Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Energy News Digest for March 7, 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

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration Files Plan to Deal with Wind Farm Shutdowns (Oregonian, Portland)

Ex-Seattle Public Utilities Project Engineer Charged in $1.1 Million Embezzlement Case (Seattle Times)

Two Powerful ‘X-Class’ Flares Erupt on Sun (Christian Science Monitor)

Washington State Patrol Says It Will Pay for Federally Required Radio Upgrade (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Grant PUD Transmission Line Progresses (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Ex-Seattle Public Utilities Project Engineer Charged in $1.1 Million Embezzlement Case
  • Man steals $1 Million from Seattle, Bank of America Sits Idly By
  • Grant PUD Transmission Line Progresses
  • Two New Candidates Join Race for Clark Public Utilities’ Position
  • New Location for the Mason PUD 3 Payment Drop box in Downtown Shelton
  • The Spirit of Cooperation – 75 Years for Flathead Electric Cooperative
  • Focus on Community Sets Electricity Co-ops Apart
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Worker Socks Would-Be Robber in South San Francisco
  • Navajos Look to Invest in Grid Connection Project
  • Xcel Energy Working on Six Percent Electric Rate Hike Request
  • Florida – Study Claims Ratepayers Would Save Millions if ‘Municipal Utilities’ Sell Out to Florida Power & Light
  • Transmission Line Deal with Illinois Cable Plant to Bring 1,450 Jobs
  • Two Powerful ‘X-Class’ Flares Erupt on Sun
  • Chelan County PUD Approves Higher Water, Sewer Rates
  • Bonneville Power Administration Files Plan to Deal with Wind Farm Shutdowns
  • Receiver Hoping for Resolution on Hoquiam Paper Mill Soon
  • San Jose’s SunPower to Provide Solar Panels for Apple’s New North Carolina Data Center
  • Pepco to Build Washington, DC Biomass Plant
  • Wind Power is Just Too Expensive to Actually Use
  • Enhanced Safety & Energy Efficiency the Focus of NEEA & Seattle LED Streetlight Test
  • Streetlight Test Shuts Down Busy Seattle Road
  • Secrets of a Tribal Energy Auditor
  • Did Climate Change Create Texas’ Hellacious 2011 Summer, Or Just Make It Worse?
  • Electric Cars Seem to be Falling Out Of Favor after Volt’s Slow Sales
  • Nissan Not Worried by Pace of Leaf Sales
  • Hybrid Cars 101: How Long Should Batteries Last?
  • This Lamp Absorbs 150 Times More Carbon Dioxide than a Tree
  • Washington State Patrol Says It Will Pay for Federally Required Radio Upgrade
  • Minnesota Wants to be a Broadband Backwater - Thanks, CenturyLink!
  • Low Power is the New Black for Data Centers
  • Democratic Washington State Rep. Deb Eddy to Retire
  • Thurston County Auditor ‘Kicking Off’ Campaign for Secretary of State
  • Congressional Shenanigans - Kucinich Move to Washington State Will be Hot Topic Again
  • Jackie Miles Strickland, Former Port Commissioner, Sentenced for DUI
  • Boy Receives Deferral in Bremerton School Shooting
  • Pacific NW Timber Exports after Japan Quake Slower than Expected
  • Thurston County Sheriff Warns; Gas Theft Might Rise
  • Harstine Island Residents against Fudge Point Transaction
  • Head of Sound Learning Steps Down
  • Shelton Race Track - Economic Shot In The Arm?
  • TransCanada Executive: New Keystone Route for Petroleum Pipeline in Weeks
WORD OF THE DAY

Truncated • \TRUNK-ayt-ted\ • Adjective - 1: having the apex replaced by a plane section and especially by one parallel to the base 2a: cut short: curtailed b: lacking an expected or normal element at the beginning or end; catalectic

James Dean’s bright career
Truncated by a car crash
Lived hard, died young, sad

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Ex-Seattle Public Utilities Project Engineer Charged in $1.1 Million Embezzlement Case (Seattle Times)

