Clean Line's proverbial pants are on fire...

So, it seems like Clean Line is a little bit touchy these days about their ties to the wind industry. Wind farms? What wind farms? Wind turbines? What are those? Michael Skelly is doing everything he can in his apparent "media tour" to assure folks that they aren't directly tied to the wind industry to which they wish to serve by building their massive, unnecessary transmission line. They even made a post on Facebook recently asserting this:

In a recent interview with the Sequoya County Times, Skelly reiterated this point:

"President of Clean Line, Michael Skelly, on Wednesday insisted that the wind energy industry is completely separate from the construction of the transmission lines."

Aren't you the folks who keep saying that the "grid is maxed out", and that wind farm development will be severely limited if your transmission line is not constructed? What type of energy are you hoping to move, again? I thought it was wind energy?

"Clean Line Energy is independent from any existing or planned wind energy generation"? Why did Diana Rivera say this in Clean Line's official comments on pages 3 and 4 that were submitted to the Department of Energy's triennial congestion study?

So, which is one is it, Clean Line? Does your project, or does it not, involve wind farms that are already planned, in construction, or currently constructed? Where on earth is your credibility, and how do you expect to gain the trust of the people who are to host your for-profit, unnecessary transmission line when you continue to make claims that contradict themselves? This information is readily available. Did you think we wouldn't find it? You should just come out and say it: "We have friends in the wind industry who want to make money building wind farms, and we want to make money building a transmission line." It is really pretty simple to see, don't you think? 

Since that is out of the way, I would like to take a few moments to show everyone just a few of the connections that Clean Line has with the wind industry. I will pull information directly from Clean Line Energy Partners, LLC's website. 

Let's start with Michael Skelly first. According to his profile:

Prior to founding Clean Line, Michael led the development of Horizon Wind Energy from a two-man company to a leadership position in the U.S. wind industry. Before Horizon, Michael developed thermal, hydroelectric, biomass and wind energy projects in Central America with Energia Global.

Lets take a look at what EDP Renewables (formerly Horizon Wind Energy) does:

EDP Renewables North America and its subsidiaries develop, construct, own and operate wind farms throughout North America. Based in Houston, Texas with 30 wind farms and 10 offices across the United States and Canada, EDP Renewables North America has developed more than 4,000 megawatts (MW) and operates over 3,800 MW of wind farms. With approximately 300 employees, EDPR North America’s highly qualified team has a proven capacity to execute projects and achieve goals. 

I am sure Michael Skelly cut all ties with Horizon Wind Energy when it was sold to Goldman Sachs in 2005, right? Of course! Wind power... what is that, again?

Now, let's have a look at Jimmy Glotfelty, co-founder of Clean Line Energy:

Jimmy worked for George W. Bush, for almost eight years, at both the gubernatorial and presidential levels. He led the Bush Administration’s efforts on electricity issues with Congress and the electric utility industry.  In this capacity, he founded Office of Electric Delivery and Energy Reliability at the Department of Energy (DOE) and served as its first Director.  This program is responsible for applied transmission and distribution (T&D) research and led to the creation of the nationally recognized GridWise Alliance. While at DOE Jimmy led the U.S. efforts to investigate the northeast blackout of August 2003 which called for the adoption of many technologies that have greatly improved the reliability of U.S. transmission system today.  Jimmy serves on the board of the Southeast Coastal Wind Coalition and the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council and recently rolled off of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Board of Directors.

If the first emphasis isn't scary enough, given the fact that the Office of Energy Delivery and Reliability is the agency overseeing this entire process and project, the second, third, and fourth should help. Does anyone think Glotfelty cut ties with AWEA after his departure from the board of directors? AWEA is the leading lobbyist organization for the wind industry, after all. What is wind energy, again? Here's another good summary of Jimmy's career, if interested.

Jayshree Desai, Chief Operating Officer of Clean Line Energy:

Jayshree draws from an accomplished background in the wind energy industry to provide leadership at Clean Line. Before joining Clean Line, Jayshree was CFO of Horizon Wind Energy where she was responsible for corporate and project finance, accounting, tax, and information technology.  As CFO, she led Horizon Wind Energy through its sale to Goldman Sachs in 2005, the subsequent sale to Energias de Portugal in mid-2007, and the IPO of the renewables subsidiary in 2008. Prior to working at Horizon Wind Energy, Jayshree was a Director at Enron responsible for Mergers & Acquisitions and previously was a consultant for McKinsey & Company. Jayshree received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Wharton Business School, and serves on the Executive Board of KIPP Houston and on the board of the Wind Energy Foundation.

There's Horizon Wind Energy again. Enron? Do we want someone who was formerly with Enron managing a project that could cross our property? I don't, personally.

Hans Deitweiler, Vice President of Clean Line Energy:

Prior to joining Clean Line, Hans was Director of State Policy for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), supervising all of AWEA’s direct state legislative campaigns and state regulatory efforts and serving as the primary liaison to AWEA’s regional partners. Previously, Hans was Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Hans has also worked in a variety of policy and advocacy roles with organized labor and other non-profits. Hans holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa.

Dave Berry, Executive Vice President of Clean Line:

Prior to joining Clean Line, Dave was the Director of Finance for Horizon Wind Energy, where he led over $2 billion in project finance transactions and was responsible for investment analysis and transactions. Dave earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and History from Rice University in 2005. He sits on the Board of the Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees.

Wayne Galli, Executive Vice President - Transmission and Technical Services:

Most recently, he served as Director of Transmission Development for NextEra Energy Resources, where he was instrumental in developing transmission projects under the Competitive Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) initiative in Texas. 

And what does NextEra Energy do?

NextEra Energy is North America’s top producer of energy from the wind and the sun, with a greenhouse gas emissions rate among the lowest of any large power company.

I am sure I missed a person or two. You get the point. Clean Line trying to imply that it does not have ties to the wind industry and distance themselves from the very industry that they have had and still have intimate ties with is a lie. Rural, we are. Fools, we are NOT.

Secretary Moniz: