N.E. Clean Power Connect in Maine - Should we care ?

[TCD]

"At this point, it is economics and lack of skilled workers that is holding back nuclear power, not politics."

Vogtle is more an example of the fate of many large semi-public construction projects. Google the "Big Dig" or the Cali high speed rail project for additional examples. Truth is, decades of political attack have made progress on nuclear very difficult. And that's intentional, not accidental.

This technology looks promising https://www.powermag.com/a-thorium-m...-it/?pagenum=1, the US did al the research but abandoned it as the goal of civilian nuke plants was to make hazardous waste that was a feed to make bombs).

Thanks for bringing up Thorium, and accurately explaining the history. USA has the largest Thorium reserves in the world. It's part of the solution. If it ever gets developed again, watch the protest groups appear...

A dumbed-down summary of nuclear power: https://xkcd.com/2163/

More like a "dumb summary" when the first word that appears is "Chernobyl." This kind of material is why we will not get to Thorium, and instead have widespread power outages in a few years.

[B the Hiker]

Jazzbo is correct IMO regarding population issue as being the real limiting variable and I’ve said that here before. The earth simply cannot handle the population growth, and all the conservation efforts barely scratch the surface in terms of their long term collective impact. I think we all hope that some ground breaking technology will make truly renewable energy abundant, cheap and without significant environmental impact, but I don’t see the physics in that currently.

NHPR's "Outside/In" podcast has done a balanced and quite fine two-part podcast on the issue of overpopulation, for those interested. I learned more than I expected from these two episodes.
http://outsideinradio.org/shows/2018...ver-population

[richard]

IMO. Overpopulation is the number one problem facing the world today. Just my opinion. Just about all the other problems follow.

[Salty]

IMO. Overpopulation is the number one problem facing the world today. Just my opinion. Just about all the other problems follow.

I did my part my not procreating. Well, I suppose I could have done more.

[TCD]

But political leaders trying to force in "progress" when the technology is not ready will continue to create one disaster after another.

Resurrecting this from a couple weeks ago. Here is an example:

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/...rmits-blocked/

Cuomo is making a show of trying to force in technology that is not ready, in order to pander to ill informed supporters. Sadly, this is resulting in higher prices, energy shortages, and HIGHER CO2 emissions.

[CaptCaper]

IMO. Overpopulation is the number one problem facing the world today. Just my opinion. Just about all the other problems follow.

I agree and nothing can stop the trashing of our planet until man takes a huge hit to set him back to the 1200's or so. A huge Plaque or Nuclear war which will happen. And some will survive and adapt for sure. Just a matter of when. Nothing will stop it.

[peakbagger]

FYI The Maine Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) voted to delay approval of the project. They act as a "planning board for the unorganized townships. There is separate petition drive effort to put the project to a statewide vote.

[Mac]

IMO. Overpopulation is the number one problem facing the world today. Just my opinion. Just about all the other problems follow.

https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/ar...t-means-canada

Just sayin'

[peakbagger]

Another parallel between Northern Pass in NH and the project in Maine.

https://www.sunjournal.com/2019/09/2...of-contention/

Northern Pass was substantially blocked in Northern NH until Wagner/Bayroot/Yale retirement fund stepped in and provided a route over their land that bypassed the SPNHF blocking actions. The actual total value of the NH right of way was never revealed and reportedly included putting in expensive provisions for allowing a wind farm larger than the Granite Reliable Wind farm to be built north or RT 26. CMP had made claims previously that they could not afford any more costs on the Maine project but seem to have found some "loose change" to pay for the reroute when the alternative was that the project might get scrapped.

[egilbe]

It seems that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Why make the jag towards Beattie pond to begin with? It's like it was intentionally done to create such a situation.

[peakbagger]

It seems that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Why make the jag towards Beattie pond to begin with? It's like it was intentionally done to create such a situation.

CMP had wanted to run over the proposed southern route that was the shortest distance but their claim was they had to do the longer alternative route to the north of the Pond as that the landowner to the south of the pond "wanted 50 times fair market value" than the easement was worth. The manager/owner of the strip is Wagner/Bayroot/Yale. So it wasnt that CMP wanted to do the route to the north they just made an economic decision that it was cheaper to reroute to the north than pay Wagner/Bayroot/Yale. Now that the regulators have told them the north route could prevent the project from getting approved they had to go back to Wagner/Bayroot/Yale and work out a deal on the south route. I expect Wagner/Bayroot/Yale was quite familiar with the potential issues with the north route and therefore they had a major upper hand in the negotiations.

[TEO]

Resurrecting this from a couple weeks ago. Here is an example:

https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/...rmits-blocked/

Cuomo is making a show of trying to force in technology that is not ready, in order to pander to ill informed supporters. Sadly, this is resulting in higher prices, energy shortages, and HIGHER CO2 emissions.

And that's an opinion piece from a conservative magazine.

[peakbagger]

CMP is getting ready for the referendum being approved https://www.pressherald.com/2019/11/...o-new-england/

[peakbagger]

Looks like Maine Land Use Planning Commission is going to approve

https://www.stltoday.com/news/nation...6aa4f8e28.html

Given the governors support I expect the project will get state approvals but the real action is the referendum.

[egilbe]

Just a feeling, but all the negativity being generated by CMP lying to its customers is going to get the project canceled. No one in the state trusts them.