| 2006 Minnesota Utility Investors Candidate Survey |
| Candidates in italics did not complete the MUI survey. |
| Minnesota's Energy Picture |
| 1. What do you see as the greatest challenge to providing for the state's energy needs in the next five - ten years? |
Justin
Adams
Rep. 58A
Independent |
Augustine Willie
Dominguez
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Mary
Gaines
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Linda
Higgins
Senate 58
DFL |
Michael
Katch
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Nicole
Kuehn
Rep. 58A
Republican |
Jim
Lilly
Senate 58
Republican |
Joe
Mullery
Rep. 58A
DFL |
Karen Lee
Rosar
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Alan
Shilepsky
Rep. 58B
Republican |
| Need more generation of electricity within the State. |
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X |
| Ability to move electricity from where it is generated to where it is needed (transmission issues). |
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X |
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X |
| Environmental issues. |
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| Incorporating more renewable energy into the system. |
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X |
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| Tax issues. |
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| Other. |
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X |
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| The MUI Survey is a thorough questionaire of most issues for the industry. Unfortunately these are vey complicated issues which require a balancing of many important MN interests. I have far too much respect fo my constituents to sugges to them that I will vote in a certain way because I dont commit to voting yes or no on any complicated issue until I have heard all arguments on every side. - Joe Mullery |
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| Generation |
| 2. Studies show that customer demand for electricity will grow by an estimated 6,300 megawatts by 2020. Would you support building a base-load plant that runs provides power continually (base-load plant) using: |
Justin
Adams
Rep. 58A
Independent |
Augustine Willie
Dominguez
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Mary
Gaines
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Linda
Higgins
Senate 58
DFL |
Michael
Katch
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Nicole
Kuehn
Rep. 58A
Republican |
Jim
Lilly
Senate 58
Republican |
Joe
Mullery
Rep. 58A
DFL |
Karen Lee
Rosar
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Alan
Shilepsky
Rep. 58B
Republican |
| Coal with the latest emission-control technology |
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Yes |
No |
Yes |
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Yes |
| Natural Gas |
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Yes |
Maybe |
Maybe |
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No |
| Nuclear |
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No |
Maybe |
Maybe |
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Yes |
| Coal gasification |
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Yes |
No |
Yes |
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Maybe |
| We should not build any more base-load plants; instead, focus on conservation and renewable energy. |
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Yes |
Maybe |
No |
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No |
| Other. |
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| Transmission |
| 3. Getting the power from where it is generated to where it is needed is a priority of the CAPX 2020 coalition of energy cooperatives, investor-owned utilities and municipals. Do you think they should: |
Justin
Adams
Rep. 58A
Independent |
Augustine Willie
Dominguez
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Mary
Gaines
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Linda
Higgins
Senate 58
DFL |
Michael
Katch
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Nicole
Kuehn
Rep. 58A
Republican |
Jim
Lilly
Senate 58
Republican |
Joe
Mullery
Rep. 58A
DFL |
Karen Lee
Rosar
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Alan
Shilepsky
Rep. 58B
Republican |
| Be allowed to build transmission lines that only add wind energy into Minnesota's electric system. |
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X |
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| Be allowed to build transmission lines in areas that have been approved through the "Certificate of Need" process by the state. |
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X |
X |
X |
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X |
| Not be allowed to build anymore transmission in the state. The state's need for electricity should be met by the current transmission system. |
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| Other. |
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X |
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| River run technology, lets us generate power from the current from our rivers. - Michael Katch |
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| Environment |
| 4. There continues to be much debate throughout the U.S. about global warming issues, with much of the attention focused on Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. Do you think the Minnesota legislature should: |
Justin
Adams
Rep. 58A
Independent |
Augustine Willie
Dominguez
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Mary
Gaines
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Linda
Higgins
Senate 58
DFL |
Michael
Katch
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Nicole
Kuehn
Rep. 58A
Republican |
Jim
Lilly
Senate 58
Republican |
Joe
Mullery
Rep. 58A
DFL |
Karen Lee
Rosar
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Alan
Shilepsky
Rep. 58B
Republican |
| Impose mandates on utilities to reduce CO2. |
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Yes |
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No |
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No |
| Establish cost-effective goals for utilities to reduce CO2. |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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No |
| Let the federal government address the issues rather than state specific. |
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No |
Yes |
Yes |
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Yes |
| Other. |
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Other |
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| We need to make greater use of our corn and sugar beet crops to make ethanol, with the latest technology this is becoming more efficient. - Michael Katch |
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| Renewable |
| 5. Current law imposes a Renewable Energy Objective (10% renewable energy by 2015) for all Minnesota electric companies.* Also, the MN Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is studying the impact of a 20% mandate on the state's electric system. Would you support a 20% renewable energy mandate on electric companies by 2020? |
Justin
Adams
Rep. 58A
Independent |
Augustine Willie
Dominguez
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Mary
Gaines
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Linda
Higgins
Senate 58
DFL |
Michael
Katch
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Nicole
Kuehn
Rep. 58A
Republican |
Jim
Lilly
Senate 58
Republican |
Joe
Mullery
Rep. 58A
DFL |
Karen Lee
Rosar
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Alan
Shilepsky
Rep. 58B
Republican |
| Yes |
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X |
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| It depends on the impact a mandate would have on electric rates. |
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X |
X |
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| It depends on the impact a mandate would have on the reliability of the electric system. |
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X |
X |
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| It depends on the results of the PUC study. |
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X |
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| No, the companies are successfully working towards the objective that is current law. |
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| Other. |
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X |
| *It is a mandate for Xcel Energy. |
| It depends on economy and technology feasibility to replace base load. Reliability, then reasonable rates (for economic development) are more important to me. - Alan Shilepsky |
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| Conservation |
| 6. Do you support continuing the financial mandate on energy utilities requiring them to spend on conservation efforts (.5% of a gas utilities gross operating revenue; 2% of Xcel Energy's gross operating revenue and all other electric utilities revenue must contribute 1.5%)? |
Justin
Adams
Rep. 58A
Independent |
Augustine Willie
Dominguez
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Mary
Gaines
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Linda
Higgins
Senate 58
DFL |
Michael
Katch
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Nicole
Kuehn
Rep. 58A
Republican |
Jim
Lilly
Senate 58
Republican |
Joe
Mullery
Rep. 58A
DFL |
Karen Lee
Rosar
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Alan
Shilepsky
Rep. 58B
Republican |
| Yes |
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X |
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X |
| No |
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| Yes, but it needs to be changed to allow more flexibility in the program. |
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X |
X |
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| Yes, but the percentage needs to be increased. |
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| Other. |
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| Cost |
| 7. Would you support increasing the cost of electricity by: |
Justin
Adams
Rep. 58A
Independent |
Augustine Willie
Dominguez
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Mary
Gaines
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Linda
Higgins
Senate 58
DFL |
Michael
Katch
Rep. 58B
DFL |
Nicole
Kuehn
Rep. 58A
Republican |
Jim
Lilly
Senate 58
Republican |
Joe
Mullery
Rep. 58A
DFL |
Karen Lee
Rosar
Rep. 58B
Independence |
Alan
Shilepsky
Rep. 58B
Republican |
| Requiring that 20% of their generation be renewable energy?. |
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No |
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No |
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No |
| Subsidizing the cost of wind, solar, water and other renewable energy source to reduce their cost? |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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No |
| Promoting the development of energy projects in certain areas of the state? |
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Yes |
Yes |
No |
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| Other. |
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Other |
| Subsidizing doesn't reduce their true cost. I am not sure about the third question. - Alan Shilepsky |
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