Friday, January 6, 2012

Energy News Digest for January 6, 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

Seattle City Light’s Top Money Man Bids Adieu - Amidst a contentious round of rate-setting & strategic planning, the utility’s respected chief financial officer takes another job (Crosscut Seattle)

A Huge Waste of Energy - Half of Washington’s Energy Goes Up in Smoke; Mostly Transportation (Sightline)

Hoku Flirts With Losing Idaho Electric Power, Nasdaq Listing (Pacific Business Journal, HI)

Washington State Completes Weatherization & Energy Efficiency Projects (Olympian, WA)

Washington State Governor to Bypass Attorney General, Seek Ruling on Tax Voting (KING-TV, Seattle)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Seattle City Light’s Top Money Man Bids Adieu
  • A Huge Waste of Energy - Half of Washington’s Energy Goes Up in Smoke; Mostly Transportation
  • BC Hydro Hit in $35,000 Underground Copper-Wire Heist
  • Alcoa to Permanently Close Idled Aluminum Smelter in Tennessee, Trim a Texas Operation
  • Alaska - Fitch Affirms Chugach Electric Association ‘A-’ Rating; Outlook Revised to Positive
  • Power Generation at Missouri River Dams Rebounds
  • Federal Regulators Say Ohio Nuclear Reactor Safe Despite Not Knowing Cause of Concrete Cracks
  • Michigan - Entergy’s Palisades Nuclear Power Plant Offline for Maintenance
  • Cross State Air Pollution Rule Stayed In Court Ruling: Policy Community Divided
  • Be Sure That Call from the Electric Company Isn’t a Scam
  • Pennsylvania - Peco Planning Winter Tree Trimming to Avoid Outages
  • California Marine Biologist Who Runs Popular Whale-Watching Tour Accused of Feeding Killer Whale
  • Snowy Owls That Gained Fame as Harry Potter’s Companion Migrating to US from Arctic Habitat
  • California Reservoir Rental - Water from Yosemite is Still Cheap, For Now
  • Hoku Flirts With Losing Idaho Electric Power, Nasdaq Listing
  • Idaho Power Wants Utilities Commission to Intervene in Potential Trash-To-Energy Sale
  • Henry Red Cloud: A Solar Warrior for Native America
  • Washington State Completes Weatherization & Energy Efficiency Projects
  • Dairy Farm Audits Reduce Energy Costs 10% to 35%
  • 19,000 Rebates Paid in Tennessee for Energy Appliances
  • New Year’s Resolution: Monitor Your Electricity Usage!
  • California Appeals Judge’s Low-Carbon Fuels Ruling
  • Carbon Dioxide Super-Scrubber? Potential Good News in Global Warming Fight
  • Retreat of Sea Ice Fuels Spike in Seal Deaths, Study Finds
  • Report: Clean Tech Investments Surged in 2011
  • Olympic Medical Center Gets Federal Grant for Education, Telemedicine Link
  • NOAA Moves to Cloud-Based Email
  • Washington State Governor to Bypass Attorney General, Seek Ruling on Tax Voting
  • Washington State Sen. Prentice Won’t Seek Re-Election
  • SW Washington Coastal County Prepares for Tsunami Debris
  • Wild Olympic Peninsula Debate Hits Legislative Sendoff
  • Washington State Outpost Draws Those Hungry for Slap of Sea Spray
WORD OF THE DAY

Incommunicado • \inn-kuh-myoon-nu-KAH-doe\ • Adverb/Adjective - Without means of communication: in a situation or state not allowing communication

“No cell phone coverage on this side of the peninsula means I’m incommunicado in Cabo,” chucked Amos.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Seattle City Light’s Top Money Man Bids Adieu - Amidst a contentious round of rate-setting & strategic planning, the utility’s respected chief financial officer takes another job (Crosscut Seattle)

A Huge Waste of Energy - Half of Washington’s Energy Goes Up in Smoke; Mostly Transportation (Sightline)

BC Hydro Hit in $35,000 Underground Copper-Wire Heist (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

Alcoa to Permanently Close Idled Aluminum Smelter in Tennessee, Trim a Texas Operation “…Aluminum prices have fallen by about one-fourth since April…Alcoa has faced higher energy & raw-material costs…” (Associated Press)

Alaska - Fitch Affirms Chugach Electric Association ‘A-’ Rating; Outlook Revised to Positive (MarketWatch)

Power Generation at Missouri River Dams Rebounds (Associated Press)

Federal Regulators Say Ohio Nuclear Reactor Safe Despite Not Knowing Cause of Concrete Cracks (Associated Press)

Michigan - Entergy’s Palisades Nuclear Power Plant Offline for Maintenance (Associated Press)

Cross State Air Pollution Rule Stayed In Court Ruling: Policy Community Divided (AOL News)

Be Sure That Call from the Electric Company Isn’t a Scam (Consumerist)

Pennsylvania - Peco Planning Winter Tree Trimming to Avoid Outages (Philadelphia Business Journal)

FISH & WILDLIFE

California Marine Biologist Who Runs Popular Whale-Watching Tour Accused of Feeding Killer Whale (Associated Press)

Snowy Owls That Gained Fame as Harry Potter’s Companion Migrating to US from Arctic Habitat (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

California Reservoir Rental - Water from Yosemite is Still Cheap, For Now (NY Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Hoku Flirts With Losing Idaho Electric Power, Nasdaq Listing (Pacific Business Journal, HI)

Idaho Power Wants Utilities Commission to Intervene in Potential Trash-To-Energy Sale (Renewables Biz)

Henry Red Cloud: A Solar Warrior for Native America (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State Completes Weatherization & Energy Efficiency Projects (Olympian, WA)

Dairy Farm Audits Reduce Energy Costs 10% to 35% (Ag Web)

19,000 Rebates Paid in Tennessee for Energy Appliances (Associated Press)

New Year’s Resolution: Monitor Your Electricity Usage! (The Energy Collective)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Appeals Judge’s Low-Carbon Fuels Ruling (Associated Press)

Carbon Dioxide Super-Scrubber? Potential Good News in Global Warming Fight (Christian Science Monitor)

Retreat of Sea Ice Fuels Spike in Seal Deaths, Study Finds (Vancouver Sun, BC)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Report: Clean Tech Investments Surged in 2011 (USA Today)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Olympic Medical Center Gets Federal Grant for Education, Telemedicine Link (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

NOAA Moves to Cloud-Based Email (Washington Business Journal, DC)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Governor to Bypass Attorney General, Seek Ruling on Tax Voting (KING-TV, Seattle)

Washington State Sen. Prentice Won’t Seek Re-Election (Seattle Times)

GENERAL NEWS

SW Washington Coastal County Prepares for Tsunami Debris (Associated Press)

Wild Olympic Peninsula Debate Hits Legislative Sendoff (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Washington State Outpost Draws Those Hungry for Slap of Sea Spray (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

When Apple Orchards Become Personal Power Plants

Police: Man Used Skeleton to Cheat HOV Lane

Five Jedi Mind Tricks for Managers in the New Year

HS Basketball Video Shows Power of Social Media (To be honest, I’ve called BB for radio for 27 years & have seen many fouls – flagrant & otherwise – much harder & egregious than those depicted here)

SONG OF THE DAY

Pat Benetar – Hit Me With Your Best Shot