The latest on the expensivest cheap power around

The fight over coal heads to a climax in Kansas

Posted by David Roberts at 2:55 PM on 29 Apr 2008

The fight over coal in Kansas is headed to a climactic battle on Wednesday, when the legislature gathers to finish its session. Twice it has sent bills to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius that would allow two blocked dirty coal plants to move forward; twice she has vetoed.

The game on Wed. is for pro-coal legislators to scare up enough votes to override the veto.

There's a good rundown on the action in the Kansas City Star, which includes this laugh-out-loud quote:

"We're not Enron," said Sunflower spokesman Steve Miller. "We're just a bunch of farmers ... trying to keep the lights on out here in western Kansas."

Well shucks, Jeb, I reckon them big city fellas're plum confused!

See also this story in the Witchita Eagle, which describes how construction costs on the two proposed plants -- and proposed plants across the country -- have risen up to 200 percent in recent years. It's Kansas ratepayers who are going to get soaked for that money, though. Why should the utility care?

Speaking of rate hikes, don't miss this AP story on how the rising cost of coal is hitting ratepayers where it hurts:

Facing such steep price increases, utilities nationwide are raising rates and are likely to push for even more dramatic increases in electric rates in the coming months. In parts of coal-dependent West Virginia, for instance, electricity rates will rise 15 percent this year. That's one of the biggest increases in American Electric's history, a rate hike the company attributes largely to rising coal costs.

West Virginia is far from alone. In Kentucky, which like West Virginia gets more than 90 percent of its electricity from coal, the four biggest utilities have raised rates an average of 12 percent over the past 12 months, according to the Kentucky Public Service Commission.

But I thought coal was cheap!

And finally, witness Rod Bremby, the heroic Health and Environment Secretary in Kansas who originally denied the permits, defend his actions. Compare his erudition and sense of duty to that of his critics. You can tell who is on history's side.

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8 Comments | Post a Comment

Choosing History's Side

David, you had the wording right. It is like Lincoln who declined to state that we were on God's side but fervently wished that this country was on God's side.

In this battle over Global Warming, we can all hope to be on history's side, but most of the hot air seems to be rising from other campfires.

Architecture 2030 made stopping coal a priority. Any new coal fired plant in unacceptable. Current mountain top removal practices are unacceptable.

We know that much can be accomplished by executive order. We need a chief executive who will issue those orders (no more coal fired plants, no new nuclear plants, no more mountain top removal for coal mining, new EPA rules on CO2, SO2, mercury emissions.

I have very serious doubts that any of the three media recognized candidates are up to that task. However, I refer you to the new report from our committee:

Wes Rolley CoChair - EcoAction Committee Green Party US

by wesrolley at 3:36 PM on 29 Apr 2008

5 cents a Kwh barrier breaking

No more arguments for coal:

http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9931422-54.html

[Sungri] has built a prototype device that magnifies light 1,600 times onto expensive germanium solar cells. The company intends to produce the devices in 12 to 15 months, and says they will capable of generating electricity at 5 cents a kilowatt hour--competitive with coal-fired power plants.

Texeme.Construct(Participant)

by jabailo at 6:15 PM on 29 Apr 2008

Here's another fun one

$8000/KW for Nuclear power :P
Such a deal
http://www.nirs.org/images/fplturkeypointcostchart.jpg

(Note: FutureGen was $6500/KW, and canceled because it was too expensive)

Also, another killer article that wraps up the issue quite nicely :P
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080512/parenti

by GreyFlcn at 9:14 PM on 29 Apr 2008

Farmers?

Simple farmers trying to keep the lights on? Well then, try farm biogas electric power to backup a renewable grid. Farm house! Right arm!

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

by amazingdrx at 10:06 PM on 29 Apr 2008

Dr. X

"Right arm"?

Are you perhaps quoting a certain historical document published by Stewart Brand when he was still sane? Black and White, funny looking marble on the cover?

Sometimes I think I'm the only person who ever actually read those things.

Put the Carbon Back

by Pangolin at 11:29 PM on 29 Apr 2008
[ Parent ]

Hehey

Might be that's where it came from originally. But I heard it from a coop mate, a radiant young beauty, on Henry Street, in that great melting pot of radical culture, Madison.

It was post revolutionaty, droll satire of the generic political phrase, "right on, far out!".

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

by amazingdrx at 2:58 AM on 30 Apr 2008

Lights on?

I must be living in a hole out in the Big ol' City, because I had no idea that there are Brown/Blackouts in rural Kansas out there amongst you "farmers". You and your High rise offices, pack wall to wall with computers fax machines etc.

Who said farmers even need electricity anyway? Farm all day, eat some corn and eggs, use the stars & candlelight to see at night, and when the rooster calls, you wake up and do it all over again...

Right Stevie?

P.S. I've never met a coal farmer before. How do you harvest your coal Steve, by tractor?

by rwelborn at 7:50 AM on 30 Apr 2008

Kansas Coal Plants

Hello from Kansas, eastern, where we hope these plants won't get built, cause guess who will get to the breathe that air? Meanwhile, the energy is NOT for Kansans, MOST of it will be sold to Colorado. Yes, that's right. Colorado. This is important.

Western Kansas is hurting economically -- but at this point their representatives can only see coal as the answer. Not a word about wind or converting cow dung or trash or sun to fuel. Plenty of wind and sun in Kansas. And cow dung, for that matter.

Contact Kathleen Sebelius, our governor -- she's standing tough. And yes, if you want to encourage public officials to be brave and visionary and, well, smart, contact Rod Bremby, the man who said no. Tell them thanks.

by bloomar at 11:42 AM on 30 Apr 2008
[ Parent ]

ADVERTISING POLICY

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