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It is a bit more than the State of Hawaii just buying assets.
The good news is that there is an operating, successful model of statewide public power ownership in Nebraska. The model dates to the 1930s and features publically elected oversight of electric power. One of the largest districts has a good description on its website. nppd.com/about-us.
It is a bit more than the State of Hawaii just buying assets.
The good news is that there is an operating, successful model of statewide public power ownership in Nebraska. The model dates to the 1930s and features publically elected oversight of electric power. One of the largest districts has a good description on its website. https://www.nppd.com/about-us.
Thanks for this; certainly sounds like a model for other states. Have to wonder how Nebraska managed to fend off the greedy corporations where other states have obviously caved? Do you actually possess a remnant of honest politicians we thought had gone extinct?
The model grew out of a progressive movement that also led to a non-partisan legislature. There was some history because Lincoln, Nebraska, was one of the first municipal electric utilities in the nation. There was a statewide rationalization of smaller districts in the 1960s and 1970s to deal with the realiteis of centralized generation.
Interesting history at https://www.les.com/public-power-and-history-poweringlnk
George W. Norris was a key figure in this movement. He was a U.S. Senator from Nebraska and a supporter of FDR, despite different party affiliations. Norris was also involved in the formation of the TVA.
Nebraska has challenges in maintaining the model. At the Federal level the Enron lobbists managed to get wholesale power partially deregulated. This deregulation led to the debacle in California in the early 2000's with wholesale prices rising faster than retail. It logically leads to underinvestment in transmission infrastructure, which is the level at which the California fires started.
If Hawaii were to follow the Nebraska model, it needs to have all generation capacity in the public power districts. As a collection of islands, such independence is certainly easier than a state connected to an interstate grid. Further, if more power is from renewables, Hawaii could be better insulated from the games of the fossil fuel providers to mess with generation input prices.
Honest politician, a black swan, a giraffe without spots (wait, one like that was just born, a rarity indeed,.) An honest politician is an oxymoron like military intelligence