AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine House voted Friday to accept the majority committee report of one of the governor’s energy bills, reversing what happened on Thursday in the Senate and throwing the measure’s status into uncertainty.
LD 1863, one of four energy bills submitted this session by Gov. Paul LePage, deals with lifting the 100-megawatt cap for qualifying renewable power generation such as hydropower.
LePage and other supporters have said the bill would allow Maine to buy low-cost energy that meets the renewable energy standard, thereby reducing energy costs for businesses and homeowners.
Opponents, mostly Democrats and environmental groups, said the bill does nothing but provide a “carrot” to the only large-scale hydropower producer in the region, Hydro Quebec, without getting anything in return.
Sen. Phil Bartlett, D-Gorham said Thursday there is nothing in the bill that would require Hydro Quebec to sell Maine cheap energy. In fact, he said, the Canadian firm has sold its energy to nearby Vermont at a rate above the market price.
The majority report that was accepted by the House alters the governor’s proposal by creating a bid process that allows the PUC to seek requests and then make a determination about whether to lift the 100-megawatt cap.
The House voted 75-66 on Friday to accept that report.
In a straight party-line vote of 19-16 on Thursday, the Senate accepted the bill’s minority report, which lifts the 100-megawatt cap first and then allows the state to seek long-term contracts.
The measure now goes back to the Senate on Friday in nonconcurrence.
Kenneth Fletcher, the governor’s energy director, said last week that the majority report creates a scenario by which energy providers would have to go through an exhaustive and drawn-out process that might fail to result in a deal. He also said that would encourage providers to look elsewhere.
The bill’s minority report had tenuous support in the Senate until this week when all 19 Republican senators got on board.
The governor had called out lawmakers for not supporting what he wanted on LD 1863 and he also criticized the lobbying influence of other energy providers during the process.
“I do not support Augusta being in the business of increasing costs on Maine ratepayers to pad the pockets of special-interest groups,” he said in a statement. “I believe it is morally and ethically wrong to take more money from those who can least afford it to line the pockets of those that are politically connected here in Augusta.”
Follow BDN writer Eric Russell on Twitter at @BDNPolitics.
Thank a Democrat for this lunacy
Lepage’s “give more money to Canada” bill was caused by a Democrat?
I don’t really care where my money goes as long as I am able to keep more of it, and this is what our governor was trying to do.
Missed the part where hydro from Canada was being sold at HIGHER prices than the current domestic rates, huh?
Tyke stop buying into the Liberal Kool-Aid our rates have gone through the roof since these hydro dams were removed , and also while having all of these Wind Turbines/Wind Farms popping up everywhere. Ask any customer those who are on CMP, Bangor Hydro/MPS , Madison Electric ( electric company I have) who have seen our rates quadruple. Those of us who have seen our bills be 4 t0 6 times higher than what they used to be. Madison Electric ( electric company I have) used to have some of the lowest rates in Maine but we are paying CMP rates now. Madison Electric has fallen into this clean energy scam as well. Trying to get into the Natural Gas Business by trying to force a bond package on Madison residents building KVGAS’ proposed pipeline. We need to start rebuilding our hydro dams, going back with Nuclear Power getting help with Electric Rates from Hydro Quebec. Mainers need to stop listening to the Phil Bartlett II of the world who are in the pockets of the Wind Power folks. Maine needs to have everything on the table if the Democrats refuse go on without them. Because 99% of those folks in Augusta suffer from tunnel vision its either their way or no way at all.
While your rant is mildly amusing, please pay attention to the FACT that Hydro Quebec sold its power to the NE Grid at a price HIGHER than the average cost.
HIGHER
I don’t know what the price was that Vermont paid, but I guarentee it was much less than the “green” wind power being ocaisionlly produced.
Let wind turbines compete against hydro.
If both are produced in Maine, then I would agree.
Maybe the lesson is not to agree on long term contracts.
Sen. Phil Bartlett II (Ultra Liberal Dem from Portland) and the rest of the loonies in Augusta should be getting all of the blame for this mess. Republicans are stupid for going along with the Libs Maine would be better off if the Republicans told the Libs to take a hike.
Why the PUC 180 degree turn?
Bribery, Coercion, corruption, highest level manipulation?
Follow the money.
Once again, stabbed in the back by our Legislature.
Once again Paul Lepage wants to give more of our tax dollars to his friends in Canada.
Are you serious. Do you want power at 5 or 6 cents a kw , or rather would you have it for 16 to more than 20 cents a kw for power like most of us are getting now. I think the answer is clear. But Dems think the Wind Power scam is our savior. It’s a sham none of these Wind Turbines has been successful. It has destroyed good land that could have been used for business development, it has destroyed beautiful areas, lowered people’s property values. Mainers are also tired of hearing these turbines make very loud “whooshing” noises at night. Liberals think we should only have clean energy like Wind Turbines, Ethanol etc.. No other choices if these are such great choices why is noone jumping into it. Why did every company that Obama put money into fail. Because noone wants it they want the current choices but made cleaner with newer technologies.
