solar

     I see that the majority sneaked the PUC/REC bill, which removes any PUC oversight of the rural electric coops vis a vis solar and wind into an omnibus bill the governor felt he needed to sign, so now we are back to wrangling with the power coop, whose staff does not particularly want to talk to or deal with us.  I do not like omnibus bills, and I even more despise the way in which the right wingers have been able to run the entire state even from the position of controlling only one house of the legislature, and now of course, two. I helped elect this governor.  Don't I get a say in how the government runs?  The right wingers have this power simply because they put their own agenda ahead of the good of the people of the state.  Democracy is sick in our country these days, and there is some question if it will recover.

    The power coops need to realize they are fighting a losing battle, that solar and wind are coming, and that like any farmer knows, sometimes you end up eating a dead investment.  They need to admit this about their coal contracts, and they-the boards and managers-need to sit down with the people interested in dispersed solar and wind and see what can be worked out that both encourages progress in alternative energy and treats the coops fairly in return for their line, transformer and meter investments.  This was always a better idea than needing to depend on the Public Utilities Commission, but the board and management at Minnesota Valley, our power coop, has always been too arrogant to do that.  It is doubtful that it will happen now.