Group Backs TrAIL Project
By Advocates Will Promote State’S New Power Line J. Miles Layton, The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va.
Nov. 5–A group formed to advocate electric grid infrastructure improvements in West Virginia is supported by utility companies and coal corporations.
Meanwhile, a federal district court judge threw out a lawsuit that allowed an energy company to use eminent domain to claim land along a proposed 200 mile power line route in New York, while Allegheny Energy is being challenged by Pennsylvania officials.
West Virginians for Reliable Power formed about two months ago to inform people about the need for reliable electric power by making improvements to the state’s electric grid, said Bryan Brown, spokesman.
“The purpose of the group is to educate West Virginians on the need for infrastructure improvement and the potential benefits that come from it,” he said.
Allegheny Energy wants the West Virginia Public Service Commission to approve construction of a 500-kilovolt transmission line through West Virginia into Virginia.
The 240-mile project would start in Pennsylvania, pass through West Virginia and continue to northern Virginia. In West Virginia, the line would run 114 miles through Monongalia, Preston, Tucker, Grant, Hardy and Hampshire counties. The Trans Allegheny Interstate Line Co. is managing the project.
“West Virginians for Reliable Power is not advocating any specific transmission line route,” Brown said. “Individual members of the coalition may support specific routes, but as a group, we are not.”
Brown said Allegheny provided some “start-up” money to help form WVRP, but he didn’t know how much. The money will be used for information on the issue. Because of Allegheny’s financial contribution to the WVRP, Brown was asked by The Dominion Post, if the group is neutral when it comes to transmission line projects, wouldn’t Allegheny’s start-up money taint this notion of neutrality?
“Like all members of the coalition, Allegheny Power is just one member,” Brown said. “National electric industry experts have concluded that the Mid-Atlantic region, including West Virginia, is in need of transmission infrastructure improvements to satisfy current and future energy demand.
“Additionally there are tremendous benefits that could come with additional power transmission capacity,” he said. “With our state’s fossil fuel and renewable energy sources, coupled with additional transmission capacity, West Virginia can better position itself to take advantage of our energy resources and proximity to the East Coast marketplace.”
Allegheny spokesman Allen Staggers said Allegheny provided “nominal” start-up fees for the group because it believes in its mission.
“We do support the group,” Staggers said, “because it promotes reliability. Even though it doesn’t support any particular project, it does advocate the need for additional investment in the electric transmission system.”
The group’s roster includes many coal and utility companies such as the West Virginia Coal Association, West Virginia Oil & Natural Gas Association, CONSOL Energy and American Electric Power, another electricity-generating firm with proposals to build transmission lines through a portion of West Virginia.
The West Virginia Business and Industry Council, which represents numerous state trade organizations, is a member of the WVRP.
“Like roads, gas pipelines and other infrastructure critical to the success of an economy, West Virginia is in need of improvements to ensure the reliability of its electric transmission system,” said Karen Price, chairwoman of the West Virginia Business and Industry Council. “West Virginians for Reliable Power will educate the public not only on the severity of the situation, but also on the tremendous economic potential an updated system can provide to the state.”
Other organizations associated with WVRP include contractors that will build the power line project if it is approved, such as Potesta & Associates and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
“The organizations involved in the coalition represent a very large segment of West Virginia businesses and working West Virginians,” Brown said. “All of us rely on electricity and West Virginia’s electric infrastructure. We plan to announce the addition of other organizations and individuals in the coming weeks and months.”
Brown was asked by The Dominion Post if the WVRP is part of a public-relations offensive for companies that would benefit from transmission line projects.
“The energy discussion in West Virginia has centered primarily around coal, natural gas and more recently renewable energy development, such as wind power,” Brown said.
“With reports coming from PJM and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation warning that the Mid-Atlantic region, including West Virginia, may face potential power outages by 2011 or 2012, it is time that West Virginia take a hard look at our transmission infrastructure and chart a course that addresses future concerns in a responsible, beneficial fashion. It is time that West Virginia become educated on its electric infrastructure and determine what needs to be done.”
Related developments
Last month, a federal district judge in New York dismissed a lawsuit by New York Regional Interconnect. The suit challenged a state law that protects homeowners from the use of eminent domain, according to news reports. NYPI wanted to use eminent domain to obtain some land needed to construct a 200-mile power line in New York.
“We don’t have a comment since the case is based in New York and not applicable to TrAIL or the filings we’ve made in our respective states,” Staggers said. John Balasko, vice president of the Halleck Community Association, which opposes TrAIL, said the court made the right decision.
“I believe that the ruling of the federal district court in New York is a backlash to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Kelo decision. Citizens, legislatures and lower courts are continuing to express their dissatisfaction with the decision that eminent domain can be used to transfer property from one private owner to another for the purpose of economic development. Until the West Virginia PSC rules otherwise, TrAILCo is not a public utility and has no eminent-domain authority at this point.”
Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission is considering whether to amend TrAILCo’s application to allow more time to properly notify affected property owners of the company’s intentions along the proposed route in Washington and Greene counties.
The Office of Consumer Advocate’s petition to the PUC said many property owners have testified “they had not been apprised of the specific location of the line with relation to their property as they were not provided maps of sufficient detail to locate where the line will be placed on their property or notice of the project at all.” The office wants the PUC to schedule more hearings and to compel TrAILCo to provide this information to landowners.
Pennsylvania officials want the U.S. Department of Energy to reconsider its designation of three-fourths of the state and some mid-Atlantic neighbors as a critical part of the nation’s electricity grid.
Last month, the DOE designated 42 counties in West Virginia, as well as a large section of Pennsylvania, as part of this National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor.
The PUC has sued federal energy officials in U.S. District Court challenging the NIETC designation. The state’s Department of Environmental Protection, at Gov. Ed Rendell’s request, and the PUC have asked for a rehearing on the DOE decision that could weaken the state’s power to control power line transmission projects.
Balasko attended the PSC hearings in Tucker County last week. He said 62 people testified and 58 opposed construction of the transmission line. Tucker County Commission President Chris Michael and Commissioner Tom Carr spoke against the line, as did Delegate Stan Shaver, D-Preston. Shaver represents part of Tucker County, as well as Preston County. Thomas Mayor Debbie Snyder also spoke.
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