Laidlaw Energy Group, Inc.(fka LLEG)

[rich sears]

Senate rejects Coos transmission bill

CONCORD — The state Senate has rejected a bill to fund renewable energy projects in northern New Hampshire. The bill would have set aside $155 million over the next 11 years to the state Public Utilities Commission for projects in the North Country,as well as other improvements to the region’s electrical transmission system. Most of the funding would have come from existing federal grant programs for renewable power. Commission rate payers would have kicked in about $39 million during that period, and the rest would have come from developers and a few smaller bonds. The bill was introduced by state Senator John Gallus, (B-Berlin) and cosponsored by Reps. Bill Remick, (R-Lancaster), Larry Rappaport, (RColebrook), and Robert Theberge, (D-Berlin). The transmission lines in Coos County can only accommodate an additional 100 megawatts of generation without a major upgrade costing up to $155 million. There are renewable energy projects totaling over 400 megawatts of generation in the ISO-N.E. queue for Coos County. The Energy, Environment, and Economic Development Committee voted 5-0 to send the bill out with an inexpedient to legislate recommendation. (Associated Press and staff

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/BerlinPDF/2009/3/12B.pdf

Guess there is not such big support in Concord after all.