Friday, May 6, 2011

Energy News Digest for May 6, 2011

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Northwest Wind Power to Double, but Inconsistency Creates Grid Nightmare (Oregonian, Portland)

Montana’s US Senators Press for Columbia Falls Aluminum to Reopen (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT – Still waitin’ on those thank you notes…)

It’s Not All Doom & Gloom for Salmon & Steelhead; They’ve Thrived for Years (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Oregon - Seneca Sawmill Celebrates Eugene Biomass Plant Opening, Three Protestors Arrested (KVAL-TV, Eugene, OR)

Bonneville Power Administration Seeks Efficiency Gains at Columbia Generating Station (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Bonneville Power Administration Seeks Efficiency Gains at Columbia Generating Station
·         Hanford Nuclear Plant Midway Through Refueling
·         Montana’s US Senators Press for Columbia Falls Aluminum to Reopen
·         Natural Gas Most Likely to Replace Coal at Centralia’s Big Power Plant
·         Mason County PUD 3’s New Headquarters Project on Track for End of Year Opening
·         Chelan PUD Agrees to Break Cost Caps
·         Bonneville Power Administration Rolls Back Renewable Energy Incentives
·         Editorial - Mountain States’ Regional Transmission Plans Need Formal Public Review
·         Portland General Electric Posts Strong First Quarter, Increases Forecast
·         Pacific Gas & Electric to Replace 1,600 Defective SmartMeters that Inflated Customers' Electric Bills
·         Montana - Mission Valley Power Informs Customers of Rate Hike at Appreciation Dinner
·         Linemen Use Helicopter Training to Stay Safe
·         Renegade Trampoline Knocks Out Power to 11,000
·         May 10 – Harstine Point: Underground Power Line Replacement Project Set to Begin
·         Federal Hydropower Investments in the West
·         Utilities Finding New Ways to Use Social Media
·         It’s Not All Doom & Gloom for Salmon & Steelhead; They’ve Thrived for Years
·         Columbia River’s Chinook Salmon Run Making Up for Late Start
·         Editorial - Judge Should OK Columbia River Salmon Proposal
·         Congress Unlikely to Step In on Columbia River Salmon
·         PBS Documentary Looks At the State of Pacific Northwest Salmon Runs
·         Canadian Salmon Inquiry Too Secretive, Participant Complains
·         Fluoride Foes File Suit Against Port Angeles, Forks
·         2007 Flood Skewed Chehalis Data, Studies Show
·         Northwest Wind Power to Double, but Inconsistency Creates Grid Nightmare
·         Massachusetts Congressman Weighs In On Pacific Northwest Water vs. Wind Question
·         Renewable Energy Group Focusing on Five SE Washington State Counties
·         Vestas Profits Down, Revenue Up
·         Oregon - Seneca Sawmill Celebrates Eugene Biomass Plant Opening, Three Protestors Arrested
·         Massachusetts Drops Backing for Wood Power
·         Norway's Renewable Energy Corporation Sees Q2 Impact from Italian Order Delays
·         Utilities Look to Renewables as Natural Gas Dwindles
·         United Kingdom - Hydro-Power Plan for Berkshire & Oxfordshire Thames
·         North Carolina - Davidson County Turns Trash into Electricity
·         Clark Public Utilities’ Energy Adviser: EnergyStar Labels Help Consumers
·         Sacramento Municipal Utility District Program Helps With Home Energy Audits
·         Political Doubt Hinders Carbon Sequestration Projects
·         United Kingdom - Carbon Accounting System is Mad as a Hatter
·         Jet Fuel from Timber Scraps?
·         Scotland Toasts New Whisky-Powered Bioenergy Plant
·         Ham Radio Volunteers Worry about Spectrum Plan
·         Internet Consumes More Energy than Auto Industry
·         Editorial - In the Tech Industry, Power Management Is a Key to Going Green
·         Lucrative Contract for Former State Manager Leads to Investigation inside Oregon Agency
·         New Mason County Racetrack Moves Forward
·         Third Hearing on Prison Sites Tonight in Shelton

WORD OF THE DAY

Animus • \ANN-uh-muss\ • Noun - 1: basic attitude or governing spirit: disposition, intention 2: a usually prejudiced and often spiteful or malevolent ill will 3: an inner masculine part of the female personality in the analytic psychology of C. G. Jung

My animus for thick, spongy restaurant pancakes has no bounds. The pancake, cooked thin and almost crepe-like, should be able to stand on its own (so to speak), with just the right amount of butter and syrup. It should not be a vehicle for carrying such flavor enhancements into your alimentary tract.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Seeks Efficiency Gains at Columbia Generating Station (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Hanford Nuclear Plant Midway Through Refueling (Associated Press)

