Green Energy-part two

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Submitted by rl on Wed, 10/08/2008 - 12:24

Another energy usage issue is the controversial desire by the electric utilities in Northern Minnesota to increase the kilowatt rate by 24%. A request to Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) is under consideration. Minnesota Power a electricity power producer providing electric energy in Northern Minnesota stated that because of provisions stipulated by the DOE it cannot economically maintain providing electricity. The previous “Green Energy” article explains the DOE requirements.

That is only part of Minnesota Power's problem. Minnesota Power has a new industrial consumer. Essar Inc. has purchased Minnesota Steel. Essar not only will mine taconite they will produce steel products. The production of steel will require a great number of kilowatts hours of electricity from mining to finish product.

Minnesota Power has purchased the needed electric energy from another electric power suppler to meet its industrial customers demand in the past. Minnesota Power has requested that the MPUC grant them a 24 percent kilowatt hour payment increase. For the residential customers that means instead of paying .08 cents per kilowatt they would pay .11 cents per hour.

To put that in perspective; if your home uses 600 kilowatt hours of electricity per month, at the rate of .08 per kilowatt hour your electric bill would be $48.00 . If the kilowatt rate is increases to .11 the same 600 kilowatt hours would cost $66.00.

What interests me is how Minnesota Power will work around the requirements set by the DOE. Does the 10% of electric energy production via appropriate energy only apply in state users/producers?

Will Minnesota Power build another fossil fuel power plant to supply Essar with electric energy? Will Minnesota Power be required to install 400 foot wind turbines as part of the DOE's requirement? Stay tuned to WWW.Progressivesurvival.net I will follow this action.

R.L. Philippi