Did you miss the MPUC meeting on Thursday? They approved the sale of First Wind interests in all of its Maine Wind projects to Emera, a Canadian company. Emera will also get an interest in any of First Wind’s new wind projects in Maine. Emera also owns Bangor Hydro. So whether its six or half of a dozen your money is still going to Canada.
Proof that the Dems want to double or triple electric rates in Maine with wind power instead of going to Hydro for power… According to Obama he would be happy if Americans were paying $7 a gallon for gas..
What part of there is no guarantee that HQ will sell to us for cheaper. If they do what they did to VT, it will be more costly. This bill would just give HQ ample room to gouge the State.
Every time you post something it seems to come directly from the “Fox News-Right Wing Extrtemist-Propaganda” machine ! Don’t you realize that the rest of us know where this nonsense originates from ? Proof you claim ? What proof ?
That is a stupid thing to say.
Obama’s Energy Secretary Chu doesn’t own a car, and probably doesn’t even know what the price of a gallon of gas is either.
He is driven by a limo paid by you!
He wants the Turbines everywhere to lower your electrical costs as well.
He is most knowledgable on the issue , and looking out for all of us.
Yesterday, I saw a pig fly with contoured energy efficient wings as well, curving around a wind turbine before he was made into bacon.
With Maine obtaining the unsavory distinction of being one of the most
corrupt and non-transparent states in the nation, is it any wonder
that unethical corrupt practices from the likes of self-serving Rep.
Fitts have occurred?
See ‘F’ in national study means Maine ‘ripe’ for corruption”
By Naomi Schalit, Lance Tapley and John Christie
March 19, 2012 © Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting
http://www.pinetreewatchdog.org
BTW David…, Obama’s Secretary Chu said 10 dollars a gallon would be possible..
He also doesn’t own a car (uses a federally paid LIMO, you paid for )
Another example of LePage handing more profit to huge corporations outside of Maine and even the US. We get nothing in return but a monster corporation taking advantage of us.
He did this before with health insurance, destroying the State’s protections, and allowing premiums to soar on the weak and vulnerable:
http://www.iwatchnews.org/2011/10/06/6883/analysis-health-insurers-win-big-maine
I would think the dems would want this to pass.This would put more money in working mans pockets for them to redistribute to the extortion crowd.
Well several Dems including Sen. Phil Bartlett II , Cynthia Dill, Justin Alfond, Emily Cain and co. has some explaining to do to Maine citizens. They better start telling those of us who are struggling why we should continue to pay for high energy costs . Why we should continue to give Wind Power handouts to Democrat Politicians (Angus King, John Richardson, Kurt Adams, Baldacci’s, Dennis Bailey, Rep Jon Hinck and his wife Juliet Browne.)
DHS NOT ENERGY
This is gonna be a winning issue for R’s come November, ‘cept the ones who voted agaqinst it.
Once again the wind power lobby has shown their strength and who they own and control in the Maine House.
This IS NOT your representative legislature or your PUC any more folks, the majority of those two bodies still belong to the wind lobby.
Hydro Quebec is building 3100 MW of wind power capacity.
Why buy cheap wind power from socialist Quebec when we can produce right here in Maine?
Oh wait, that would require critical thinking and reasoning ability.
Never mind.
yessah
RIGHT those Wind Farms are sure doing us some good huh. That is why Mainers have seen their electric rates go through the roof . While Angus King and friends are laughing seeing green ($$$$) from the subsidies that Augusta has been given them for years. Just say No to Wind. Let Angus and company earn a real living for once.
Earth to Darkcat
Maine’s Standard Offer rate went DOWN not UP this year – even as the state added wind power capacity to its generation portfolio.
Oh yeah – “Augusta” has never granted wind power any “subsidies”.
Please try to keep up.
yessah
No subsidies from Augusta? The current average marginal auction energy rate is less than $32 MwHr. The MPUC mandated a power contract to Rollins Wind at a floor of $55 MwHr which is 70% above the current market rate. The MPUC last fall mandated contracts for wind projects in Pisgah, Lubec and Jonesport at floors of $85 to $93 MwHr. “Please try to keep up”.
Indeed , the graft trail is now evident, and deep in Maine’s wind scam.
It goes to the highest levels of deceit.
Sorry – economic data from the US and EU clearly demonstrates that cheap wind power displaces more expensive electricity from conventional fossil-fired sources and reduces the spot and wholesale prices of electricity.
yesssah
Those are not subsidies – those rates are cheaper than new natural gas, coal and nuclear power.
They are good for Maine and the environment.
Oh yeah – Vermont pays $58 per MWh for juice from Hydro Quebec
yessah
thousands and thousands of GRID scale WIND turbines will kill Maine.
No it won’t – wind power has not “killed” Denmark – but climate change will “kill” Maine’s economy.
Oppose renewable energy – and you promote devastating climate change that will destroy Maine’s remaining subalpine high elevation habitats.
yessah
Indeed , the graft trail is now evident, and deep in Maine’s wind scam.
It goes to the highest levels of deceit.
I don’t believe LePage. He has lied and been devious too often. Nov. 6, 2012
Angus King and Baldacci must be telling us the truth then LOL.