Montana’s US Senators Press for Columbia Falls Aluminum to Reopen (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT – Still waitin’ on those thank you notes…)

Natural Gas Most Likely to Replace Coal at Centralia’s Big Power Plant (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Mason County PUD 3’s New Headquarters Project on Track for End of Year Opening (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Chelan PUD Agrees to Break Cost Caps (Wenatchee World, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Rolls Back Renewable Energy Incentives (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Editorial - Mountain States’ Regional Transmission Plans Need Formal Public Review (The MIssoulian, MT)

Portland General Electric Posts Strong First Quarter, Increases Forecast (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Pacific Gas & Electric to Replace 1,600 Defective SmartMeters that Inflated Customers' Electric Bills (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Montana - Mission Valley Power Informs Customers of Rate Hike at Appreciation Dinner (Char-Koosta News, Pablo, MT)

Linemen Use Helicopter Training to Stay Safe (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Renegade Trampoline Knocks Out Power to 11,000 (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

May 10 – Harstine Point: Underground Power Line Replacement Project Set to Begin (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Federal Hydropower Investments in the West; Committee: House Natural Resources; Subcommittee: Water & Power (Hydro-World)

Utilities Finding New Ways to Use Social Media - AEP Using Facebook to Address Legal Challenges to New Power Plant (Intelligent Utilities)

FISH & WILDLIFE

It’s Not All Doom & Gloom for Salmon & Steelhead; They’ve Thrived for Years (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Columbia River’s Chinook Salmon Run Making Up for Late Start (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Editorial - Judge Should OK Columbia River Salmon Proposal (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)

Congress Unlikely to Step In on Columbia River Salmon - The judge would have to throw out the plan to restore the runs, experts say, and that’s not expected to happen

PBS Documentary Looks At the State of Pacific Northwest Salmon Runs (Seattle Times)

Canadian Salmon Inquiry Too Secretive, Participant Complains (Globe & Mail)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Fluoride Foes File Suit Against Port Angeles, Forks (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

2007 Flood Skewed Chehalis Data, Studies Show (Olympian, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Northwest Wind Power to Double, but Inconsistency Creates Grid Nightmare (Oregonian, Portland)

Massachusetts Congressman Weighs In On Pacific Northwest Water vs. Wind Question (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Renewable Energy Group Focusing on Five SE Washington State Counties (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Vestas Profits Down, Revenue Up (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Oregon - Seneca Sawmill Celebrates Eugene Biomass Plant Opening, Three Protestors Arrested (KVAL-TV, Eugene, OR)

Massachusetts Drops Backing for Wood Power (United Press International)

Norway's Renewable Energy Corporation Sees Q2 Impact from Italian Order Delays (Reuters)

Utilities Look to Renewables as Natural Gas Dwindles (Peninsula Clarion, Kenai, AK)

United Kingdom - Hydro-Power Plan for Berkshire & Oxfordshire Thames (British Broadcasting Corporation)

North Carolina - Davidson County Turns Trash into Electricity (WGHP-TV, NC)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Clark Public Utilities’ Energy Adviser: EnergyStar Labels Help Consumers (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Program Helps With Home Energy Audits (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Political Doubt Hinders Carbon Sequestration Projects (Nature News)

United Kingdom - Carbon Accounting System is Mad as a Hatter (The Guardian, UK)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Jet Fuel from Timber Scraps? Sounds Like the Perfect Pacific Northwest Marriage (Crosscut Seattle)

Scotland Toasts New Whisky-Powered Bioenergy Plant (The Guardian, UK)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Ham Radio Volunteers Worry about Spectrum Plan (National Public Radio)

Internet Consumes More Energy than Auto Industry (Signal News)

Editorial - In the Tech Industry, Power Management Is a Key to Going Green (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Lucrative Contract for Former State Manager Leads to Investigation inside Oregon Agency - Allowed a state manager to retire and then return to work as a $90-an-hour consultant (Oregonian, Portland)

GENERAL NEWS

New Mason County Racetrack Moves Forward (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Third Hearing on Prison Sites Tonight in Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Sign of the Times: Is Cursive a Dying Art in Classrooms?

On This Day: The Hindenburg Crashes

Woman Gets New Accent after Dentist Visit

Swiss 'JetMan' to Soar into Grand Canyon

SONG OF THE DAY

Joe Cocker - The Letter