In our backyard, the power grid struggle writ small

NPR is airing an interesting series this week on the future of the nation’ power grid. President Obama has allocated several billion dollars to beginning the construction of a “smart grid” that would use electricity more efficiently and make it easier to incorporate clean, but intermittent, power sources like solar and wind into the grid.

When you look around the North Country, you can see how challenging and divisive this initiative will be. Remember the Power Line battle in St. Lawrence County in the 1980s? Look at the bitter energy being invested in every wind power project in the region. A smart grid ain’t gonna be easy.

Everyone likens the smart grid initiative to the creation of the Interstate highway system in the 1950s. But that was when the federal government could just plow projects ahead, with little local resistance and even fewer lawsuits. Those days are gone.

For a real flavor of how complex this issue is, listen to the NPR stories, and then read the comments.