Public Service Board members had lots of questions for a witness testifying against the need for a major new power line proposed for northwestern Vermont. Robert Blohm, whose testimony the board agreed to hear over the objections of the Vermont Electric Power Company, said energy conservation and small local generation in northwestern Vermont could make the new lines unnecessary.

But Blohm also acknowledged under questioning by Chairman Michael Dworkin and board member John Burke that it's unlikely new generation will be built in northwestern Vermont anytime soon. Blohm said that's because there's a strong bias in favor of transmission lines over generation.