Energy News Digest for March 13, 2008

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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Mason County PUD 3 Moving Forward With Rate Increase
- Businesses could see rate cuts up to 12.7% from Franklin PUD
- News Release – Avista Files Request to Decrease Customer Bills if Interim BPA Payment is Received
- New water wheel for Stehekin power generation likely to be installed by Chelan PUD this month
- Idaho Senate committee backs tax breaks for uranium plant
- Maryland – Constellation data on costs to close nuclear plant lacking
- Pennsylvania plans energy trade mission to South Africa
- Never Mind – Texas won't face electricity crisis after all, ERCOT head says
- Oregon – Forest Grove says no to Liquefied Natural Gas line
- Grant County PUD reaches settlement in contracts lawsuit
- Collapse of Salmon Stocks Endangers Pacific Fishery
- Salmon numbers crash – Managers say there will be little or no commercial or recreational fishing
- Competition grows for limited salmon stocks
- New spring salmon rules on Columbia include more bank fishing
- Federal protection requested for popular smelt
- Tribe to fish downstream of Bonneville Dam
- Columbia holds promise for spring Chinook
- Robust Idaho snowpack has officials optimistic
- Oregon Looks To Ground For Water Storage Solutions
- Tribe Views Whale Hunters as Heroes, Nuisances
- Grays Harbor County PUD hires engineering firm to plan mill power generation
- PUD to sell Chelan Hydro’s environmental credits
- Idaho – Governor Otter Highlights Idaho Energy Needs
- Florida – St. Lucie officials, activists say wind-farm idea is mostly hot air
- Five Trends to Watch in the Renewable Energy Industry
- Utility Gives Power to the People – Xcel Energy Inc. plans to roll out "smart grid" technology
- Australia – Light bulb recycling needed: conservation council
- Climate plan phases approach
- Sea Levels Are Falling Over the Long Term Because of Lower Basins
- There's a homegrown way to address climate change
- Nickels calls for switch to hybrid cabs
- Video Road Hogs Stir Fear of Internet Traffic Jam
- Three-year, $7 million computer project at State Health Care Authority set to be shelved
- Downtown Wenatchee café hosts mostly adult players – Chess nights gather players of all abilities
- Last day for Legislature – $306 million supplemental plan at stake
- Rayonier buying 56,300 acres in timberland in Pacific County in Southwest Washington
- Diesel: Fuel for Inflation? Truckers Face Record Pump Prices to Get Goods to Stores
- Kent police arrest wire theft, burglary suspect
- Lewis County EDC Head To Step Down Next Year
- Great Wolf Lodge Opening Next Week
- New color $5 bills come out today

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Contraband • \CONT-ruh-band\ • noun – 1: illegal or prohibited traffic in goods: smuggling 2: goods or merchandise whose importation, exportation, or possession is forbidden; also: smuggled goods

“Ha, ha, ha,” snorted Stanislaus to his feeble companion. “Contraband is something you sneak into a party, like liquor to spike the punch. Not a music combo that plays at contra dances.” “Thanks for the elucidation,” said his partner.

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

MASON COUNTY PUD 3 MOVING FORWARD WITH RATE INCREASE – Mason County PUD No. 3 is moving forward with an electricity rate increase of an average of five percent. Tuesday, the PUD 3 Board of Commissioners directed staff to draft a resolution for the rate increase to take effect on May 1st. The resolution will also allow for an increase of up to five percent next year. Any rate increase in 2009 would depend on whole sale energy costs and other financial conditions. In addition, the Commission is considering a change in late fees. Past due billings would be assessed a late fee after 28 days, amounting to $7.50 for residential and lighting accounts, and $7.50 or 1% of the past due balance (whichever is greater) for commercial and industrial accounts. The rate increase this year was part of the Utility's budget adopted in December. The Mason County PUD No. 3 Board of Commissioner is expected to adopt the resolution during its next meeting, 10am March 18th. A typical residential customer, using about 1,000 kilowatt hours per month, will pay about $3.60 more a month. The last Mason County PUD No. 3 rate increase was three percent in 2006. And again, this year's five percent electricity rate increase will take effect on May 1st.

Businesses could see rate cuts up to 12.7% – Franklin PUD announced a rate decrease Wednesday that will provide the biggest savings for some business accounts. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/116265.html

News Release – Avista Files Request to Decrease Customer Bills if Interim BPA Payment is Received (Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080312/aqw545.html?.v=1

New water wheel for Stehekin power generation likely to be installed by Chelan County PUD this month – Residents of this remote town at the northwest tip of Lake Chelan should have a secure electric system by late August. (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080311/NEWS04/718967199

Idaho Senate committee backs tax breaks for uranium plant (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP03132008news291447.cfm

Maryland – Constellation data on costs to close nuclear plant lacking, PSC says (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/03/10/daily19.html?ana=from_rss

Pennsylvania plans energy trade mission to South Africa (Pittsburgh Business Times – “See, what ya need is deregulation. This nostrum will cure all your energy ills. Trust us!)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/03/10/daily21.html?ana=from_rss

Never Mind – Texas won't face electricity crisis after all, ERCOT head says (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/energy/stories/DN-power_13bus.ART0.State.Edition1.39ba496.html

Oregon – Forest Grove says no to Liquefied Natural Gas line – The city says the liquefied natural gas is a danger to natural resources (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1205290504304570.xml&coll=7

Grant County PUD reaches settlement in contracts lawsuit – Former manager to pay PUD $50,000 (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/03/12/news/news01.txt

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Collapse of Salmon Stocks Endangers Pacific Fishery (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/us/13salmon.html?ex=1363060800&en=0e6074ebbae420a1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Salmon numbers crash – Managers say there will be little or no commercial or recreational fishing (The World, Coos Bay)
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/03/13/news/doc47d7f4fa367ed531592954.txt

