A Leading and Detailed Look at Maine Energy Events and Current Issues

Major Maine Energy Events Include:

Volume 10 Number 1 - Maine Policy Review - Margaret Chase Smith ...
"Energy Deregulation Commentary
Six analysts comment on electricity deregulation in Maine."
Volume 10, Number 1
Winter 2001
Does the California Energy Crisis Spell Trouble for Maine? by David Flannigan
"David T. Flannigan recently left his positions as president of Energy East and chief executive officer of Central Maine Power. He remains chair-man of Maine and Company, vice president of the State Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the boards of the Maine Economic Growth Council, The Nature Conservancy, and the American University in Bulgaria. He is former chairman of the University of Maine System."

Are We Going to Meet the Same Fate as California? by Gordon L. Weil
"Gordon L. Weil is chair-man of Weil Consulting Group, energy consultants and power brokers in the United States and Canada specializing in power sup-ply for large customers and groups, and transmission operation and development."

Who Oversees the Wholesale Electricity Market and Why You Should Care by Stephen L. Diamond
"Stephen Diamond has been a member of the Maine Public Utilities Commission since October, 1998. He previously served as legislative director for Senator Susan Collins, administrator of the Maine Securities Division, and as a deputy attorney general for the state of Maine. He resides in Gardiner."

California and Conservation: Lessons for the Present by Stephen G. Ward
"Since 1986, Stephen Ward has served as Maine’s public advocate. From 1995-2000, he was actively involved in the effort to restructure Maine’s electric industry and, today, serves as president of the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates. With a small staff of three lawyers and one economist, Maine’s Public Advocate Office maintains a website (http://janus.state.me.us/ meopa), regularly publishes newsletters comparing competitive offerings in Maine’s deregulated markets for in-state, long-distance service and electric supply; and maintains close contact with the forty-three other utility consumer advocate offices in states across the country."

Demand Side Management in Today’s Electricity Market By Kenneth Gordon
"Kenneth Gordon is senior vice president with National Economic Research Associates, and specializes in issues related to regulation and competition in the energy and telecommunications industries. He was chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission from 1988-1992, and of the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities from 1993-1995. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago, and resides in Windham, Maine."

Is There a Role for Further Intervention in the Markets to Encourage Conservation? by Jim Connors
"Jim Connors (no photo available) is a senior policy development specialist with the State Planning Office. He is currently leading an effort to develop a new statewide electric energy conservation program."

Some current major energy deals, projects and issues:

Former Gov. Angus King on why he's betting on wind power in Maine - Mainebiz article with Alex Hammer analysis
Excerpt:
"Angus King: I have always been interested in wind power, so I went up to Sugerloaf two summers ago to testify in favor of the Redington/Black Nubble project just as a citizen - no interest, no involvement, no official role....The more I thought about it, the more I thought it could make a difference in Maine, in two ways. One is the stability of electric rates. We are now something like 55% or 59% dependent upon natural gas, which strikes me as strategically and economically dangerous...
(Mainebiz:) And wind power is a way to smooth out that volatility?
Yeah. It's not correct to say that we will lower electric bills. The capital costs are so huge, you have to pay your mortgage."

Alex: First, I like the name Independence Wind. I'm also an Independent.

A couple of initial thoughts come to mind from the above excerpt. The first is that to my mind while stability of rates is nice to have, price itself is much more important - the critical element. That is, stability is important, ultimately, only to the degree that it allows, either in the long or short term or both, favorable pricing....

In the same issue of Mainebiz (page 6) is the story "PUC: Maine should leave ISO", which states in part:"The Maine Public utilities commission recently released a report suggesting the state consider splitting from ISO-New England, the nonprofit corporation that manages electric transmission and generation for the region."

If we believe that Maine can manage it's own electricity needs, then let's apply that also to the financing aspect as well.

Why should we manage something that we do not also own?"

