Friday, February 24, 2012

Energy News Digest for February 24, 2012


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

Bonneville Power Administration Outlines Upgrades to Power Line ‘Intertie’ - Sometimes, Agency Has to Go to eBay for Parts (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

Proposal for Massive Longview Coal Shipping Terminal Re-Emerges (Seattle Times)

Land Speculators See Silver Lining in Solar Projects (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Greenpeace Turns Sour Grapes on Apple - Says renewables plans is not enough to overcome the use of “dirty energy” at new data center sites (Data Center Dynamics)

Gusty Winds, Mountain Snow Forecast for Washington State (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Bonneville Power Administration Outlines Upgrades to Power Line ‘Intertie’
  • Proposal for Massive Longview Coal Shipping Terminal Re-Emerges
  • Washington State Reaches Settlement in Pacific Power Electric Rate Increase Request
  • In Brief: Avista Customers to Pay Less for Gas
  • Chelan PUD Dishes Out Two More Slices of Power
  • Montesano Plans to Take Short-Term Loan from Grays Harbor PUD
  • Portland General Electric Reports 2011 Financial Results & Initiates 2012 Earnings Guidance
  • Natural Gas Supplies 40 Percent Higher than Average
  • Some States Unprepared for Shale Energy Boom
  • Florida Co-op Wins Tougher Copper Theft Laws
  • Official: Ten Missing in Dam Flooding in Turkey
  • Illinois - Oak Park Residents Get Electric Bill for Nearly $108,000
  • Water Treatment Plant - $1 Million Damage in Mukilteo Propane Tank Explosion
  • Is Ecology overstepping on Dungeness Water Management Rule?
  • California Irrigation Districts: Hetch Hetchy Claims Untrue
  • Land Speculators See Silver Lining in Solar Projects
  • Co-op Tests Low-Heat Geothermal at Oregon Site
  • Editorial – Olympia Area Residents Send Signal They Want to Go Green
  • Wind Power in Trouble on Two Fronts
  • Danish Toy Maker Lego Invests in Wind Energy
  • California Utility Scales Back Rooftop Solar Program to Save Money
  • Home Energy Audits Can Amount to Big Savings
  • World Headed Toward Mini Ice Age?
  • How Global Warming Created Cat-Sized Horses
  • Imperium Helps US Biodiesel Industry Reach Milestone
  • San Antonio Power Stations Wait for Traffic
  • Greenpeace Turns Sour Grapes on Apple
  • Ex-Employee Sued Over Right to Keep Twitter Account
  • Using Facebook to Broaden Outreach
  • Analysis Details Digital Lives in USA - Women Reign Supreme on Social Networks, But Men Are More Likely to Tote Tablet Computers
  • Nickels Enters Race for Washington Secretary of State
  • Former Washington State GOP Staffers Claim Dismissals Were Illegal
  • Gusty Winds, Mountain Snow Forecast for Washington State
  • Second Person Arrested in Bremerton-Area Trooper Death
  • Driver Dies after Car Plunges Into Water in Kitsap County
  • Dad in Bremerton, Washington School Shooting: ‘My Kid Made a Mistake’
  • Washington State Disaster Declaration Request
  • Mason County Habitat for Humanity Wall Raising Saturday
WORD OF THE DAY

Extemporaneous • \ecks-temp-ur-RAYN-ee-us\ • adjective - 1: composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment: impromptu 2: provided, made, or put to use as an expedient: makeshift

Without any poles in sight, the gimlet-eyed linemen spotted the next best thing to get the downed power lines into the air and restore electricity to the elderly, spinster schoolmarm on “Outback Road.” His extemporaneous fix? The only tree standing in the South Dakota frontier, a stunted, twisted Juniper.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Power Administration Outlines Upgrades to Power Line ‘Intertie’ - Sometimes, Agency Has to Go to eBay for Parts (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

Proposal for Massive Longview Coal Shipping Terminal Re-Emerges (Seattle Times)

Washington State Reaches Settlement in Pacific Power Electric Rate Increase Request (Access Washington)

In Brief: Avista Customers to Pay Less for Gas (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Chelan PUD Dishes Out Two More Slices of Power (Wenatchee World, WA)

Montesano Plans to Take Short-Term Loan from Grays Harbor PUD (The Aberdeen World, WA)

Portland General Electric Reports 2011 Financial Results & Initiates 2012 Earnings Guidance (BusinessWire)

Natural Gas Supplies 40 Percent Higher than Average (Associated Press)

Some States Unprepared for Shale Energy Boom (USA Today)

Florida Co-op Wins Tougher Copper Theft Laws (Electric Co-op Today)

Official: Ten Missing in Dam Flooding in Turkey (Associated Press)

Illinois - Oak Park Residents Get Electric Bill for Nearly $108,000 (Chicago Sun Times, IL)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Water Treatment Plant - $1 Million Damage in Mukilteo Propane Tank Explosion (Associated Press)

Is Ecology overstepping on Dungeness Water Management Rule? (Sequim Gazette, WA)

California Irrigation Districts: Hetch Hetchy Claims Untrue (SF Chronicle)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Land Speculators See Silver Lining in Solar Projects (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Co-op Tests Low-Heat Geothermal at Oregon Site (Electric Co-op Today)

Editorial – Olympia Area Residents Send Signal They Want to Go Green (Olympian, WA)

Wind Power in Trouble on Two Fronts (The Energy Collective)

Danish Toy Maker Lego Invests in Wind Energy (Associated Press)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California Utility Scales Back Rooftop Solar Program to Save Money (Renewable Energy World)

Home Energy Audits Can Amount to Big Savings (Wilton Bulletin, CT)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

World Headed Toward Mini Ice Age? (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

How Global Warming Created Cat-Sized Horses (Christian Science Monitor – Wow! Evolution & global warming on one story.)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Imperium Helps US Biodiesel Industry Reach Milestone (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

San Antonio Power Stations Wait for Traffic (San Antonio Express News, TX)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Greenpeace Turns Sour Grapes on Apple - Says renewables plans is not enough to overcome the use of “dirty energy” at new data center sites (Data Center Dynamics)

Ex-Employee Sued Over Right to Keep Twitter Account (USA Today)

Using Facebook to Broaden Outreach (Electric Co-op Today)

Analysis Details Digital Lives in USA - Women Reign Supreme on Social Networks, But Men Are More Likely to Tote Tablet Computers (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Nickels Enters Race for Washington Secretary of State (Everett Herald, WA)

Former Washington State GOP Staffers Claim Dismissals Were Illegal (Olympian, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Gusty Winds, Mountain Snow Forecast for Washington State (Associated Press)

Second Person Arrested in Bremerton-Area Trooper Death (KING-TV, Seattle)

Driver Dies after Car Plunges Into Water in Kitsap County (KING-TV, Seattle)

Dad in Bremerton, Washington School Shooting: ‘My Kid Made a Mistake’ (USA Today)

Washington State Disaster Declaration Request (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Mason County Habitat for Humanity Wall Raising Saturday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Associated Press Logo Change is a Change. And That’s All

Stephen Colbert Mocks Marketingspeak by Cramming Face with 17 Wheat Thins

Arizona Man Arrested After Rescuing & Adopting Drowning Raccoon

Hot Crossed Buns - Beware “Toasted Skin Syndrome,” Doctors Warn

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beatles - Rocky Raccoon