Tuesday, August 8, 2023

SB #2341 Already Aging Well

 The Mississippi Energy Institute authored and sponsored this post. 

A bill passed by the MS Legislature this year to regulate interstate electric transmission projects is looking better and better. 

SB 2341 authored by Senate Energy Chairman Joel Carter requires any electricity rate impacts in regulated utility areas associated with the construction of interstate transmission projects be decided at the MS Public Service Commission and not left solely to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The MS PSC is made up of 3 officials elected by Mississippians. The FERC is made up of 5 (currently 4) Presidential appointees. SB 2341 passed with near unanimous bipartisan support, 109-7 in the House and 50-1 in the Senate.
A 7/26 Wall Street Journal column exposed where Democrat Majority Leader and New York Senator Chuck Schumer wants FERC to be able to force electric ratepayers in states to pay for interstate transmission project costs when those states may be getting little to no benefit. Excerpts from the column:
Mr. Schumer last week sent a letter demanding that FERC expedite a “strong transmission planning and cost allocation rule” to deliver more “clean power to Americans.” He claims that disagreements among states on permitting new transmission lines and allocating their costs is stalling renewable projects.
Under FERC’s current rules, costs of transmission projects are allocated based on which parties benefit from improved reliability or reduced congestion costs. For example, Illinois residents would pay higher electric rates for a new transmission line to move power from a gas-fired plant in Wisconsin to Illinois to maintain reliability...
States in a regional transmission organization negotiate how to divide the costs, which hasn’t been controversial as long as projects solved reliability problems. The increasing problem now is that more than half of states have renewable energy mandates...

States without renewable mandates such as Arkansas, West Virginia and Tennessee (and Mississippi) don’t want or need heavily subsidized green energy from other states, which could drive their own baseload fossil-fuel and nuclear plants out of business. They also don’t want to pay for new transmission lines whose sole purpose is to help other states meet their renewable mandates.

No matter. Mr. Schumer writes that FERC should order states that “act as free riders” to pay for transmission upgrades. He also wants FERC to clarify its “backstop authority” to issue permits when states won’t. In other words, if West Virginians don’t want to pay for connecting New Jersey offshore wind farms to the grid, FERC should mandate that they pay anyway.



You may remember Sen. Schumer was the one who tweeted in February that "nobody is taking away your gas stove." Then in April, Schumer's home state New York passed a law banning the use of gas appliances in new residential developments. The aggressiveness and pace of the DC Democrats' (anti) energy agenda is something voters should be watching more closely. 


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

SB 2341 was nothing more than an Entergy-driven protectionist move to insure their money machine was not disrupted by the availability of lower cost power transmitted from sources across state lines. Regulated utilities don't like it when they cant build new power plants and produce all the electrons and pass the cost of both construction and production on to their customers. Got to protect the system at all costs.

Anonymous said...

August 8, 2023 at 9:13 AM
Would you like to explain to the class how adding an "interstate transmission fee" would actually result in lower costs?

Anonymous said...

No, SB 2341 was a necessary response to the over-aggressive, federally-subsidized buildout of wind and solar, which will result in lots of needed interstate transmission projects to get the power from the Midwest to where power is needed in big cities. Dems in DC want rural states like MS to help pay the costs.

Anonymous said...

"My name is Ed Entergy and I approve this legislation."

Anonymous said...

You can be sure that Entergy has been regularly sending some money to the bill sponsor's PAC.

Anonymous said...

He wants the federal governments fingers in everyones pockets across all state lines. Wealthy elite bastards like him see no issue redistributing the funds of others. End the fed.

Real Deal said...

This is the same Entergy who had to repay customers over $300 million for overcharging ratepayers by selling them expensive fossil energy they produce rather than cheaper energy form other producers. This is the same Entergy that got fined $180 million for overcharging for transmission. And don't forget the Kemper plant that tried to stick customers with 4& billion dollars to subsidize coal. Case closed.

Anonymous said...

Kemper is Miss. Power's. Not Entergy. Different companies. Carry on.

Ready Killowatt said...

9:18 There is lower cost electricity available through an connection to interstate transmission. Entergy has blocked projects that would have benefited Mississippians-I have been a part of those projects. The access to the lower cost electrons only comes with the interstate connections.

Anonymous said...

Really? You want to stop Entergy from selling the energy generated from the plant you paid for to others and hiking up the rate when MSP&L promised you " nearly free" electrical power? Oh oops they " sold " to Entergy so the promise could be broken. Geez ,is it possible that our old power monopoly just changed names and logos so you wouldn't throw stones at them on the street or kick them out of social groups?

Anonymous said...

More nuclear power!
If we want an all electric world and we can’t have it without at least 5 nuclear reactors in every state!
Mississippi is the perfect place for generating nuclear power.
We are very seismically stable and very rural.
We can power several of our neighbor states with our excess power!
We can all have EV Silverados and Hummers and Teslas too!
This is an absolute no-brainer!

Anonymous said...

Fun Fact: Mississippi "typically produces about one-fourth more electricity than it uses, and the surplus power is sent to other states over the regional grid."

Source: https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=MS

Therefore, if someone wants to install new transmission lines to get electricity from Texas to NY, they can pay for the line, and the lease of the land, too.

Anonymous said...

3:28, While your concept makes sense, the bill makes it illegal.

Anonymous said...

August 8, 2023 at 9:58 AM, all that happened the day after the Germans boomed Pearl Harbor. I remember it well.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.