Council Guts Study of Pepco Alternatives

[Chathamization]

From Loose Lips:

The District won't be studying the creation of a city-owned power company after all. Despite residents' grievances with Pepco (and the potential that a pending takeover will make it all worse), the D.C. Council voted today to pull $250,000 meant to study the creation of a public power utility that could replace Pepco.

Instead, according to the amendment from At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds, the money will go toward "emerging alternatives" for energy and promoting energy efficiency.

...

Cheh's pleas didn't stop the amendment from succeeding 7-6, with Bonds, Jack Evans, Brandon Todd, Kenyan McDuffie, Yvette Alexander, LaRuby May, and former Pepco exec Vincent Orange voting in favor of it.

After the vote, Cheh sent a press release blaming the redirected funds on Pepco influence "which runs through our entire government." Examples of that influence, in Cheh's telling, include councilmembers who took Pepco campaign contributions, Pepco executive-turned-top Muriel Bowser advisor Beverly Perry, and Orange himself.

Not so surprised by the Councilmembers who voted for the amendment; most of them are pretty bad. Though I'm a little disappointed by McDuffie (who's been good on a number of issues), though he plays nice with the corporatists/party machine types when it seems useful (seems like he has mayoral aspirations).

Pepco's reach run deep into the D.C. government, and if the acquisition by Exelon goes through things are going to be even worse. It would be nice if our public utilities were community-owned like in some jurisdictions.

[elleng]

1. "emerging alternatives" for energy

like WIND POWER???

[Chathamization]

2. Yeah, seems appropriately vague, with the main intent being to sabotage the study

Mary Cheh is one of the foremost Councilmembers when it comes to environmental issues, so if she's criticizing this move that says a lot (as does the fact that this was done by the corporatist/Pepco wing of the council).

Interestingly enough, part of D.C.'s environment initiative that Gray put into place was a long term goal of building a wind farm in a neighboring jurisdiction to provide D.C. with more energy from renewables.

[elleng]

3. Yes, interesting. WHICH 'neighboring jurisdiction?'

Roosevelt Island maybe??? 'We' are entitled to 1/2 the Potomac, aren't we???

[Chathamization]

4. I think the Potomac is all D.C. up until the shores of VA? (the sections along D.C., that is)

I believe that's why part of National is in D.C. (because some of it was built on land that was the Potomac).

Not sure where the wind farm is going to be, but the report has 2032 as the target date, so I guess they'd have to get moving on it. It seems like the MD offshore wind farm has taken a while, no? Also seems like they would want to get a good sense of the money needed for specific initiatives before, say, pushing forward with tax cuts (like they are now).

Almost [link:http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=DC|no electricity is actually generated in D.C.
], but I honestly have no idea where it is generated or how far away a viable plant/farm can be. Would a wind farm offshore in VA or MD work?

Anyway, here's the excerpt from the plan about the wind farm:

Action 2.5: Develop a wind farm in the region
to power District government and private
facilities. (Long Term)

To expand the use of local and regional green power in
the city, the District will combine with private partners to
develop utility-scale wind resources in a neighboring state.
These windmills will have enough capacity to provide at
least one-third of the power needs of buildings operated by
the DC Department of General Services. The wind farm will
lock in long-term electric rates for the District and support
the expansion of the local wind energy industry. The city will
explore aggregating the purchase with private partners and
community organizations in the District, similar to the wind
farm shared by the US State Department and Peace Corps.

(If anyone's confused, this isn't directly related to the issue in OP, just a tangent about other environmental issues in D.C.)

[elleng]

5. Thanks