Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Energy News Digest for March 28, 2012


Ed Note: The energy news digest is being tucked into a mover’s box today…where it will remain the next two days during its relocation to Mason County PUD 3’s new Johns Prairie operations center. It will return, possibly a bit mussed, on Monday, April 2.

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

Higher Wholesale Energy Costs & Renewable Energy Purchases Prompt Consideration of PUD 3 Electricity Rate Increase (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

British Columbia Pipe Break Spills 1.2M Gallons of Sewage into Columbia River (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Seattle Company Tests Mini Hydroelectric Plants in Small Canals (KING-TV, Seattle)

The Power of the Dammed: How Small Hydro Could Rescue America’s Dumb Dams (Renewable Energy World)

Storm Bringing More Mountain Snow in Washington State (Associated Press)

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Higher Wholesale Energy Costs & Renewable Energy Purchases Prompt Consideration of PUD 3 Electricity Rate Increase
  • Idaho Falls Power “North Loop” Lawsuit Moves to Federal Court
  • Southern Montana Co-op Could Survive Bankruptcy
  • After the Storm
  • Rising Chinese Demand Could Mean Coal Export Boom for West Coast
  • Layoffs: Grant to Help Former Workers at US Department of Energy’s Idaho Lab
  • NBC2 Investigates: Stealing Electricity
  • Alaska State Senate Committee Considering Energy Voucher Program
  • Volcker Rule Could Raise Energy Prices, Study Says – Hinders Hedging for Risk
  • For Klamath Tribes, Suckerfish Mean Renewed Life
  • British Columbia Pipe Break Spills 1.2M Gallons of Sewage into Columbia River
  • Storm Bringing More Mountain Snow in Washington State
  • Bottled Water Foes Oppose Columbia River Nestle Plant in Oregon
  • Seattle Company Tests Mini Hydroelectric Plants in Small Canals
  • Legal Decision on Port Townsend Paper Mill Biomass Project Expected this Week
  • Sierra Club, NRDC Sue Feds to Stop Big California Solar Power Project
  • Brown Liquor & Solar Cells to Provide Sustainable Electricity
  • Global Warming Close to Becoming Irreversible: Scientists
  • Startups Invited to Launch Party for Pacific Northwest Cleantech Open
  • When Defending Biofuels, Supporters Point to History
  • The Ugly, Dog-Eat-Dog World of Data Center Startups
  • FiOS-Deprived Cities Complain to FCC about Comcast Deal
  • Metal & Wire Thieves Targeting Aberdeen Parks
  • Static in Olympia over Wash. State Patrol Radio Upgrade
WORD OF THE DAY

Muss • \MUSS\ • Verb – To make untidy: disarrange

“I dare you to muss my hair,” announced the public information officer to the local reporter. “Especially since there’s no there…there.”

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Higher Wholesale Energy Costs & Renewable Energy Purchases Prompt Consideration of PUD 3 Electricity Rate Increase (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Idaho Falls Power “North Loop” Lawsuit Moves to Federal Court (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)

Southern Montana Co-op Could Survive Bankruptcy (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

After the Storm (Cottage Grove Sentinel, OR)

Rising Chinese Demand Could Mean Coal Export Boom for West Coast (Longview Daily News, WA)

Layoffs: Grant to Help Former Workers at US Department of Energy’s Idaho Lab (Tri-Cities Herald, WA)

NBC2 Investigates: Stealing Electricity (WBBH-TV, Fort Meyers, FL)

Alaska State Senate Committee Considering Energy Voucher Program (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Volcker Rule Could Raise Energy Prices, Study Says – Hinders Hedging Risk (Reuters)

FISH & WILDLIFE

For Klamath Tribes, Suckerfish Mean Renewed Life (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

British Columbia Pipe Break Spills 1.2M Gallons of Sewage into Columbia River (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Storm Bringing More Mountain Snow in Washington State (Associated Press)

Bottled Water Foes Oppose Columbia River Nestle Plant in Oregon (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Seattle Company Tests Mini Hydroelectric Plants in Small Canals (KING-TV, Seattle)

The Power of the Dammed: How Small Hydro Could Rescue America’s Dumb Dams (Renewable Energy World)

Legal Decision on Port Townsend Paper Mill Biomass Project Expected this Week (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Sierra Club, NRDC Sue Feds to Stop Big California Solar Power Project (Forbes Magazine)

Brown Liquor & Solar Cells to Provide Sustainable Electricity (Renewable Energy World)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Global Warming Close to Becoming Irreversible: Scientists (Reuters)

BARREL ‘O GREEN POTPOURRI

Startups Invited to Launch Party for Pacific Northwest Cleantech Open (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

When Defending Biofuels, Supporters Point to History (Forbes Magazine)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The Ugly, Dog-Eat-Dog World of Data Center Startups (Gigaom)

FiOS-Deprived Cities Complain to FCC about Comcast Deal - Though It’s Unclear They Were Ever Going to Get FiOS (Broadband Reports)

GENERAL NEWS

Metal & Wire Thieves Targeting Aberdeen Parks (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Static in Olympia over Wash. State Patrol Radio Upgrade (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

DIVERSIONS

Eight-Year-Old Tennessee Boy Solves Multi-State Crime Spree

Lorax Statue Stolen from Dr Seuss’ La Jolla Garden

Errant Text Message Leads to Arrest of a Wanted Man

Caffeine Might Turn Workers Into Slackers

SONG OF THE DAY

Nat King Cole - You’re The Cream In My Coffee