Minneapolis urged to study city-owned utilities, replacing Xcel and CenterPoint

pioneer press ^ | 6-22-13 | david hanners

[TurboZamboni]

It is a simple question without a simple answer: Should Minneapolis be its own power company?

Delegates at last weekend's Minneapolis DFL convention passed a resolution supporting an initiative to study whether Minnesota's largest city has anything to gain by going into the utility business.

The passage provided momentum to the proposal, borne of a coalition of green-energy groups. Their goal: compel Xcel Energy to step up efforts to provide clean, affordable electricity -- and CenterPoint Energy to provide more affordable natural gas -- or get the city to provide it.

"Our campaign is not saying we should kick Xcel Energy or CenterPoint Energy out of town," said Dylan Kesti, manager of the coalition, Minneapolis Energy Options. "We want to work with the utilities, since they are corporate citizens of our community.

"But we want them to be responsible corporate citizens. If they would give us clean-energy concessions and local economic investment in the local green-energy economy, we'd be obliged to work with them."

[TurboZamboni]

the plan will be for everyone to put a solar panel or windmill on their abode to receive a "free" credit from the local gubbamint who got it from the state who got it from the feds who are 17 trillion in debt.

"mission creep". soon local gubbamint will make you breakfast and wipe your backside,too.(but good luck getting your potholes fixed or street plowed)

[Da Coyote]

Danger, Will Robinson,, danger.

There is no lower level of incompetency than that of a liberal bureaucrat.

Prepare for incalculable raises in your electric rates.

[txrefugee]

The residents of Minneapolis must not realize that in the bitter winter of 2010 in TX, the thousands of windmills on the TX Plains did not produce much energy. TX had to buy electric power from “our good friends” in Mexico, who charged triple rates because they could.

[relictele]

Socialists are worse than the Mafia at denying what is obvious to all.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I’d call this another opportunity for thousands of new jobs with the city power company. Good, safe, union jobs.

[yldstrk]

lol

I thought they were talking about excel worksheet and power point!

[USMA '71]

Maybe they should talk to the people in Harrisburg, PA before they get too far down this rat hole. Harrisburg is now functionally bankrupt from a city-owned trash incinerator. Bad idea.

[IronJack]

This is all being done under the "green" umbrella. But it's nothing more than an attempt to take over another piece of the country's critical infrastructure. Look at it this way: the gummint already supplies water, sewage, (in many cases) garbage pickup, streets, snow removal, access to cable, phone, internet ... Now imagine a gummint that decides it wants you out, or it wants to spy on your phone calls or your energy usage or the tv shows you're watching (if you're stupid enough to watch tv).

All the vestiges of civilization have been given over to Big Brother, who dispenses or withholds them at his whim.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I remember there was a trash burner in downtown Mpls some years ago.
Maybe the air around it wasn’t green enough.

[TurboZamboni]

Guess it would simplify them putting a “smart meter” on your house.

[nascarnation]

City utilities is a slam dunk winner for any urban political machine.

A new corps of well paid unionized employees paying dues and campaign contributions, with a strong allegiance to Democrat politicians for their livelihood.

[Standing Wolf]

Multiple competing privately owned companies would be a far better idea, which probably explains why it won't even be considered.

The Democratic [sic] party fix is in.

[ken5050]

One word..Detroit

[House Atreides]

new corps of well paid unionized employees paying dues and campaign contributions, with a strong allegiance to Democrat politicians for their livelihood.
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And, since they will be a monopoly, the government can charge the rate holders whatever rates they wish to and “need” to fund all the featherbedding and minimal work, highly paid positions that will be filled with their friends.

[Thorliveshere]

One word..Detroit

Exactly!

[IronJack]

The smart meter thing is coming whether it’s a public utility or not.