Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Energy News Digest for February 22, 2012


The energy news digest was communing with utility bigwigs in Olympia yesterday, halting the information fire hose that is the digest. It returns today with lots of interesting tidbits.

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

THE NEWS DIGEST ON TWITTER

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

High Court Sides with Power Company over Montana Dams (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Yakima Valley Experiences Different Kind of Wind Power - Hundreds of Valley residents lose electricity due to high winds Tuesday, but today could be even worse, with gusts up to 70 mph (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

California - Coroner identifies men in murder-suicide outside Sacramento Municipal Utility District “…not SMUD employees but were among a group of people using facilities for a meeting…” (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Apple Buys Land from Oregon’s Crook County for New Data Center (Oregonian, Portland)

Climategate Sequel? Scientist Lies to Get Heartland Institute Documents (Christian Science Monitor)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • High Court Sides with Power Company over Montana Dams
  • Yakima Valley Experiences Different Kind of Wind Power
  • California - Coroner identifies men in murder-suicide outside Sacramento Municipal Utility District
  • Eugene Water & Electric Board hears some dissent over rate rise
  • Generator Safety - Fire Causes $100,000 in Damage near Shelton
  • Hoku Reaches Agreement with Idaho Power Company
  • Avista, Kootenai Electric Cooperative Reach Short-Term Power Deal
  • Washington State Officials Shocked By Energy Secretary’s Hanford Remark
  • Federal Bankruptcy Judge Rules for Yellowstone Valley in Power Bill Dispute
  • Power Rates Up 7%; Nearly Double What British Columbia Wanted
  • Vancouver Island - Would-Be Copper Thieves Take Chainsaw to Live Power Pole
  • California - Copper Wire worth $460,000 Stolen from Fremont Street Lights
  • Idiot Thief Exploded Himself by Peeing on a Power Transformer
  • More than 100,000 Austin Energy Customers Hit by Billing Errors from $55 Million IBM System
  • Moody’s: Natural Gas to Remain in Excess Supply in 2012
  • Drawing the Line at Power Lines
  • Salmon Run Forecast Release Kicks Off the Annual Season-Setting Process
  • Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby Reveals Plenty of Hatchery Chinook in the Eastern Strait of Juan De Fuca
  • Oregon Senate Oks Bill Creating New Marine Reserves
  • Mason PUD 3, Port of Shelton, City of Shelton Awarded for Johns Prairie Water Main Efforts
  • Washington State Legislature Considers Changes to Geothermal Law
  • Idaho Lawmaker Pushes Wind Moratorium Bill
  • Biomass Bloviation - Pollution Concerns in Port Townsend Trigger Request for Second Air Monitor
  • Alaska - Biomass Could Ease Pressure on Hydropower
  • California - Shasta County Releases Third Environmental Report on Proposed Power Plant
  • Blast Furnace Waste Gas Could Be Considered Renewable Energy under Ohio Law
  • Vermont Won’t Make Renewable Energy Goals
  • Goodnight Sunshine - Germany is Cutting Solar-Power Subsidies Because They Are Expensive & Inefficient
  • Energy Efficiency: Where to Begin?
  • Climategate Sequel? Scientist Lies to Get Heartland Institute Documents
  • Mukilteo Family Explains Why They’re Using Solar to Cut Their Heating, Electric Bills
  • Clothesline Bans Void in 19 States
  • Apple Buys Land from Oregon’s Crook County for New Data Center
  • Sorry, America: Your Wireless Airwaves Are Full
  • Legislators Aim to Turn States into Broadband Backwaters
  • Hi, I Am a Big Dumb Fat Pipe & I Am Okay with That
  • Washington State Office Allegedly Granted a No-Bid Contract to Leader’s Friend
  • Gas Prices Defy Bounds of Supply, Demand
  • There Might be a Little Snow This Weekend - Flood & Avalanche Warnings Issued
WORD OF THE DAY

Duende • \doo-END-day\ • noun - The power to attract through personal magnetism & charm.

