With the recent energy outage in the east, I thought it would be helpful to let you know how the Minnesota Legislature has been preparing for our state’s future energy needs. This week the Legislature held its first meeting for this biennium of the Legislative Electric Energy Task Force (LEETF). Designed to study future electric energy sources and costs, and to make recommendations for legislation for an environmentally and economically sustainable energy supply, the LEETF was created by the legislature in 1994. To better explain energy, there are three major functions of utilities – power generation, the long-distance transmission of electricity, and the local distribution of electricity. The federal government has deregulated the generation and long-distance transmission of electricity; meaning companies can buy and ship electricity to and from anywhere. However, local electric utilities are still a regulated monopoly that can only provide services in established retail territories. Our energy needs are of great importance to the future development of our state. Energy sources including nuclear and wind power, and the delivery of our power needs have been quite contentious over the past decade. The LEETF is required to review the reliability of our energy supply and the shipment of spent nuclear fuel, and explore new options in renewable energy. The task force will also examine Minnesota’s actual and projected electrical demand, its electrical export potential, and collect inventory of energy resources currently used to generate all electricity sold in Minnesota. The members of the LEETF have an important job ahead of them. The direction the legislature takes in regard to our state’s energy production, regulation and sustainability lies in the hands of this task force. I am confident that our state is on track for reliable energy now and in the future. Sen. Steve Dille has served on the Electric Energy Task Force since its inception in 1994. He can be reached by mail at 103 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155, by phone at (651) 296-4131, or by e-mail at sen.steve.dille@senate.mn.
