Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Energy News Digest for May 17, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Avista requests gas, electrical rate hikes in Washington – 9.3 percent for electricity; 5.1 percent for natural gas (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

How the Pacific Northwest Power Grid is Getting Smarter (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Sea Lions Caught at Bonneville Dam Monday Not Eligible to be Euthanized (Oregonian, Portland)

LED Bulbs Hit 100 Watts as Federal Incandescent Bulb Ban Looms (USA Today)

Oregon - Central Electric Cooperative Helps Fund Wave Power Project (The Bend Bulletin, OR – Via MySanAntonio.com)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Avista requests gas, electrical rate hikes in Washington
  • Bonneville Power Administration Decision May Prompt Wind Shutdown Soon
  • Chelan PUD Transmission Line Study
  • How the Pacific Northwest Power Grid is Getting Smarter
  • A New Place to Store Wind Power: Your Bathwater
  • Montana - Smart Meters Take Utility Monitoring Into the Future
  • Oregon’s Midstate Electric to Present Benefits of Prepaid Utility Services at CS Week Conference
  • Kathy Vaughn, Snohomish PUD Commissioner Plans to Run for Lynnwood (sic – should be Snohomish) County Council
  • Sen. Bingaman: Outlook Bleak for Passing 'Clean Energy' Standard, Repealing Oil Subsidies
  • Texas - Ex-Pedernales Electric Cooperative Attorney Heads to Trial
  • Drought Worsens China Power Supply Crunch
  • Sea Lions Caught at Bonneville Dam Monday Not Eligible to be Euthanized
  • Let the Hype Begin - First Alaska Copper River Salmon Arrive in Seattle
  • Critics Say Obama Abandons Science in Forest Rule
  • Reichert, House Dems: Protect Fish, Critters
  • Naturalists Fear Overuse of Birdcall Apps
  • Clallam PUD Approves Water Rate Increase in Some Unincorporated Areas
  • Oregon - Central Electric Cooperative Helps Fund Wave Power Project
  • Oregon’s Perpetua Power Closes $4 Million Investment, Plans Expansion
  • Tidal Turbines: New Sparks of Hope for Green Energy from Beneath the Waves
  • Editorial – Oregon Bill on Biofuel Needs to be More Specific
  • Franklin County Commissioners Moving Toward Planning a Solar Project
  • Editorial – California: Locals Should Level Playing Field for Solar
  • What Happens When the Incentives Expire?
  • Op/Ed - Wind Energy: Its Time Has Come (Back) for California
  • Wisconsin - We Energies Decides to Move Forward With Biomass Project
  • United Kingdom - Grangemouth Biomass Protesters in Court
  • New Air Pollutant ‘Discovered’: Biomass Industry and Fire Targeted for Extinction?
  • LED Bulbs Hit 100 Watts as Federal Incandescent Bulb Ban Looms
  • Scalding Hot Water - Dad Sues Whirlpool over Bath Time Tragedy
  • Germany to Invest $1.4 Billion in Electric Cars
  • Too Much Fertilizer - Fields of Watermelon Burst in China Farm Fiasco
  • Telcos, Utilities Look for Harmony
  • Want Broadband? Odds Are, You’ll Choose Cable
  • Google Expands Superfast Kansas City, KS, Internet to Kansas City, MO
  • Bloomberg Suggests CenturyLink Might Acquire Sprint
  • FCC Commissioner Turned Comcast Flunky Defends Herself
  • Washington State Governor Gregoire Signs Transportation Budget
  • Washington State Government Preps for July Shutdown as Budget Talks Stall
  • AAA Thinks Puget Sound Gas Prices Have Peaked

WORD OF THE DAY

Mucilaginous • \myoo-suh-LAJ-uh-nuss\ • Adjective - 1: sticky, viscid 2: of, relating to, full of, or secreting mucilage

“OK, who ate my lettuce to the ground,” growled the gnarled farmer McDonald to his empty backyard. The only evidence to the culprit’s identity was a slimy, mucilaginous trail that ran from the tiny, remaining nubs of lettuce to the underside of an immovable granite boulder. “Next time, I’ll have a nice tuna tin full of beer for you,” the farmer muttered to the rock, and the apparent tenant which lived beneath it.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Avista requests gas, electrical rate hikes in Washington – 9.3 percent for electricity; 5.1 percent for natural gas (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Decision May Prompt Wind Shutdown Soon (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Chelan PUD Transmission Line Study (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

