More thoughts on the Hayden Hill power line

LMUD did not purchase the electrical line to (the) Hayden Hill Mine just for fun. It had been their hope to place a successful bid for another private utility which would have made expansion of electricity through the western part of Lassen County profitable. Had the bid been successful, the Hayden Hill power line, formerly powered by Surprise Valley Electric, could be powered by LMUD owned power thereby increasing profits.

The bid failed, the LMUD promises that we on the 139 corridor would have power failed, and now that the PUC has ordered removal of the de-energized line. The municipal utility, LMUD, cares little about the households along that line, or about the fact that a public utility, which would buy the line, SVE, is willing to buy, energize, and operate it.

There is an important distinction between public and municipal utilities. Municipal utilities and private utilities operate under very different rules. A municipal or private utility must get approval for things that a public utility does not have to bother with.

There was a clause in the agreement between owners of the HHM power line and land owners in the area which stated the line would be removed if the mine closed. There were also provisions that would allow it to stay.

Speaking with the original lawyers for the HHM I learned that they had made hundreds, perhaps thousands, of such agreements around the world. Never, not once, did anyone want the powerline removed after getting it, except a small handful of people in Lassen County.

When the agreement was originally written there was not one moment’s thought given to the actual removal of the line ever taking place. After all, who would not want electricity after getting it?

Today, I believe those who objected would not today. They’ve had experiences that have made them “see the light!” Having electric power is a good thing. The removal of the line is a bad thing, a foolish thing, a hurtful thing. People need it, want it, and it’s literally a “deal away” between SVE and LMUD from letting them have it.

There should never have been a problem, and the current expense LMUD is incurring to remove it will only be passed on to its consumers.

Forgive my language, but this is darn stupid. If there is a fraction of reason on the PUC, and they were approached, I cannot believe this foolishness would continue.

Van Thein, Redwood City, California