Competition grows for salmon – Poor salmon returns make commercial fishing unlikely off the coasts of California and Oregon this year, heating up the competition for fish off portions of Washington's coast. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004279228_salmon13m.html?syndication=rss

New spring salmon rules on Columbia include more bank fishing (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/307822.html

Federal protection requested for popular smelt – Pacific smelt, a small, popular recreational and food fish, could be listed as a threatened or endangered species by the end of next year. (Everett Herald)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080313/NEWS01/493587243

Tribe to fish downstream of Bonneville Dam – Construction of a tribal fishing platform is under way downstream of Bonneville Dam as members of the Yakama Indian Nation prepare to expand the area where they catch Columbia River spring Chinook salmon. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/03/03132008_Tribe-to-fish-downstream-of-Bonneville-Dam.cfm

Columbia holds promise for spring Chinook – All eyes will be on the Columbia River when a long stretch of the mainstem opens this Sunday for what is expected to be a dandy hatchery spring Chinook fishery. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004278983_fish13.html?syndication=rss

Robust Idaho snowpack has officials optimistic (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP03122008news291401.cfm

Oregon Looks To Ground For Water Storage Solutions – Eastern Oregon farmers want to take water from rivers during the peak summer growing season. But conservation groups say that’s when salmon need that water the most. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/oregon-looks-ground-water-storage-solutions/

Tribe Views Whale Hunters as Heroes, Nuisances – Five Makah Indians are due in federal court next month to face charges of illegally killing a gray whale in the waters off Washington State. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88159568&ft=1&f=2

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Grays Harbor County PUD hires engineering firm to plan mill power generation (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/03/12/local_news/04news.txt

PUD to sell Chelan Hydro’s environmental credits – A still-unknown buyer could pay as much as $200,000 for credits associated with the Chelan Hydro Project’s environmental friendliness, Chelan County PUD officials said Monday. (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080312/NEWS04/536499587

Idaho – Governor Otter Highlights Idaho Energy Needs “…because of hydroelectric power, the Gem State is already a leader in green energy…” (KTRV-TV, Boise)
http://www.fox12news.com/Global/story.asp?S=8001325&nav=menu439_7_6

Florida – St. Lucie officials, activists say wind-farm idea is mostly hot air: Florida isn't breezy enough (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjhnrqnkUTgd%216%3C%22bfen%5Fv

Five Trends to Watch in the Renewable Energy Industry (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=51825&src=rss

CONSERVATION

Utility Gives Power to the People – Xcel Energy Inc. plans to roll out "smart grid" technology in Boulder, Colo., in coming months (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120537871607432823.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Australia – Light bulb recycling needed: conservation council (Yahoo! News)
http://au.news.yahoo.com/080313/21/164zt.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate plan phases approach – An effort in the western U.S. and Canada to cut greenhouse gases starts with less than half the sources (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/120529230421830.xml&coll=7

Sea Levels Are Falling Over the Long Term Because of Lower Basins (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/11/science/11obseas.html?ex=1363147200&en=8751d4104fcc625e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

There's a homegrown way to address climate change (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/354753_tilth13.html?source=rss

Nickels calls for switch to hybrid cabs – The mayor of Seattle wants to transform the city's gas-guzzling taxis into eco-friendly rides. But some taxi drivers say going green will cost them too much green. (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/16629961.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Video Road Hogs Stir Fear of Internet Traffic Jam (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/technology/13net.html?_r=1&ex=1363147200&en=08c7b46f377c8f16&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Three-year, $7 million computer project at State Health Care Authority set to be shelved (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/387174.html

Downtown Wenatchee café hosts mostly adult players – Chess nights gather players of all abilities “…Nena Walton, marketing administrator for fiber optics at the Chelan County PUD, started the chess nights as a way to find more players…” (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080312/NEIGHBORS/536995601

GENERAL NEWS

Last day for Legislature – $306 million supplemental plan at stake (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/387173.html

Rayonier buying 56,300 acres in timberland in Pacific County in Southwest Washington for $215M (P{uget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/03/10/daily22.html?ana=from_rss

Diesel: Fuel for Inflation? Truckers Face Record Pump Prices to Get Goods to Stores (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/12/AR2008031203670.html?nav=rss_business

Kent police arrest wire theft, burglary suspect – Police believe they have arrested a major metal thief and burglar in Kent. (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/387605.html

LEWIS COUNTY EDC HEAD TO STEP DOWN NEXT YEAR – Lewis County Economic Development Council Executive Director Bill Lotto today announced his resignation, effective April 30, 2009. Lotto has held his position for over 15 years. During his tenure, the organization has been involved with over 60 recruitment and expansion cases resulting in over 3,000 jobs in Lewis County. (KELA Radio, Centralia)

Great Wolf Lodge Opening Next Week – $100 Million Resort Holding Soft Opening This Weekend (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1205344417&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&

New color $5 bills come out today (Tri City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/business/business_wire/story/115739.html

DIVERSIONS

Final 'Harry Potter' book to be split into 2 movies – Harry Potter was the center of seven novels, but he'll star in eight films.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/13/harry.potter.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories

Boyfriend: Phobia caused woman's 2-year bathroom stay
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/13/woman.in.bathroom.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories

Contraband Candy: 8th-Grader Suspended For Buying Skittles In School
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15575672/detail.html

Business of haiku: No rhyme, but some reason
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/354731_virgin13.html

The scammers get scammed – He bit into some Nigerian spam - to fight it
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/13/MNTTVEAI9.DTL&feed=rss.business