Rumors started last week that Entergy may be putting Vermont Yankee out for sale. An energy trade publication carried the story but Entergy has had no comment.
Now the Rutland Herald reports Entergy and one other company (not named) tried to pull out mid way through a power contract auction run by ISO the operator of the New England power grid.
ISO-New England Inc. held the auction. ISO spokeswoman Ellen Foley said that Entergy Nuclear participated until the fifth round of the auction and then requested to “delist,” or pull out of the auction, a move which was denied by ISO-New England, citing grid reliability concerns.
The auction was held Aug. 2 and 3, and Entergy’s request came on Aug. 2, Foley said. Entergy did not request in advance to pull out of the auction, she said. By law, every power generator must participate in such power capacity auctions.
Vermont Department of Public Service David O’Brien’s reaction is notable.
O’Brien, Vermont’s advocate for the people of the state of Vermont in these matters didn’t ask why Entergy attempted to withdraw from the auction. Rather than find out the facts or an explanation for Entergy’s behavior he simply brushed aside the question and raised fears of reliability.
David O’Brien, commissioner of the Department of Public Service, said he did not ask Entergy why it tried to withdraw from the auction. But he said the more important issue was what the loss of Vermont Yankee would have on the New England power grid.
Is O’Brien’s charge really to deal with anything other than reliability in this case? Granted he’s a Doesless appointee and pro-VY, so has an agenda, but it is a legitimate, perhaps overriding concern that if a large generator were gone, that could cause serious grid problems. I’d think that’s a legitimate focus at the outset, even if DPS is supposed to also inform the public about utility issues.
As an aside, I think it’s funny that his about page on the DPS site still touts the Great Broadband Plan to have high-speed everywhere by the end of 2010. How’s that working out for ya?
We’re hopefully getting WiMax this afternoon, finally. From GlobalNet. Fairpoint sent me a candidate info letter a few weeks ago promising broadband everywhere by 2011, and Shumlin’s plan is by the end of 2012, IIRC.
Oy. It shouldn’t be this hard, especially if we want Vermont to be competitive. Same goes for sustainable energy investments. You want a jobs program…?
Forgive my cluelessness. Did I miss something? If ISO is making these claims, what’s their motive? Although it does look sketchy, I simply am unable to connect the dots.
Did anyone notice this piece from Wednesday’s Free Press Buried on an inside page, 1 column; emphases added:
There’s more. Go read it. This is what Maggie Gundersen and Doug Hoffer have been talking about.
This should make Ol’ Tom (that is, young Tom, not his dad) a lock for the GMD award named after him.
NanuqFC
If nuclear power plants are safe, let the commercial insurance industry insure them. Until these most expert judges of risk are willing to gamble with their money, I’m not willing to gamble with the health and safety of my family. ~ Donna Reed