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To: ChanceIs who wrote (77876)1/13/2007 3:06:02 PM
From: quehubo  Respond to of 206184
 
Some time over the next 6-18 months the na ng plays are going to be worth 30,50 75% more than todays equities.

These warm Winters are delaying the inevitable. Delaying the construction of these types of coal plants IMO is insane. When CHK hits $50 and electric homeowners are paying $150 MW HR in the Summer maybe they will ask Aubrey what was he thinking amd also to transfer some of his wealth.



To: ChanceIs who wrote (77876)1/13/2007 3:19:11 PM
From: ChanceIs  Respond to of 206184
 
Air quality is our business, too

>>>More from the Dallas Morning News on the anti-TXU movement. First hearing happened Jan 10th. I missed that. I must be slipping.<<<

07:31 AM CST on Tuesday, December 19, 2006

We are a group of committed business leaders who feel it is critical to become involved in matters that affect air quality in Texas. We firmly believe that not only our health and the health of our children and grandchildren but also the economic vitality of our own businesses depend upon our ability to foster technologies that promote efficiency and minimize harmful emissions.

There is no conflict between promoting clean air and business interests, but rather a natural alliance for the long-term health and economic benefit that clean air will bring to Texas.

An issue that has tremendous significance on the quality of our air is the proposal to fast-track the permitting of conventional coal-fired power plants. We oppose the fast-track process and join The Dallas Morning News, the group of 25 Texas state legislators, the mayors' coalition and other groups calling for a temporary moratorium on the permitting process.

The hearing on the first and largest plant, which will be close to Dallas-Fort Worth, is scheduled to begin Jan. 10. TXU's proposed 11 coal plants would more than double emissions of carbon dioxide from 55 million to 133 million tons, the equivalent of putting 14 million cars on the road.

We hope the Legislature will step up and provide the leadership needed to assure an outcome that is good for all Texans both now and in the future. We urge legislators to examine other available energy technologies, such as "clean coal" (IGCC), which turns coal into a cleaner gas and then burns it; nuclear power; and renewables such as solar power.

Texas has enough power generation capacity today. The Electricity Reliability Council of Texas said it has power to meet even peak demand. However, its margins between available capacity and peak load will diminish to unacceptable levels in the next three years if no new peak capacity is created. We are basically talking about the 20 days in July and August when we run our air conditioners nonstop. The projections for needs are based on continued escalation of energy use without any conservation measures.

Why make such a massive investment in older technology just to respond to projected shortfalls for a few peak days in 2008-10? Let's respond to immediate issues and then invest in the newest and best technology. Let's look at conservation strategies, renewable energy, peak-demand pricing, intelligent metering and smaller gas-fired plants to handle the peak loads. These are the solutions that will benefit Texans and Texas businesses.

We recommend that:

•The governor, state agencies and legislators delay the permitting process to examine demand projections and consider the alternatives to conventional coal-fired plants, such as gasified coal plants and nuclear power.

•State agencies and legislators consider the cumulative impact on air quality of building 16 new power plants, rather than the effect of each plant alone.

•Municipalities, utility companies and cooperatives embark on a major campaign to conserve energy.

•State agencies and legislators promote renewable power sources such as wind and solar power, ensuring that this power can be conveyed to areas where it is needed.

Join Texas Business for Clean Air, and we will work together to ensure the health and economy of Texas. Please visit us at www.TexasBusinessforCleanAir.org and find out how you can make a difference today.

Signed,

Texas Business for Clean Air

Co-chairmen:

Garrett Boone

The Container Store

Trammell S. Crow

Crow Collection of Asian Art

David Litman

ConsumerClub.com

Coalition Members:

Wick Allison

D Magazine

Kenneth and Ruth Altshuler

Richard C. Bartlett

Randy Best

Best & Associates

Hal Brierley

Brierley & Partners

Mary McDermott Cook

Edwin L. Cox

Edwin L. Cox Co.

Steve Durham

Americas Strategic Alliances LLC

Roger Enrico

Dreamworks Animation SKG Inc.

Lee Fikes

Bonanza Oil

I.D "Nash" Flores III

Ceres Capital Partners

Craig Hall

Hall Financial Group

Howard Hallam

Jess Hay

Tim Hixon

Hixon Properties

Tom Lardner

Sun Bright LTD

Michael Lunceford

Tav C. Lupton III

Aubrey K. McClendon

Chesapeake Energy Corp.

