Windmills in Aroostook

[SteveMartin]

Originally Posted by Coaster

Good point, but under the law a corporation has the same property rights as a person. To a certain extent, legally speaking a corporation is a person. There have been efforts over the years to change the legal concept to include a community service requirement, periodic public reviews, or corporate renewals, but they've never been adopted.

Nothing more clearly displays the need for corporate law reform than the ability of a "corporation" (even foreign corporations, as is the case here) to come in and plaster all of our hill tops with these monstrosities and then ship every electron out of our county, benefiting no one at all locally but a few lucky and wealthy landowners and some local selectmen. That is the definition of ridiculous.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Referring to my earlier post:
"In the midwest some towns have 2/3 of the utility bill for everybody in town paid by the wind power company."

We can't get that benefit in Maine. Our legislature passed a law that prohibits any company that produces electricity from selling it directly to any company, town or local utility in Maine. It all has to go into the New England grid. We can't benefit. That is the intent of our legislature.

We need a new legislature.

[SteveMartin]

Our legislature passed a law that prohibits any company that produces electricity from selling it directly to any company, town or local utility in Maine. It all has to go into the New England grid. We can't benefit. That is the intent of our legislature.

Mr. Tannenbaum at the Maine P.U.C. told me this is not true. We are looking at the possibility of starting a small local generation co-op here, and we were told "there is no regulatory or statutory limitation to you selling your power to EMEC."

On the other hand, NMLM, I have heard what you have said repeatedly. Maybe we just need a better interpretation of what the law really says?

[patriotchick]

First Wind is being investigated for fraud, bribery, and contractual violations by the AG of NY. That to me is alarming- I would hate to see these towns get screwed by them. I also dont like the fact that Lincoln was on an expidiated permit proccess list and other towns because of their historic lakes were taken off the list(per the governor) LURC blocked turbines on Nubble mountain due to bog lemmings, I didnt know bog lemmings were tax paying citizens.
NY Attorney General investigates wind companies « Wind Power Law Blog

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I know a homeowner who had a private contractor run a power line to his home. It was about a half mile. A second homeowner wanted to tie into the line. That homeowner was refused service because it is illegal in Maine to have two customers on a private line. Bangor Hydro offered to buy the existing line for pennies on the dollar. The first homeowner could not take the loss. The second homeowner put in a generator. This controversy got heated over a year's time until the Maine Public Utilities Commission got involved and the first homeowner got paid a fair price for his line. Since that time, Bangor Hydro has gone from $8.85 a foot to run power to $17.00 a foot to run power lines.

If you generate power on your own the utility has to buy your excess power. That's the law. If you generate power you can't sell any to your neighbor. That's the law too. Two families at a campsite can share a generator. That's about it.

[SteveMartin]

NMLM,

Call the P.U.C. They are either lying or misinterpreting the law to people.

Big pow wow on the possibility of a new electric coop in Eastern Maine, tonight, Amity Red Schoolhouse (town hall) Route One, Amity, ME; 7:00 PM. Open to all interested parties.

[bringselpup]

Which would you think more likely?

I say to Steve call Mr. Tannebaum and ask the question in a more detailed manner. Ask him specifically "can I install power generation equipment on my property and sell that power directly to my neighbor".

Originally Posted by SteveMartin

Call the P.U.C. They are either lying or misinterpreting the law to people.