Plug Pulled on Power Plant

A decision by a Cass County circuit court judge might mean that Aquila could be forced to tear down a $140 million power plant.

Here's the money line: Judge Joseph Dandurand, in his Oct. 19 ruling, said that the Missouri PSC had misinterpreted that passage to mean Aquila could, post-construction, get a certificate from the state, though a certificate could only be granted before the plant was built.

"Expedience and efficiency would dictate a ruling in favor of Aquila," Dandurand said in his ruling. "Taking the oath to uphold the constitution and the laws of the State of Missouri, efficiency and expediency is not the court's ultimate consideration." And all of this is certainly surprising to me, because I thought that polluters had all the power. Nice to see somebody else flexing their muscles for a change.