Economic development organizations... every community has one. And every community's economic development org. spends its time tooting its own horn and tossing its own citizens under the bus for benefit of out-of-state businesses that may want to relocate to the community.
Economic development blowhards regularly blather on at public gatherings about all the wonderful economic things that are happening in the community. So, what's up with the CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK's announcement at a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon:
Economic development blowhards regularly blather on at public gatherings about all the wonderful economic things that are happening in the community. So, what's up with the CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK's announcement at a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon:
Higgins also said three different alternative energy companies were looking at locating in the Golden Triangle. He also said the Southern Cross Transmission project, a 400-mile wind energy line across the state that will end with a $300 million converter station in the Caledonia area, only needs four more land owners to approve using their property.
And here I thought the Mississippi Public Service Commission had the only authority to approve the project in Mississippi? And the MPSC docket shows no recent activity, aside from appointment of some kind of settlement facilitator. It sort of looks like the project might be in settlement talks at the PSC. In every other jurisdiction, (but who knows about the Mississippi PSC) settlement discussions are confidential. Information shared during settlement discussions is confidential. If the only thing standing between Southern Cross and a settlement that would allow approval by the Mississippi PSC is the "approval" of four landowners, who told Joe Bob? Has Joe Bob been participating in PSC settlement talks, and if so, why is he sharing this information? This is pretty poor form to have an economic development guy making public announcements about the progress of a PSC matter that may be confidential.
Except, hey there, Joe Bob, Southern Cross is definitely NOT ready to begin construction in Texas, and it has nothing to do with landowner approval. It has to do with the Public Utility Commission of Texas placing conditions on its approval of the crucial connection between Texas wind and the Southern Cross transmission project. It seems Texas has an interest in protecting the assets its ratepayers have paid for. Texas invested heavily in a network of transmission lines to bring wind-generated power from the western part of the state to the eastern population centers. Southern Cross wants to hook into that network and and use it to suck power out of Texas for free. PUCT thinks Southern Cross should be responsible for any costs its export of Texas energy places on Texas ratepayers. Southern Cross, of course, doesn't want to pay.
Joe Bob, where did you get your information?
Landowners and permits aside, where are the customers, Southern Cross and Pattern Energy? I see that your project is intended to export Texas energy to customers in the southeast, except you fail to reveal who these customers are. Without customers, a merchant transmission facility fails. A merchant project has no captive customer revenue stream. It must depend on voluntary customers to create a revenue stream. Only then may a merchant project receive financing. Only after being fully financed may a merchant project begin construction.
Southern Cross doesn't even seem to believe in itself, judging from the way its website is way out of date. Maybe the company needs one of Joe Bob's pep talks?
Except, hey there, Joe Bob, Southern Cross is definitely NOT ready to begin construction in Texas, and it has nothing to do with landowner approval. It has to do with the Public Utility Commission of Texas placing conditions on its approval of the crucial connection between Texas wind and the Southern Cross transmission project. It seems Texas has an interest in protecting the assets its ratepayers have paid for. Texas invested heavily in a network of transmission lines to bring wind-generated power from the western part of the state to the eastern population centers. Southern Cross wants to hook into that network and and use it to suck power out of Texas for free. PUCT thinks Southern Cross should be responsible for any costs its export of Texas energy places on Texas ratepayers. Southern Cross, of course, doesn't want to pay.
Joe Bob, where did you get your information?
Landowners and permits aside, where are the customers, Southern Cross and Pattern Energy? I see that your project is intended to export Texas energy to customers in the southeast, except you fail to reveal who these customers are. Without customers, a merchant transmission facility fails. A merchant project has no captive customer revenue stream. It must depend on voluntary customers to create a revenue stream. Only then may a merchant project receive financing. Only after being fully financed may a merchant project begin construction.
Southern Cross doesn't even seem to believe in itself, judging from the way its website is way out of date. Maybe the company needs one of Joe Bob's pep talks?
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