Howard Dean and Vermont Yankee / Entergy

[moz4prez]

This is old, but highly relevant. Can anyone tell me more about Howard Dean's connexions to Entergy, or, preferably, disprove them?

FROM HYDRO QUEBEC TO VERMONT YANKEE: SOME THINGS JUST DON'T CHANGE

Mark Sinclair and Lewis Milford

Some things just don't change. Last month, the Dean Administration caved in to the demands of the state's major utilities, agreeing to support the proposed sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear station to the out-of-state Entergy Corporation. Under the deal, ratepayers are to be saddled with another expensive power contract while shareholders take the cash proceeds and run.

And for those looking for political intrigue, Vermont now has its own version of the kind of insider dealings that resulted in Vice President Cheney's national energy plan. Vermont utility executives got complete access to the Dean Administration's Public Service Department to pressure a deal on Vermont Yankee that will give the utilities some $25 million for their corporate coffers, and lock ratepayers into high-priced energy costs for the next ten years. This sweetheart deal was struck just after certain utility officials made political contributions to the Governor's presidential bid. Meanwhile, environmental groups didn't get the time of day.

And as usual, ratepayers get stiffed. For years to come, Vermont ratepayers will be forced to pay above-market power costs - more than $100 million -- to Entergy to buy back Vermont Yankee power, while power prices drop everywhere else in New England. The Dean Administration now supports the deal even though the utilities' most recent price forecasts show it's cheaper to close the plant and buy replacement power in the wholesale markets than to continue to subsidize nuclear power.

We've been here before. Ten years ago, the newly formed Dean Administration did the same thing - agreeing to support the Vermont utilities' expensive, long-term power contract with Hydro Quebec, over the objection of environmental groups. As a result, Vermonters today face some of the highest electric rates in the country and cannot take advantage of cleaner, cheaper energy options.

Apologies if this is a dupe

[Jerseycoa]

1. Ssssshhhhhhhhh

They're very busy today pretending Bob Graham never said all those things, throughout his presidential run, before and after, about the 9.11 report. Too bad the noise level is always so high nobody was listening to what that good man had to say. That's a result of "fervor," and I understand that, among Dean followers. It's hard to hear what any other candidate has to say when somebody is shouting in your ears: YOU'VE GOT THE POWERRRRRRRR. It's only surprising that Howard Dean didn't hear Graham's constant drumbeat.

And the crowd ROARRRRRRRS.

But they're pretty angry, anyway, even more than usual, given the Times Magazine piece. I would post a link to it, but it's just too sad. I'm filled with admiration observing how all of this rapid response stuff works.

[moz4prez]

2. i haven't seen the Time Mag article

can I get a link?

[helleborient]

4. I would guess this is it...

The Dean Connection

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/07/magazine/07DEAN.html

[Jerseycoa]

5. New York Times Magazine Section

Sorry for being NYC-centric.

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/07/magazine/07DEAN.html

[helleborient]

3. Such unfortunate snide generalizations...

There were a lot of very positive things said about Wesley Clark at the last Dean Meetup I attended.

[Jerseycoa]

6. I'm stooping, I admit it

It's hard not to. I will try to behave the rest of the day. Sorry to have offended you.

[helleborient]

11. Thanks for the apology!

:-)

[moz4prez]

7. SO???????

I don't see any attempts at REFUTING this year(s) old editorial.

Of course, it's possible no one's interested in this thread, LOL

[AP]

8. This puts "Youv'e got the POWER" in a whole new perspective.

"I sold the power! You'll pay more for the power! Let's privatize the power! I've deregulated the power!"

[moz4prez]

9. ahahaha

très wittè.

should I have posted this in GD where it'd have received more exposure? I'm a little surprised more DU'ers aren't talking about this, nor Dean supporters addressing it.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

16. Untrue

It's been discussed in at least 2 other threads in the past few days, because I've had to dig out and post the same refuations.

But the first time one of us doesn't respond, there will be several posts saying, "Don't the Deanies KNOW who Dean really is?" Sigh.

[KaraokeKarlton]

10. Why are you citing opinion pieces as fact?

Here are a few links from Vermont news that are based on facts, not opinion.

http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/News/Story/50858.html

http://www.state.vt.us/psd/statusoped.htm

[moz4prez]

14. here are a few more

http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/Archive/Articles/Article/43924

http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0301/09/b01.html

http://timesargus.nybor.com/Legislature/Story/43125.html

http://www.state.vt.us/psd/6545.htm#MOU

[AP]

23. a few more comments

By post number:

(1) This story says that the plaintiff in that case thinks there was undue pressure on the Governor to compelte a sale, but he had no concrete evidence without getting disclosure of the memos. What happened to that? Did Dean release the memos? I wouldn't say that this story makes Dean looks better.

(2) This is an Entergy puff piece. This story should make people more nervous about Entergy.

(3) This story is very incriminating for Dean.

(4) too much there. no time to read it. What's your argument about these docs?

[AP]

19. robbing Peter to pay Paul

Here's the logic of deregulation:

While Vermont has been contemplating these issues, some of our neighbors have managed to lower their electric rates, notably Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey. A big part of how they did this was by directing their utilities to sell their power plants, and passing the bounty back to consumers. Competition has certainly also helped. While Vermont has been able to avoid the environmental problems associated with power plants, we also miss out on the financial benefits of the mass divestiture of these valuable assets.

