There are concerns about the Matthews/ Newberger bill giving Xcel a natural gas plant in Becker. Besides locking us into fossil fuels for generations, using the legislative process to allow Xcel to disregard public input and short circuit the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is a morally and ethically questionable legislative power play. The PUC requirement that Xcel show a need and that natural gas is the best way to meet it is meant to protect rate payers. It could have been completed in under two years. One wonders what is the rush?  It is estimated the cost of the new plant will be about 6 billion dollars over its lifetime; this means the estimated 125 jobs created will cost about $40 million each. Did Xcel, in collusion with Newberger and Matthews, fear this wouldn’t pass the smell test?

 

While building a plant regardless of cost and need is a boon for shareholders, it is the rate payers who will foot the bill. Legislative testimony by Andrew Moratzka, who represents large industrial rate payers stated that bypassing the PUC in this way “is a detriment to all utility rate payers large and small.”