By: J. O'Neal

J. O'Neal — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 18:57:55 +0000

In the Kemper hearings, the Sierra Club’s counsel, Robert Wiygul, argued that the rate hike that would result from the Kemper plant should not be withheld from the public. But he did not prevail.

Sadly, we were almost on the road to avoiding a 45-square-mile strip mine of the headwaters of the Pascagoula and a “new” coal plant, when two Public Service Commissioners “mysteriously” changed their minds a month after an initial judgment.

One thing MBJ can do is cover the PSC’s upcoming “Efficiency” hearings, to begin September 28. In 2008, the MS PSC (those same two commissioners) rejected the five standards of the 2005 Energy Policy Act, one of which is Efficiency (the others are Net Metering, Smart Metering, Interconnection and a required portion of electric utility generation in Renewables).

Net Metering (the meter runs backwards when ratepayers generate their own power) is necessary for consumers to adopt solar power. In North MS, the TVA provides a generous net metering program, which is why a solar panel plant is being built in Senatobia.

46 states and DC have Net Metering. Mississippi Power tells us there is not enough solar energy in Mississippi. But, according to the NOAA, Jackson MS has 61% sunny days annually versus 60% in Austin TX. Austin has an active solar program.

Hard to believe Mississippi Power, isn’t it?

Comments on: Managing ethics when no one else is looking

By: J. O'Neal