Man steals $1 Million from Seattle, Bank of America Sits Idly By (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle)

Grant PUD Transmission Line Progresses (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Two New Candidates Join Race for Clark Public Utilities’ Position (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

New Location for the Mason PUD 3 Payment Drop box in Downtown Shelton (Mason County PUD No. 3)

The Spirit of Cooperation – 75 Years for Flathead Electric Cooperative (Hungry Horse News, MT)

Focus on Community Sets Electricity Co-ops Apart (Electric Co-op Today)

Pacific Gas & Electric Worker Socks Would-Be Robber in South San Francisco (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Navajos Look to Invest in Grid Connection Project (CBS News)

Xcel Energy Working on Six Percent Electric Rate Hike Request (Associated Press)

Florida – Study Claims Ratepayers Would Save Millions if ‘Municipal Utilities’ Sell Out to Florida Power & Light (Sunshine State News, Tallahassee, FL)

Transmission Line Deal with Illinois Cable Plant to Bring 1,450 Jobs (Associated Press)

Two Powerful ‘X-Class’ Flares Erupt on Sun (Christian Science Monitor)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chelan County PUD Approves Higher Water, Sewer Rates (Wenatchee World, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Bonneville Power Administration Files Plan to Deal with Wind Farm Shutdowns (Oregonian, Portland)

Receiver Hoping for Resolution on Hoquiam Paper Mill Soon – Grays Harbor PUD Keeping Tabs (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

San Jose’s SunPower to Provide Solar Panels for Apple’s New North Carolina Data Center (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Pepco to Build Washington, DC Biomass Plant (Washington Business Journal, DC – Beware of that first, single exposure!)

Wind Power is Just Too Expensive to Actually Use (Forbes Magazine)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Enhanced Safety & Energy Efficiency the Focus of NEEA & Seattle LED Streetlight Test - Northwest utilities lead effort to demonstrate improved visibility & safer streets (MarketWatch)

Streetlight Test Shuts Down Busy Seattle Road (KING-TV, Seattle)

Secrets of a Tribal Energy Auditor (Bonneville Power Administration)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Did Climate Change Create Texas’ Hellacious 2011 Summer, Or Just Make It Worse? (Dallas Observer)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Electric Cars Seem to be Falling Out Of Favor after Volt’s Slow Sales (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Nissan Not Worried by Pace of Leaf Sales (Nashville Business Journal, TN)

Hybrid Cars 101: How Long Should Batteries Last? (Christian Science Monitor)

This Lamp Absorbs 150 Times More Carbon Dioxide than a Tree (Grist Online)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Patrol Says It Will Pay for Federally Required Radio Upgrade (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Minnesota Wants to be a Broadband Backwater - Thanks, CenturyLink! (Broadband Reports)

Low Power is the New Black for Data Centers (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Democratic Washington State Rep. Deb Eddy to Retire (Associated Press)

Thurston County Auditor ‘Kicking Off’ Campaign for Secretary of State (Olympian, WA)

Congressional Shenanigans - Kucinich Move to Washington State Will be Hot Topic Again (Everett Herald, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Jackie Miles Strickland, Former Port Commissioner, Sentenced for DUI (Mason Web TV)

Boy Receives Deferral in Bremerton School Shooting (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Pacific NW Timber Exports after Japan Quake Slower than Expected (Oregonian Public Broadcasting)

Thurston County Sheriff Warns; Gas Theft Might Rise (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Harstine Island Residents against Fudge Point Transaction (Mason Web TV)

Head of Sound Learning Steps Down (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Shelton Race Track - Economic Shot In The Arm? (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

TransCanada Executive: New Keystone Route for Petroleum Pipeline in Weeks (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Ralph McQuarrie, Designer of ‘Star Wars’ Look, Dies in Berkeley At 82

Scientists Say Moon May Have Crashed Titanic

Chicken McNugget Resembling George Washington Sells for $8,100 on EBay

Photographers Mistake 66-Year-Old Debbie Harry for Lindsay Lohan

SONG OF THE DAY

Blue Moon - Chris Isaak