There are many ideas for improving electric power ”“ its sources, costs, efficiency, reliability, and environmental kindness. But what if there is no electric power at all, nothing electric that works for weeks, months or years over a wide region, even nationwide? No communications, heating and cooling, financial services, water and waste systems, oil or gas or oil being pumped through pipelines, hospital procedures, etc? That’s what a severe solar storm/coronal mass ejection or a manmade electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon would deliver (and an EMP would also knock out electronics).
None of the schemes for improved power generation and lower electricity costs matter at all if we are left unprotected from attacks on the grid or a 150-year solar storm (considered 100-percent probable.) None of it will arrive at our homes or businesses.
But this has not been a priority for the electric utilities, even though they would lower our costs. Why? They’ve been warned for years. Don’t they want to protect their own business, their profits? There is no clear answer, but their contract with the State of Maine may give clues. Here’s an excerpt:
“. . .In no event shall Central Maine be liable for any incidental, consequential, multiple, punitive, special, exemplary, or indirect damages, or loss of revenue or profits, attorney’s fees or costs arising out of, or connected in any way with the performance or non-performance of this Schedule 21-CMP or any Service Agreement hereunder, even if such damages are foreseeable or the damaged party has advised Central Maine of the possibility of such damages and regardless of whether any such damages are deemed to result from the failure or inadequacy of any exclusive or other remedy.”
They are very comfortable.
And yet, we have protective laws, too: MRSA Title 35-A, S.3195:
“4. Ratepayer protection. In determining the reasonableness of any rate-adjustment mechanism, the commission shall consider the transfer of risks associated with the effect of the economy and the weather on the utility’s sales. To the extent these risks are transferred from the utility to its customers, the commission (The Public Utilities Commission) shall consider in a rate proceeding the effect of the transfer of risk in determining a utility’s allowed rate of return.”
The legislature meant to protect the public.
Solar storms are space weather, and those risks have always been transferred to the customers, while the electric company has protection from all liability.
We can fix that.
Legislation that will have its hearing on May 20, LD 1363, calls for proven, low cost protections that have been well studied in Maine. Sen. David Woodsome of Waterboro is Chair of the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee. I’ve been working on this issue for years. Hopefully he will now see that this job gets done. We can help by offering our support. Call him at 432-5643. You can also call your own representatives, and the governor.
Andrea Boland
Former State Representative from Sanford
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