Who owns this boondoggle? The government (taxpayers)? The local Power Utility (either private (shareholders) or publicly (taxpayers again) owned)?
Who AUTHORISED this expenditure of money and who are they answerable to?
I don't know but in CA there are regulations for utilities to meet goals for renewable energy sources and cater to local green politicians. SCE was planning to build a large solar plant out in the middle of nowhere and all the politicians were bragging. Then some enviornmental group sued to stop construction because of some lizard or something.