Out the door in 20-1-4
I read with great interest.Thanks for you sharing.
Governor LePage and the people of Maine have been betrayed by the legislators.
Let’s take a hard look into the connections of the handful of Republicans that went against the Governor.
Let’s see which of them may be somehow on the payroll of the fraudulent green energy train.
Indeed , the graft trail is now evident, and deep in Maine’s wind scam.
It goes to the highest levels of deceit.
follow the money.You kill the state of Maine by destroying habitat, killing birds and mammals, fragmenting habitat, closing land [Mars Hill, Highland, Roxbury, all gated, and more to come], you destroy the wild areas and scenery that brings in both tourists and those looking to buy homes/land, and you raise electric prices, which hurts both homeowners and businesses. Tourism is $10 Billion per year to the State—the largest industry we have ever had, and those tourists are already starting to go elsewhere because of wind development.
property devaluation; with-in sight……with-in hearing there is abandonment, sold-out, relocated…….
Split the town in half…those that stand to make money and those that don’t….see WINDFALL…at least the trailors.
Maine has acidic rock on mountain tops…each blast cracks the fractures. While sulfur is harmless, it is hard to convince some one to drink the smell.
Clear cuts on the very apex of erosion. Herbicides added to this high point. All runs down hill wether in a controlled erosion or not.
Rotor Sweep Zone kills all in it’s path. Weather radar cannot tell if what they see is a storm or turbines.
more to come….please join windtaskforce.com for a compilation of 3 years of digging into the background of Industrial Wind.
AND AND all this money goes to Boston based LLCs. except King Angus
You have made some good points, hinted at necessary research that should be done. NOW, tell me about what comes out of a coal plant’s exhaust, what are the chemicals going into the water when fracking? The research has already been done on the carbon based energy industry, the oil companies win, the rest of us lose.
Fair and Balanced
However, the wind turbines are made with power from nasty old coal burning power plants in China, so they are not exactly as clean as the wind huggers like to think. Then add in all the other carbon costs. Maybe we would be better off with new technology applied to our old fuels and reducing consumption?
coal plants exhaust should be cleaned up.
WIND power REC’s should not be allowwed use on dirty energy.
HYDRO is GREEN
Hysterical nonsense.
Loss of winter habitat in Central America is a prime cause of New England passerine bird population declines – not wind farms.
White-nose syndrome – not wind turbines – is the cause of devastating declines in US bat populations.
Mercury deposition from out-of-state coal fired power plants is more of a threat to Maine loons, snapping turtles, eagles and humans than wind farms.
Mountain top removal coal mining destroys more high elevation habitat in the eastern US than wind farms.
The acreage of forestry clear cuts in Maine far exceeds the area cleared for wind turbines in Maine.
The Plum Creek development will “close” more prime tourist habitat in the Greenville area than Maine wind farms.
Maine towns that voted to host wind farms have no rescinded those votes – they want them there.
More herbicide is used to maintain roads and power line right-of-ways in Maine than used to maintain wind farms.
Yessah
“I believe it is morally and ethically wrong to take more money from those who can least afford it to line the pockets of those that are politically connected here in Augusta.”
It is clear that the HOUSE needs a good cleaning!
The industrial wind lobby’s argument that this bill would open the door to possibly purchasing cheaper hydro power from Quebec and hurting our own local power sources is a hypocritical one, given the fact that the biggest industrial wind developer in this country AND in Maine is merging with three Canadian companies to save itself from bankruptcy. We’re sending our dollars out of state with any industrial wind project and out of the nation with First Wind (Massachusetts/Canada) and Iberdrola (CMP/Spain). Hydro-Quebec is going to be duking it out with Nalcor as soon as the lower dam on the Churchill River at Muskrat Falls is built. This is going to create very competitive energy prices and could substantially lower the rates for Maine businesses and residents ONLY if we classify hydro power as a renewable. Hydro power IS a renewable energy source, much more powerful and much cheaper than industrial wind. Environmentalists should be behind this bill if they care about Maine’s wildlife and wild places which are currently being destroyed by wind developers. We need Governor LePage’s bill to be passed. The legislature should be looking out for Maine citizens and business owners, not pandering to lobbying from special interest groups.
Stand up for us all Governor!
For Mainers true interests – Haud Unquam Cedo!
Against the scoundrels and self-servers in Maine-Haud Unquam Cedo!
It’s time we all march on government and demand no more lobbiests , no more PAC’s. Some of our elected officials quickly forget just who they represent ! Lepage is right to call them out on this one !
“The governor had called out lawmakers for
not supporting what he wanted on LD 1863 and he also criticized the lobbying
influence of other energy providers during the process.”
“I do not support Augusta being in
the business of increasing costs on Maine ratepayers to pad the pockets of
special-interest groups,” he said in a statement. “I believe it is morally and
ethically wrong to take more money from those who can least afford it to line
the pockets of those that are politically connected here in
Augusta.”
Looks like you finally have a governor who is above corruption and not in bed
with the wind industry – i.e. First Wind!.
Thank You Senator Phil Bartlett. You bring truth and Clarity to these discussions. I particularly appreciated your input on the Works Comp “reform”.