Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Energy News Digest for October 16, 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

Economic Uncertainty Puts the Brakes on Pacific Northwest Wind Power Industry (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Steller Sea Lions Pick Up Their Fish Take below Bonneville Dam (Oregonian, Portland)

Utilities Meeting, Exceeding Clean-Energy Goals - I-397: Report Gives Data on Four Counties (Olympian, WA)

Study: Rural Broadband in Serious Trouble - And It’s Not Getting Better Anytime Soon (Broadband Reports)

September Tied for World’s Warmest September on Record (USA Today)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • Utilities Meeting, Exceeding Clean-Energy Goals - I-397: Report Gives Data on Four Counties
  • PUD 3 Flashback - Sept 13: Mason County PUD 3 Exceeds Energy Efficiency Goals in Washington State Renewable Energy Law
  • Electricity Restored to 450 Mason County PUD 3 Customers on North Shore Road West of Belfair – Outage Related to Tree & Mudslide
  • Puget Sound Energy Takes Power Outages by Storm
  • Oregon - Eugene Water & Electric Board Weighs New Rate Hikes
  • Tree Cutting Accident - Airway Heights Inmate Electrocuted While on Work-Release
  • Yelm Mayor Says He Won’t Back Thurston County Public Power Measure
  • Steller Sea Lions Pick Up Their Fish Take below Bonneville Dam
  • Squirrel Population Explosion Creates Problems for Fruit Growers, Homeowners
  • Economic Uncertainty Puts the Brakes on Pacific Northwest Wind Power Industry
  • Petitions from Wind Projects Denied by Idaho Commission
  • Yes, Virginia, People Are Buying Wind Turbines
  • Renewable Energy Corporation Warns that Third Quarter Losses Loom for Solar & Silicon Units
  • Alaska - Biomass Considered for Rural Electric Power Generation
  • States Agree on Energy Efficiency despite Political Differences: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
  • September Tied for World’s Warmest September on Record
  • Legality of Tesla Stores under Fire in Oregon, Elsewhere
  • Study: Rural Broadband in Serious Trouble - And It’s Not Getting Better Anytime Soon
  • Grays Harbor County Metal Thieves Suspected in Flood-Warning Vandalism

WORD OF THE DAY

Surfeit • \SERR-futt\ • Noun - 1: an overabundant supply: excess 2: an intemperate or immoderate indulgence in something 3: disgust caused by excess

“Look at that wall of water,” enthused the fresh-faced dam operator to his grizzled mentor. The multi-colored monitor showed the anticipated surfeit of pure water power barreling down the watercourse from the upper reaches of the sprawling river basin. “Better get ready,” drawled the elder operator in a carefully practiced cadence.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Utilities Meeting, Exceeding Clean-Energy Goals - I-397: Report Gives Data on Four Counties (Olympian, WA)

PUD 3 Flashback - Sept 13: Mason County PUD 3 Exceeds Energy Efficiency Goals in Washington State Renewable Energy Law (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Electricity Restored to 450 Mason County PUD 3 Customers on North Shore Road West of Belfair – Outage Related to Tree & Mudslide (Mason County PUD No. 3)

Puget Sound Energy Takes Power Outages by Storm (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Oregon - Eugene Water & Electric Board Weighs New Rate Hikes - The utility asks to raise electric rates 8 percent and water rates 30 percent (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Tree Cutting Accident - Airway Heights Inmate Electrocuted While on Work-Release (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Yelm Mayor Says He Won’t Back Thurston County Public Power Measure (Nisqually Valley News, Yelm, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Steller Sea Lions Pick Up Their Fish Take below Bonneville Dam (Oregonian, Portland)

Squirrel Population Explosion Creates Problems for Fruit Growers, Homeowners (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Economic Uncertainty Puts the Brakes on Pacific Northwest Wind Power Industry (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Petitions from Wind Projects Denied by Idaho Commission (Power Engineering)

Yes, Virginia, People Are Buying Wind Turbines (Smart Planet)

Renewable Energy Corporation Warns that Third Quarter Losses Loom for Solar & Silicon Units (ReCharge News)

Alaska - Biomass Considered for Rural Electric Power Generation (Fairbanks News-Miner, AK)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

States Agree on Energy Efficiency despite Political Differences: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (American Public Power Association)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

September Tied for World’s Warmest September on Record (USA Today)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Legality of Tesla Stores under Fire in Oregon, Elsewhere (Sustainable Business Oregon)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Study: Rural Broadband in Serious Trouble - And It’s Not Getting Better Anytime Soon (Broadband Reports)

GENERAL NEWS

Grays Harbor County Metal Thieves Suspected in Flood-Warning Vandalism (Olympian, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Irony Alert - Chinese-Made Pirate Costumes Seized by U-S Customs in Seattle

Australia - Man Says Bar Ruled His Mullet Did Not Make Cut

Seahawk Tweets to Tom Brady after Beating Him: ‘U Mad Bro?’

Girl Sticks Head Out of Train Window, Narrowly Missing Oncoming Train

SONG OF THE DAY

Albert Hammond - I’m a Train