This week: MN legislators tour | Polling shows big support | LEC joins SPP | LEC at EPIC | Bohrer on ESG
Since 2018, the Lignite Council have hosted 20 MN legislators on coal country tours of lignite plants and mines to provide a first-hand experience of how the lignite industry leads the nation in mine reclamation and the production of affordable baseload electricity.
Two weeks before the 2022 Minnesota Legislative session, the Lignite Council hosted two separate tours for House Republican Leader Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) and his chief of staff and another consisting of two Democrat-Farmer-Labor (DFL) legislators who are the primary leaders in their caucus on energy policy including the House Commerce Chair Zack Stephenson (DFL-Coon Rapids) and the House Climate and Energy Chair Jamie Long (DFL-Minneapolis) along with Representative Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls). Each tour included a visit with Governor Burgum with a focus on keeping the communication lines open and finding ways to work together between the neighboring states to find common ground on energy policy in the future.
National polling firm Public Opinion Strategies conducted a statewide poll of 400 likely voters. Specifically, the data showed that:
The Lignite Energy Council has briefed a broad number of appointed and elected state officials, legislators, industry leaders and statewide influencers regarding the full impact of the polling findings.
The Lignite Energy Council has joined the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a regional transmission organization (RTO) that oversees the bulk electric grid and wholesale power market in the central United States on behalf of a diverse group of utilities and transmission companies in 17 states. The LEC will be a voting member of the Markets and Operations Policy and Committee to provide a voice for coal in the marketplace. The Lignite Council previously joined Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) in 2020. Both memberships further the mission of the Lignite Council by helping to ensure that coal-based power has equal footing with other generation sources as transmission authorities upgrade grid operations.
More than 20 Lignite Council members exhibited in the first-ever Lignite Energy Council section of the Energy Progress & Innovation Conference (EPIC – formerly known as EGC). The conference as a whole boasted more than 200 exhibitors and 1200 registered attendees. The Lignite Energy Council took on a larger role and presence in this year’s conference as a bridge between the shift to offer just one major Lignite Energy Council major event – our Annual Meeting – in the fall.
Lignite Council CEO Jason Bohrer presented alongside Lt. Governor Brent Sanford, Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus, Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread, ND Petroleum Council CEO Ron Ness and Dakota Energy Advisor’s Preston Page on two different panels to address the potential impacts Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues pose to the state of North Dakota. Both panels were moderated by Lignite Energy Council Executive Vice President and technical advisor to the Lignite Research Council, Mike Holmes and took place at last week’s EPIC conference.
Luke Hellier, Public Affairs Company, tests out virtual reality glasses at the Lignite Energy Council booth at the EPIC conference held in Bismarck, ND, January 25 – 27, 2022.
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