How the Pacific Northwest Power Grid is Getting Smarter (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

A New Place to Store Wind Power: Your Bathwater (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Montana - Smart Meters Take Utility Monitoring Into the Future (West Yellowstone News, MT)

Oregon’s Midstate Electric to Present Benefits of Prepaid Utility Services at CS Week Conference (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Kathy Vaughn, Snohomish PUD Commissioner Plans to Run for Lynnwood (sic – should be Snohomish) County Council (Everett Herald, WA – OK, this whole story needs a re-write SNOHOMISH County Council…oops)

Sen. Bingaman: Outlook Bleak for Passing 'Clean Energy' Standard, Repealing Oil Subsidies (NY Times)

Texas - Ex-Pedernales Electric Cooperative Attorney Heads to Trial (Austin American Statesman, TX)

Drought Worsens China Power Supply Crunch (Associated Press)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sea Lions Caught at Bonneville Dam Monday Not Eligible to be Euthanized (Oregonian, Portland)

Let the Hype Begin - First Alaska Copper River Salmon Arrive in Seattle (Seattle Times, WA)

Critics Say Obama Abandons Science in Forest Rule (Associated Press)

Reichert, House Dems: Protect Fish, Critters (Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)

Naturalists Fear Overuse of Birdcall Apps (Seattle Times, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clallam PUD Approves Water Rate Increase in Some Unincorporated Areas (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon - Central Electric Cooperative Helps Fund Wave Power Project (The Bend Bulletin, OR – Via MySanAntonio.com)

Oregon’s Perpetua Power Closes $4 Million Investment, Plans Expansion (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Tidal Turbines: New Sparks of Hope for Green Energy from Beneath the Waves (Christian Science Monitor)

Editorial – Oregon Bill on Biofuel Needs to be More Specific (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)

Franklin County Commissioners Moving Toward Planning a Solar Project (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Editorial – California: Locals Should Level Playing Field for Solar (Sacramento Bee, CA)

What Happens When the Incentives Expire? (Renewable Energy World)

Op/Ed - Wind Energy: Its Time Has Come (Back) for California (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Wisconsin - We Energies Decides to Move Forward With Biomass Project (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, WI)

United Kingdom - Grangemouth Biomass Protesters in Court: Seven people have appeared in court after a protest against a proposed biomass power station (British Broadcasting Corporation, UK)

New Air Pollutant ‘Discovered’: Biomass Industry and Fire Targeted for Extinction? (Canada Free Press)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

LED Bulbs Hit 100 Watts as Federal Incandescent Bulb Ban Looms (USA Today)

Scalding Hot Water - Dad Sues Whirlpool over Bath Time Tragedy (Courthouse News Service)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Germany to Invest $1.4 Billion in Electric Cars (Associated Press)

Too Much Fertilizer - Fields of Watermelon Burst in China Farm Fiasco (Associated Press)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Telcos, Utilities Look for Harmony “…Regional electric utilities themselves…(including) Washington State-based Mason PUD No. 3, are also driving the smart grid trend. (Motley Fool)

Want Broadband? Odds Are, You’ll Choose Cable (GigaOM)

Google Expands Superfast Kansas City, KS, Internet to Kansas City, MO (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Bloomberg Suggests CenturyLink Might Acquire Sprint - After its Recent Embarq, Qwest Acquisition Spree (Broadband Reports)

FCC Commissioner Turned Comcast Flunky Defends Herself (Consumerist)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Governor Gregoire Signs Transportation Budget (Washington Governor’s Office)

Link to Legislative Page (Washington State Legislature)

Washington State Government Preps for July Shutdown as Budget Talks Stall (Associated Press)

AAA Thinks Puget Sound Gas Prices Have Peaked (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

DIVERSIONS

'Botox Mom' Isn't Who She Says She Is

How Old is Too Old to Wear a Bikini?

The Rosslyn Code - The Real Mystery Lurking in the Chapel Where Dan Brown Set the Da Vinci Code

Princess Beatrice's Royal Wedding Hat Going for More Than $29,000 on eBay

SONG OF THE DAY

The Warmth Of The Sun