Central Maine Power and holding company Maine-based Energy East among entities in $4.5 Billion Foreign Acquisition - Alex: I have major questions
Excerpt:
"I am going to wait until more information unfolds on this major major decision - remember, this is a $4.5 BILLION acquisition of a company, Energy East, based in New Gloucester, Maine, and involving 564,000 Maine customers (source Mainebiz article above) - before drawing any conclusions, but I can tell you right now that I have major major questions.

1) Why so fast? What's the rush? The above Mainebiz article talks about the incentive for a close by July 1.

Maybe this decision has been eclipsed in the Maine media by the Verizon-Fairpoint deal, which was termed the largest decision of its kind in decades for Maine. I am just becoming aware of this Iberdrola megadeal, and I follow Maine news very very closely for this site.

Had you even heard about this Iberdrola megadeal??????

Said Maine Public Advocate Richard Davies in the above Mainebiz article
"I think we can anticipate a late winter or spring hearing schedule," Davies said. "This is the kind of matter that moves deliberately."

I'm sorry but this approval today does beg the obvious question, "Deliberately?"

How many hearings were held? I have no idea."


UPDATED - Verizon, Maine PUC, Governor Baldacci and Fairpoint
Excerpt:
"UPDATE: Prior Verizon and/or Fairpoint in Maine:
Senate Telecom Immunity Bill Threatens Maine Privacy Complaint ...

MCLU Urges PUC to Consider Privacy as Condition of Verizon/FairPoint Sale ...

American Civil Liberties Union : Verizon Admits Turning Over ... ...

Opponents Of Verizon/Fairpoint Land Line Deal Seek Backing Of Governor Baldacci ...

Maine Argument Stands Up In Domestic Spying Case ...

Financial Woes Facing Fairpoint Communications ...

PUC Not Letting Verizon off Hook ...

AG Vows Strong Defense Of PUC's Right To Investigate Verizon ...

U.S. threatens suit if Maine probes Verizon ties to NSA ...

ALEX: DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE THE MAINE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION STANDS ON RELEVANT ISSUES? I don't see much turning up in a web search."

Governor Baldacci Says Time is Right for Alternative Energy - Alex: Definitely!, but also more than meets the eye
Excerpt:
Alex: State leaders are just beginning to come together in regard to a more sophisticated, integrated and comprehensive understanding of how to target and address breakthrough global growth markets such as alternative energy leveraging Maine's traditional strengths and also values.

In (link:) Maine Round-Up: Maine, Renewable Energy and The World; Governor Baldacci and Trade I share in part:

"In the larger context, Maine should consider leveraging, as a key area (if not cornerstone) of economic development (focused on high growth 21st century global markets that build upon both Maine's research and commercial strengths and are consistent with Maine's traditional values) environmental science solutions for global export across forestry, climate research, renewable energy, marine science, agricultural science and a host of other specialty areas towards working to solve the world's environmental challenges (global warming, acid rain, deforestation, lack of clean drinking water, etc.). The United Nations has identified environmental solutions as one of the highest growth areas of the 21st century.

It's an incredibly huge business opportunity, one focused by definition on the sustainability of our planet, and consistent with Maine's historical strengths and values.

California is in its "second silicon revolution" (solar power) after building incredible Silicon Valley wealth with the first revolution in high tech. Clean Technology and renewable energy is now one of the very hottest areas in the world for venture capital investment, and politicians, cities and governments are tripping over themselves in the race to "go green". It is a no-brainer that Maine can and should play a leading role in helping to create the good jobs that our state so desperately needs through achievement in such leading areas. But having something be easy to recognize does not mean, in any respects, that it is also easy to do. There are a lot of important considerations to doing what I call "smart economic development" or development that is "ROI sensitive"."

See Also:
Saving Energy, Growing Jobs - How Environmental Protection Promotes Economic Growth, Profitabilty, Innovation, and Competition - Energy Efficiency and
and
Foreword by Senator Olympia Snowe - Saving Energy, Growing Jobs - How Environmental Protection Promotes Economic Growth, Profitability