**COMMENTS RECEIVED AFTER DEADLINE**

Transcription

1 .,.- STATE OF MINNESOTA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION Date: December 21,2009 Public Comments Received by the Public Utilities Commission for week ending: Docket Number: **COMMENTS RECEIVED AFTER DEADLINE** PHONE (651) FAX (651) TH PLACE EAST SUITE 350 SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA

2 SENATOR KATHY SHERAN 0-24 State Capitol Building. 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Phone: (651 ) sen.kathy.sheran@senate.ron i 1 " 1 Senate State o::f Minnesota Nicollet County. There is a great deal of concern about this proposal, with. local residents Apparently three properties have been purchased for this project by the City of New Uim. Senator KathySheran 10% Post Consumer Fiber Committees: Health and Human Services Budget Division Higher Education Budget and P.:>licy Division Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communication Environment and Natural Resources

3 SENATORKATHYSHERAN G-24 State Capitol Building 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Phone: (651) f6)~ D\Vl~1n\ ln1 ~ C:C 1':' 2ung Senate ~--~--~---- MINNESOTA PUBLIC UTILITI MISSION Nicollet County. There is a great deal of concern about this proposal, with local residents Apparently three properties have been purchased for this project by the City of New Ulm. Senator KathySheran Recycled Pape:r l(j16post Consumer Ji'ibe:r Committees: Health and Human Services Budget Division Higher Education Budget and Policy Division Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communication Environment and Natural Resources

4 SENATOR KATHY SHERAN G-24 State Capitol Building 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Ir. Blvd. Phone: (651) Senate Nicollet County. There is a great deal of concern about this proposal, with local residents Apparently three properties have been purchased for this project by the City of New Ulm. Senator KathySheran l(jn)post- Consumer Fiber Committees: Health and Human Services Budget Division Higher Education Budget and Policy Division. Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communication Environment and Natural Resources

5 SENATOR KATHY SHERAN G-24 State Capitol Building 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Phone: (651) I Ii i 1".lD~fHj'. Senate Nicollet County. There is a great deal of concern about this proposal, with local residents Apparently three properties have been purchased for this project by the City of New Ulm. Senator Kathy Sheran 10% Post Consumer Fiber Committees: Health and Human Services Budget Division Higher Education Budget and Policy Division. Energy, Utilities, Technology and Communication Environment and Natural Resources

6 r DENNIS R. FREDERICKSON Senator District 21 President Pro Tem fdl~ O\Yl In) DEC l':!j 139 State Office Building 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. St. Paul, MN (651) Home: 4 Sunrise Drive New Ulm, MN (507) Senate December 15, 2009 David C. Boyd, Chair Phyllis Reha, Vice-Chair Thomas W. Pugh, Commissioner J. Dennis O'Briend, Commissioner Betsy Wergin, Commissioner Minnesota Public Utilities Commission 121 7th Place E., Suite 350 Saint Paul, MN RE: Public Utilities Commission of the City of New Ulm L WECS Project Site Permit Application Docket No: E282/WS Dear Commissioners: I am writing this letter in support of the application by the New Ulm Public Utilities Commission (NUPUC) for an L WECS permit to construct five wind turbines in rural Nicollet County. Specifically, my recommendation is to give the NUPUC a waiver from the acquisition of additional wind rights over adjoining properties. As a resident of New Ulm, I have experienced (as only a rate payer would) the escalation of electrical costs in the city. Combined with the increase in the cost of natural gas, many midincome families struggle to pay their utility bills in the cold weather months. New Ulm is a city of almost 14,000 residents and is home to several production plants of major international corporations (3M, Kraft, Finnenich, and others) which provide good jobs to many families in the region. The managers of these plants are very concerned about the comparatively high cost of electricity as it increases the cost of production which impacts their ability to compete internally within their corporation and in the open international marketplace. New Ulm residents and New Ulm employers need this wind energy project as one element of a long term plan to provide dependable, competitively priced electrical energy. ]Cf!6Post Consunl.er Fiber COMMITTEES: Environment and Natural Resources. Finance. Capital Investment Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division Rules and Administration Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources sen.dennis.frederickson@senate.mn FAX: (651)

7 In the past, the NUPUC followed an energy supply strategy of buying part of their wholesaleenergy on the open or spot market. It was a successful strategy for the city for many years, but the market forces changed. Within the last few years, that strategy resulted in extremely high energy costs in New Ulm. As a result, the NUPUC went through a lengthy and comprehensive planning and decision making process that resulted in entering into long term firm contracts and further developing city owned generating capacity to provide electrical energy at an affordable cost. Their plan also goes a long way toward meeting the environmental expectations of the 21 st century. The detailed history, process, and decisions of the NUPU have been submitted to you in other documents, and I will not reiterate them. In conclusion, the need for new and upgraded electrical energy sources for New Ulm is critical. The city has taken well-planned steps using the latest information and the best consultants they could locate to advise the city on a prudent course to follow. By any measure, be it state energy policy, environmental requirements or competitive cost, the wind turbines are an integral part of the city's comprehensive plan. Please issue a permit so the city can move forward to meet the electrical energy needs of its citizens. Dennis Frederickson State Senator -