Alan Meeker

Conglomerate Gas LP

Bernard Rapoport

American Income Life Insurance Co.

Edward "Rusty" Rose

Cardinal Investments

Stephen S. Smith

Smith Group Asset Management

Jeffrey L. Swope

Champion Partners

Liener Temerlin

Temerlin Consulting

Buddy and Ellen Temple

Jay Wagley

CBRE L.J. Melody & Company of Texas

Sam Wyly

Ranger Capital

dallasnews.com



To: ChanceIs who wrote (77876)1/15/2007 4:23:00 PM
From: ChanceIs  Respond to of 206184
 
Emissions bill could impact TXU plan: Measure to reduce gases comes as utility seeks 11 coal plants

>>>Well, well, well. It looks like the whole world wants to stop the 11 new TXU coal plants. Texas is growing. Its cold in the winter there right now. Electric demand has to go up. From where will the extra KW come??? Oh. Don't tell me. Not natural gas!!!!!!!<<<

Jan 13 - McClatchy-Tribune Business News Formerly Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Elizabeth Souder and Randy Lee Loftis The Dallas Morning News

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators filed a bill Friday that would gradually halve the amount of greenhouse gas emitted by U.S. companies.

If the bill passes -- and similar legislation last session did not -- it could be a hurdle to TXU Corp.'s plan to build 11 coal-fired power plants in Texas.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would establish a system in 2012 of issuing so-called carbon allowances, sort of like currency. Companies could buy, sell and trade the allowances but must have enough to cover their entire carbon emissions.

The government would issue only enough allowances to correspond to 2004 carbon emissions levels and then would gradually cut annual issuance in half during the next few decades.

"I say the global warming debate is over. The American people want action, and they want it now," Mr. Lieberman said in a statement Friday.

The bill's introduction came just days after British researchers predicted that 2007 would be the hottest on record. They said an El Nino pattern in the Pacific Ocean and greenhouse gas emissions were responsible.

Under the new bill, beginning in 2012, each power plant or other factory that emits carbon dioxide would have to hand in allowances for every ton of greenhouse gas it poofs out.

And oil companies would have to account for the carbon dioxide created when their fuel is burned.

The government would first dole out allowances for 6,130 million tons of carbon.

Gradually the government would cut the number of allowances issued each year. By 2050, the number goes down to 2,096 tons.

A company could satisfy the mandate by buying allowances from other companies, buying carbon credits issued by other countries, or capturing and storing carbon emissions underground.

The trading scheme would go into effect just after TXU plans to finish building 11 new coal-fired power plants in Texas.

If state regulators permit TXU to build the plants, the company would boost its carbon dioxide emissions to 94 million tons a year from its current 55 million.

Texas already ranks first in the nation and seventh worldwide in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use, according to the Energy Department.

TXU spokeswoman Kim Morgan declined to comment on the proposed legislation. She said the Dallas power company wants to build the plants to satisfy Texas' growing demand for electricity.

When TXU announced the coal plant plans last April, it promised to cut its total emissions of regulated pollutants by 20 percent. But the company made no mention of carbon dioxide, which isn't regulated.

Some TXU investors have been asking the company for years to consider the financial risk of carbon dioxide regulation.

In 2004, TXU agreed to investor demands to commission a report on the topic. It concluded that the best financial strategy was to continue emitting carbon dioxide and building power plants until regulations come about.

"Efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions now may have the perverse effect of reducing TXU's allocation of carbon dioxide allowances under a mandatory cap-and-trade program," the report states.

More recently, as public concern has grown about the link between carbon and global warming, TXU has announced some projects to look for ways to cut emissions.

TXU invested in a company with technology to capture carbon dioxide and turn it into baking soda. And the company funds various academic research projects to remove or prevent carbon dioxide emissions in coal plants.

The head of TXU coal plant strategy, Mike McCall, said in a recent interview the goal of his carbon strategy is to "keep coal in the game."

Without technology to cut carbon emissions, coal may have a difficult road as a power generation fuel. Coal is the most carbon-intense fuel for making electricity -- nearly 3 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of coal.

TXU operates several coal mines in Texas that supply its four coal plant sites. The company has plans to sell or shut down natural gas plants to focus on coming up with an efficient, inexpensive coal plant design that it can replicate across Texas and the U.S.