Friday, October 31, 2014

Lawsuit Challenges Washington State’s Decision to Approve Discharge Permit for Tri-Cities Nuclear Plant (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Washington State Ecology Staff at Odds with Gov. Inslee on Ocean Acidification Effects (Longview Daily News, WA)

SolarWorld’s $10 Million Expansion Includes 200 New Jobs (Portland Business Journal, OR)

State to Fine Owners of Mason County Water System for Neglect (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

Mason PUD 3 Update - Electricity Restored at 3:00 AM to All Customers Affected by Tahuya Area Outage (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Thursday, October 30, 2014

British Columbia Energy Projects Face New Legal Hurdles (Globe & Mail, Canada)

Weather: Below-Average Snowfall Expected across Inland Northwest (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

As Infrastructure Crumbles, Trillions of Gallons of Water Lost (National Public Radio)

Portland General Electric Status Report: Earnings Are Up, New Rates Are in the Offing & Three New Power Stations Are in the Pipeline (Portland Business Journal, OR)

British Columbia Energy Projects Face New Legal Hurdles (Globe & Mail, Canada)



Thursday, October 23, 2014

British Columbia Official Calls for Columbia River Treaty Accounting (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

‘Smart Meter’ Contractor, City of Port Angeles Settle on Failed Project (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

California Getting More Bakken Crude by Barge than Rail “…from barges loaded at terminals in the Pacific Northwest…” (Reuters)

‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: How Utilities Are Powering the Marijuana Industry (Utility Dive)

Heavy Rainfall, Eclipse Weather, & Possible Saturday Windstorm (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

Friday, October 17, 2014

Peace River Dam: Is Victoria All-In on Site C? No, Energy Minister Bennett Insists (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Los Angeles Sued By Two Companies over Rejection of Solar Array Plan (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Texas Plant to Capture, and Then Reuse, Carbon (NY Times)

Cable Blackouts Could Someday Be Broadband Blackouts, Too (Washington Post)

This Video about Dropping a Brick Is Worth a Few Laughs & 67 Million Gallons of Water (AdWeek)

Word Cloud - Energy News Digest for October 17, 2014


Thursday, October 16, 2014

Speculative Report Fuels Avista Trading “…speculative report…that the Spokane-based utility could be courting buyers…” (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Historic Coho Fishing Season Starts Friday on the Clearwater River (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Official in Pacific Gas & Electric Judge-Shopping Case Won’t Vote on Blast Penalty (SF Chronicle)

Washington State’s Unemployment Rate Inched Up in September – Mason 7.4 Percent (Washington State Employment Security)

Google Fiber Will Launch in Austin in December (GigaOM)

Word Cloud - Energy News Digest for October 16, 2014


Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Snow Forecast in Cascades High Country (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

Pacific County PUD Sets Policy on New Large-Load Customers as Pot Farms Take Root (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Idaho Power’s Vital Boardman-To-Hemingway Transmission Line Wrestles with Permitting (Utility Dive)

The Risks of Cheap Water (NY Times)

Study: Recent Sea Level Rise is Highest in 6,000 Years (USA Today)

Word Cloud - Energy News Digest for October 15, 2014


Monday, October 13, 2014

FEMA Awards $2.35 Million in Disaster Funds for Okanogan County PUD (Federal Emergency Management Agency, DC)

Green Power Advocates Urge Shift Away from Coal - Protest Petitions Delivered to Puget Sound Energy (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Pacific Northwest Energy Efficiency Gains Hit $3.5 Billion (Electric Co-op Today)

Environmentalists Eye Idaho Sage Grouse Ruling as Leverage for Similar Lawsuits Elsewhere (Associated Press)

Editorial: Snohomish PUD’s Tidal Project Well Worth the Investment (Everett Herald, WA)

Word Cloud - Energy News Digest for October 13, 2014


Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Kieran Connolly Named Bonneville Power Administration Vice President of Generation & Asset Management (Bonneville Power Administration)

More than half of BPA exec team now permanent – including four of five in Power Services

(PORTLAND, OR) - Kieran Connolly has been named Bonneville Power Administration vice president of Generation and Asset Management in Power Services. Connolly’s appointment leaves only one executive position vacant among the five in BPA Power Services.

“Managing the federal system with our partners to meet the multiple purposes it serves is fundamental to the success of BPA and the region,” said BPA Administrator Elliot Mainzer. “Kieran’s knowledge, background and experience are ideally suited for this position as we continue to manage power system operations in a changing and challenging Northwest energy landscape.”

Since April 2007, Connolly has served as BPA manage r of Generation Scheduling, which includes hydroelectric duty scheduling of the 31 dams in the Federal Columbia River Power System, day-ahead system planning and policy issues that impact real-time power system operations. Before that, Connolly was manage r of Regional Coordination in Power Services Generation and Asset Management’s Power and Operations Planning group. That job required knowledge of long-term sys tem modeling, coordination with Canada and fish operations.

In informing BPA Power Services employees of the decision, Senior Vice President Mark Gendron wrote: “Kieran has great knowledge of the federal power system and very impressive and diverse experience over a 23-year tenure at BPA. Kieran’s analytical, leadership, collaborative, and problem solving skills will be invaluable for BPA in his new role. He is perfectly suited to lead the organization to pre serve and enhance the federal generation assets that provide tremendous economic, environmental and operational value to the region.”

“I am honored to be asked to fill this role at a time when the hydro system is being asked to do so much,” Connolly said. “I look forward to ensuring the system continues to provide incredible value to Northwest ratepayers.”


Connolly began his career at BPA in 1991 as a supply system analyst. He holds a B.S. degree in Business Economics from Willamette University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Portland. He lives in Beaverton, Ore., with his wife, Allison, and their three children.  

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Bonneville Regains Hiring Authorities; Managers Look to Bring “Very Difficult Chapter” to a Close (Oregonian, Portland)

Snohomish PUD Abandons Tidal Energy Project (Everett Herald, WA)

Officials Laud Record-Setting Columbia River Salmon Run (Oregonian Public Broadcasting)

Cascade Natural Gas Requests 5.6% Rate Hike to Cover Costs (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

There Are Now Three Million Data Centers in the U-S, & Climbing (Mashable)

Word Cloud - Energy News Digest for October 1, 2014