{that's from the second article you've cited}

You get the money from the sale today. But how the hell do they think the buyers reationalize those sale prices? By getting the money back plus a 15-45% rate of return in the form of gov't subsidies to run the plants and higher utility rates in the future.

Duh

[KaraokeKarlton]

12. Okay, you've got to read THIS article by the same authors

These two jokers apparently don't quite know what they think. They have other opinion pieces where they SUPPORT the sale. It appears that these guys don't oppose the sale at all. They just oppose the fact that Dean didn't spend more of the proceeds on THEIR pet causes. :eyes:

http://timesargus.nybor.com/Local_Columnists/Story/35091.html

Turning nuclear plants into windmills
October 5, 2001

By MARK SINCLAIR and LEWIS MILFORD

As odd as it sounds, the sale of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant could be Vermont's best hope for a clean energy future. Here's how - the sale could be used to create a $25 million clean energy fund to invest in the state's sustainable energy future.

Last month, the Vermont utilities announced a new deal to sell the aging nuclear plant to Entergy Corporation for a winning bid of $180 million. The book value, or sunk cost, of the plant and fuel is about $150 million. That leaves about $30 million as a windfall for either shareholders or the public.

To put this new sale in context, less than two years ago, the utility owners were happy to sell the plant for less than $24 million, a firesale price with no financial return to the public. Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) objected to the meager price (and to other anti-competitive elements of the deal), and the sale was stopped. A new auction, requested by CLF, was held. It brought this $180 million sales price - seven times more than the original utility deal.

If this new Entergy deal is approved by state regulators (and there are still major questions to be answered about the sale's overall merits), we start with a basic assumption - the state and future generations should benefit the most from it.

[AP]

13. Even if these guys don't know where they stand on this issue,

I know where I stand.

[helleborient]

15. That's fine...but these posts call into serious question...

The validity of the Entergy-related accusations being used to attack Dean.

[KaraokeKarlton]

17. It was a difficult issue with a long and heated debate

The bottom line is this...Vermont had a nuclear plant that was a real hardship to tend to. There was A LOT of uncertainty about the future of the plant, safety and cost for starters. The situation was unstable and there was no way of knowing what would end up happening if the plant wasn't sold. Those involved worked out the best deal they could for the best interest of the state. If you have a problem with that, so what? I live here. My kids live here. I would much rather have the plant in the hands of those who run them every day and know what their doing than have it in the hands of politicians who constantly fight, bicker and change their minds about everything. I value that stability very much, as do other Vermonters. Is this YOUR issue? Do you live in Vermont? Nope, you don't. It's MY issue and I am 100% comfortable with how this situation was handled. The vast majority of the people who live here are too. Frankly, I don't really care how you feel about it because you aren't the one living here.

[ozone_man]

20. That about sums up my feelings,

only expressing it about ten times better than I could. :hi: From another Vermonter.

As I've said before, there are no easy, zero impact choices when it comes to energy, except for energy efficiency, and we've pushed that pretty hard in Vermont as the first choice.

[KaraokeKarlton]

25. Where in Vermont do you live ozone man?

I'm in the WRJct area.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

18. Read the epilogue of this event

First, though, from this article in the Rutland Herald (also posted by AP, above):

http://rutlandherald.nybor.com/Archive/Articles/Article/43924

Sinclair said he had credible information from a source who said that the utilities were putting pressure on Dean to get the sale approved, but he admitted he had no absolute evidence that that was the case.

Christine Salembier, the commissioner of the Department of Public Service, said Monday that her department had been negotiating since January to come up with a settlement on the proposed sale. That agreement was announced last week.

Salembier said her staff had been meeting with representatives from Vermont Yankee, GMP and CVPS to come up with a settlement, but she said there was absolutely no pressure from the governor to support the sale.

“I think the governor has relied very much on our knowledge on our expertise and our investigation into the sale,” she said, noting she was not aware of any meetings with utility executives with Dean over the sale.

--end excerpt--

CLF indeed worked hard to make sure this transfer was above-board and in the best interests of Vermonters.

Read their epilogue after the transfer was done:

http://www.clf.org/advocacy/Vermont_Yankee_epilogue.htm

On August 1st, the keys to Vermont's only nuclear plant were handed to Entergy Corporation, ending a three year saga by Vermont's utilities to sell the aging Vermont Yankee facility.

(snip)

However, due in large part to CLF's advocacy, the final terms of the sale, as approved by Vermont regulators, while not perfect, should hasten the shutdown of Vermont Yankee and include important conditions designed to protect ratepayers.

They go on to say that they didn't get everything they wanted, but:

In the end, the sale of Vermont Yankee should ensure a brighter energy future for Vermont and the region, and tilt the balance away from nuclear power, thanks to CLF's yeoman efforts over the last three years.

[genius]

21. We already know that Dean's an anti-environmentalist

He also took contributions from Halliburton, supported Yucca Mountain and he saw nothing wrong with dumping his toxic waste in a poor hispanic community.

[LuminousX]

22. Anti-Environmentalist? That's a stretch.

But you can apply labels however you wish whether or not they have meaning outside your world view is an entirely different issue.

[a_lil_wall_fly]

24. Dean environmental decissions from the past are unclear .....

and double-edged at best!!!!!

And sending the toxic nuclear waste to the former Gov and now POTUS "home state" is very interesting.

Did the talking house plant know that former Governor of Vermont had dreams of becoming POTUS??????

[Andromeda]

26. Please provide a credible new link...

to back up your accusations. Until I see proof I will refer to your comments as "alleged."