The high-powered car salesman prowled through the gleaming new cars on his sprawling lot, his duende was described as potent as the musk aftershave that legend decreed was purchased by the barrel, and secretly stored with the windshield wiper blades on the bowels of the auto shop. No customer would withstand either his personality, or his cologne…as one or the other led to the signing of a contract for escape…similar to a wolf chewing off its leg to get out of a trap.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

High Court Sides with Power Company over Montana Dams (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Yakima Valley Experiences Different Kind of Wind Power - Hundreds of Valley residents lose electricity due to high winds Tuesday, but today could be even worse, with gusts up to 70 mph (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

California - Coroner identifies men in murder-suicide outside Sacramento Municipal Utility District “…not SMUD employees but were among a group of people using facilities for a meeting…” (Sacramento Bee, CA)

Eugene Water & Electric Board hears some dissent over rate rise (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Generator Safety - Fire Causes $100,000 in Damage near Shelton (Olympian, WA)

Hoku Reaches Agreement with Idaho Power Company (Pacific Business News, HI)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2012/02/17/hoku-reaches-agreement-with-idaho.html

Avista, Kootenai Electric Cooperative Reach Short-Term Power Deal (Coeur d’Alene Press, ID)

Washington State Officials Shocked By Energy Secretary’s Hanford Remark (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Federal Bankruptcy Judge Rules for Yellowstone Valley in Power Bill Dispute (Billings Gazette, MT)

Power Rates Up 7%; Nearly Double What British Columbia Wanted (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Vancouver Island - Would-Be Copper Thieves Take Chainsaw to Live Power Pole (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

California - Copper Wire worth $460,000 Stolen from Fremont Street Lights (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Idiot Thief Exploded Himself by Peeing on a Power Transformer (Gizmodo)

More than 100,000 Austin Energy Customers Hit by Billing Errors from $55 Million IBM System (Austin Statesman-American, TX)

Moody’s: Natural Gas to Remain in Excess Supply in 2012 (Dallas Business Journal, TX)

Drawing the Line at Power Lines (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Salmon Run Forecast Release Kicks Off the Annual Season-Setting Process (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby Reveals Plenty of Hatchery Chinook in the Eastern Strait of Juan De Fuca (Seattle Times)

Oregon Senate Oks Bill Creating New Marine Reserves (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason PUD 3, Port of Shelton, City of Shelton Awarded for Johns Prairie Water Main Efforts (Mason County PUD No. 3)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State Legislature Considers Changes to Geothermal Law (Renewable Energy World)


Biomass Bloviation - Pollution Concerns in Port Townsend Trigger Request for Second Air Monitor (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Alaska - Biomass Could Ease Pressure on Hydropower - Imported wood pellets compete with diesel fuel, even after the cost of importation to Alaska (Juneau Empire, AK)

California - Shasta County Releases Third Environmental Report on Proposed Power Plant: New report calls facility ‘carbon neutral’ (Redding Record Searchlight, CA)

Blast Furnace Waste Gas Could Be Considered Renewable Energy under Ohio Law (Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH)

Vermont Won’t Make Renewable Energy Goals (Bennington Banner, VT)

Goodnight Sunshine - Germany is Cutting Solar-Power Subsidies Because They Are Expensive & Inefficient (Slate Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency: Where to Begin? (Midwest Energy News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climategate Sequel? Scientist Lies to Get Heartland Institute Documents (Christian Science Monitor)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Mukilteo Family Explains Why They’re Using Solar to Cut Their Heating, Electric Bills (Everett Herald, WA)

Clothesline Bans Void in 19 States (Sightline Daily)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Apple Buys Land from Oregon’s Crook County for New Data Center (Oregonian, Portland)

Sorry, America: Your Wireless Airwaves Are Full - Wireless data growth leads to spectrum deficit (KCPQ-TV - Tacoma/Seattle)

Legislators Aim to Turn States into Broadband Backwaters (GigaOM)

Hi, I Am a Big Dumb Fat Pipe & I Am Okay with That (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Office Allegedly Granted a No-Bid Contract to Leader’s Friend (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Gas Prices Defy Bounds of Supply, Demand (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

There Might be a Little Snow This Weekend - Flood & Avalanche Warnings Issued (Olympian, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Porsche Stuck in Wet Concrete: Proof Karma Exists?

Does Seattle Need Its Own Special Font (Typeface)?

Typeface vs. Font - What’s the Difference Between Them?

Munch’s ‘Scream’ Up for Auction, May Bring More than $80 Million

Ice Age Plant Brought Back to Life - Mammals Next?

SONG OF THE DAY

Johnny Rivers - Where Have All the Flowers Gone