIALS IN
SOUTHWEST
%WISCONSIN.%>> GIVEN
THAT
OPPOSITION, WERE
%YOU
SURPRISED BY THE
VOTE?%>>
YOU
KNOW,
I
WAS
SURPRISED
%THAT
THE
COMMISSION
SEEMED TO
%KNOW
WHAT
THEY
WANT
TO
DO,
THEY
%DIDN'T LOOK AT
THE
TESTIMONY%THAT WAS PUT
IN BY
THE
IPT
%VEENERS
HERE,
THE
HEAD OF
THE
%FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY%CO
MMISSION DURING THE
PRIOR
%ADMINISTRATION,
THE
TOP
ENERGY
%EXPERTS IN THE
COUNTRY,
THE
HEAD%OF
THE
WISCONSIN
WILDLIFE
%FEDERATION,
FORMER SECRETARY
OF
%WISCONSIN DNR.
%A WHOLE
TEAM
OF
EXPERTS.
%AND
INDEED
THE
COMMISSION
%IGNORED
AND
IN
EFFECT
REFUTED
%ITS
OWN
STAFF'S
TESTIMONY.
%WE
EXPECTED
BETTER FROM
THE
%COMMISSION.
%WE'RE
VERY
DISAPPOINTED.%>> WHAT
ABOUT
THE
ARGUMENT
FROM
%SUPPORTERS THAT
THIS
%TRANSMISSION LINE WILL BE
A
%CORNERSTONE IN
THE
TRANSITION
%FROM
FOSSIL
FUELS
TO
A
CLEAN
%ENERGY
GRID?%>>
WELL,
YOU'VE
GOT
TO GO
TO
THE
%TESTIMONY IN THE RECORD.
%THAT
SOUNDS
NICE,
BUT
MARY
NEIL,
%WHO
IS
THE
EXPERT
WITNESS
FOR
%THE
CITIZENS
UTILITY
BOARD
%EXPLAINED
THIS
TRANSITION LINE
%IS
GOING
TO
CARRY
TO
SIEL
FUEL
%AND
AS
MUCH
IF
NOT
MORE
SO
THAN
%WIND.
%SO
THIS
IS
NOT
ONLY
A
WIND-ONLY
%LINE, THERE'S NOBODY
WHO
CAN
%SERIOUSLY
MAKE THAT
CASE.
%THIS LINE
ACCORDING
TO
THE
%UTILITY BOARD
TESTIMONY
AND
%OTHER
TESTIMONY IN THE
RECORD IS
%GOING
TO
CARRY
FOSSIL.
%SO
IT'S
NOT
A
LINE
THAT
SOLVES
%THOSE
PROBLEMS, AND
THERE
ARE
%BETTER
WAYS T
O
DEVELOP
THE
CLEAN
%ENERGY ECONOMY IN
WISCONSIN.%>>
WHAT
SHOULD
WISCONSIN
BE
%DOING TO GET
TO
CARBON NEUTRAL%IN IS
%>>
HERE'S
WHAT WISCONSIN COULD
%BE
DOING THAT
WOULD
BE
MUCH
%BETTER.
%AND IT
WOULD
AVOID
THAT SORT
OF
%IMPACT ON THE
DRIFTLESS
AREA.
%TERRIBLE DAMAGE THIS
WILL
%CREATE.
%FIRST OF
ALL,
CONTINUED
%AGGRESSIVELY
RENEWABLE ENERGY.
%THERE'S
4500 WATTS OF
SOLAR
%ENERGY IN
WISCONSIN, MORE THAN
%ANY OTHER
STATE IN
THE
MIDWEST.
%THAT'S
REALLY
BIG
TIME
PROGRESS
%AND THERE'S
SOME
WIND
PROJECTS
%THAT
ARE
GOING
FORWARD
TOO.
%SECONDLY, WE NEED
TO
BE
MUCH
%SMARTER ON
ENERGY
EFFICIENCY.
%ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
SAVES
%CONSUMERS,
SAVES
BUSINESSES
%MONEY,
BEST,
THE
FASTEST,
THE
%CHEAPEST SOLUTION
TO
OUR
CLIMATE%CHANGE
PROBLEMS.
%AND
FINALLY,
AS
THE
STAFF
AND
%NUMBER OF
THE
PROBLEMS
TALKED
,
%THERE'S SOME
EXISTING
%TRANSMISSION LINES
THAT
ARE
OLD
%AND
NOT
AS
EFFICIENT AS THEY MAY
%HAVE BEEN.
%UPGRADE
THEM,
MAKE
THEM
BETTER.
%USE THE SWORD
OF
MODERN
THAT
ARE%MORE
EFFICIENT,
DELIVER
MORE
%BANG FOR THE
BUCK.
%WHEN
ALL
SAID
AND
DONE HERE,
%THERE ARE MUCH
BETTER
%ALTERNATIVES, MUCH BETTER
WAYS
%TO
MEET
WISCONSIN'S ENERGY%NEEDS.
%WE'RE HERE
JUST
BEING
A
%PASSTHROUGH
FOR
SOMEBODY
WHO
%WANTS
TO
SELL
FROM
POWER
FROM
%OUT WEST
TO
SOMEWHERE OUT
EAST.%>>
S
O
IN
TERMS OF
THE
LINE,
%LET'S
SAY
THE
PSC
RULING
STICKS
%AND WE'VE
GOT
THIS
ROUTE.
%WOULD
YOU
EXPECT
TO
CHALLENGE
%THE ROUTE
BECAUSE OF THE
CONCERN
%ABOUT IT
CUTTING
THROUGH
THE
%DRIFTLESS
AREA?
%>>
THERE
ARE
CONCERNS
ABOUT
THE
%ROUTE AND
CONCERNS ABOUT
THE
%NEED
AND AS I
SAID,
THERE'S
AN
%UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF
%INTERVENERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN
%THIS
CASE,
SO
DIFFERENT
PARTIES
%MAY CHALLENGE
IT
ON
A
DIFFERENT
%BASIS.
%WHEN
ALL
IS
SAID
AND
DOB,
THIS
%IS
!
DONE,
THIS
IS
LIKE
A
HUGELY
EXPENSIVE
%INVESTMENT IN
LANDLINE TELEPHONE
%WIRES AND
POLES
WHEN
CELLULAR
%TECHNOLOGY IS
READY
TO
MOVE
%FORWARD
RAPIDLY,
WE
CAN
DO
%BETTER
HERE.%>>
WE
NEED
TO
LEAVE
IT
HERE.