In its Order on PATH's abandonment filing last week, FERC tossed thousands of opponents of the Project Mountaineer transmission line projects a bone. It won't reimburse you for all the time and money you've invested fighting transmission projects that were never needed in the first place, and it won't unbuild the TrAIL Project or make affected landowners and consumers whole, and it won't stop the unneeded Susquehanna-Roseland Project from continuing to proceed with stunning haste. But if a little validation and personal satisfaction makes a tasty snack for you, here's your bone:
"The PATH Project concept was originally introduced by PJM in May 2005 at a Commission technical conference as Project Mountaineer- a major east-to-west transmission corridor. In early 2006, AEP and Allegheny separately filed petitions for declaratory order with the Commission requesting transmission incentives to build this multi-corridor concept in their respective zones in Docket Nos. EL06-50-000 and EL06-54-000, respectively. The Commission affirmed abandoned plant recovery for the proposals subject to approval in the PJM Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP) and requiring a future section 205 filing, among other things. On June 27, 2007, PJM’s Board of Directors approved the projects for inclusion in PJM’s RTEP, changing the route and scope from those originally conceived, combining portions of both AEP and Allegheny’s projects into a single project (the PATH Project) with a requested completion date of June 2012."
That's right... FERC says that the PATH Project (and TrAIL, MAPP and Susquehanna-Roseland) originated as a concept in 2005. The Commission technical conference referred to is what we've been calling "The Coal Love Fest." Its goal was to increase the use of coal-fired resources. It wasn't about increased demand, congested transmission lines or reliability. It wasn't until 2007 that PJM created the reliability violations that caused a "need" for the PATH Project under the guise of reliability and "ordered" AEP & Allegheny (now FirstEnergy) to build PATH.
1. Project Mountaineer.
2. Creation of PATH Project concept.
3. Creation of "need" for PATH Project.
Nibble slowly, PATH opponents. It's all you're going to get.
Of course, this isn't news to any of you. We've been telling you this for the past 4 years. But now FERC agrees with us.
The PATH Project is a bit of ugly and expensive history now. However, the lesson could live on.
PJM, FERC and the midwest wind industry are busy concocting a new Project Mountaineer right now but instead of coal, this time it's about moving "midwest wind" to both coasts via $300B of new transmission lines. We don't need that anymore than we needed Project Mountaineer in 2005. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Consumers can't afford another expensive mistake.
"The PATH Project concept was originally introduced by PJM in May 2005 at a Commission technical conference as Project Mountaineer- a major east-to-west transmission corridor. In early 2006, AEP and Allegheny separately filed petitions for declaratory order with the Commission requesting transmission incentives to build this multi-corridor concept in their respective zones in Docket Nos. EL06-50-000 and EL06-54-000, respectively. The Commission affirmed abandoned plant recovery for the proposals subject to approval in the PJM Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP) and requiring a future section 205 filing, among other things. On June 27, 2007, PJM’s Board of Directors approved the projects for inclusion in PJM’s RTEP, changing the route and scope from those originally conceived, combining portions of both AEP and Allegheny’s projects into a single project (the PATH Project) with a requested completion date of June 2012."
That's right... FERC says that the PATH Project (and TrAIL, MAPP and Susquehanna-Roseland) originated as a concept in 2005. The Commission technical conference referred to is what we've been calling "The Coal Love Fest." Its goal was to increase the use of coal-fired resources. It wasn't about increased demand, congested transmission lines or reliability. It wasn't until 2007 that PJM created the reliability violations that caused a "need" for the PATH Project under the guise of reliability and "ordered" AEP & Allegheny (now FirstEnergy) to build PATH.
1. Project Mountaineer.
2. Creation of PATH Project concept.
3. Creation of "need" for PATH Project.
Nibble slowly, PATH opponents. It's all you're going to get.
Of course, this isn't news to any of you. We've been telling you this for the past 4 years. But now FERC agrees with us.
The PATH Project is a bit of ugly and expensive history now. However, the lesson could live on.
PJM, FERC and the midwest wind industry are busy concocting a new Project Mountaineer right now but instead of coal, this time it's about moving "midwest wind" to both coasts via $300B of new transmission lines. We don't need that anymore than we needed Project Mountaineer in 2005. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Consumers can't afford another expensive mistake.
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