It’s doubtful that the Public Service Commission has ever generated more interest and excitement than it has with yesterday’s decision to order Delmarva Power to begin negotiating with Bluewater Wind. The PSC’s order, which should be available online tomorrow, also directs DPL to negotiate with Conectiv and NRG for a natural gas backup facility. A last minute addition to the order specifies that a backup must be part of the picture.
This is an enormous victory for the activists who pushed for truly clean energy. But there is no assurance that negotiations will lead to a successful outcome. Three weeks ago, DPL president Gary Stockbridge was openly defiant of the PSC, saying the company wouldn’t negotiate unless forced to by a court order. As the News Journal reports, the company now promises to play ball:
Delmarva Power President Gary Stockbridge came under criticism several weeks ago for his vow not to negotiate. On Tuesday, he sounded more conciliatory.
“We will negotiate in good faith with all the parties,” he said, adding he will try to get the best price for his customers, as well as buying an appropriate amount of power.
Delmarva has long argued it doesn’t need to lock its customers into buying power from a new in-state source.
This of course is the crux of the matter. DPL would be happy to continue selling us energy obtained through three year contracts, which would leave ratepayers exposed to future rate increases from hikes in the price of fossil fuels.
Negotiations are due to start tomorrow, and possibly wrap up in 60 days, which strikes me as optimistic given the complexities of talking with three suppliers at once. I don’t know how much information we’ll have on the talks. We’ll have to stay on top of our public officials to make sure that propsects for wind power in Delaware aren’t snuffed out. Stay tuned.