Friday, November 20, 2015

Gov. Inslee Declares State of Emergency Due to Windstorms & Extreme Rainfall (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

Snohomish PUD Still Working to Restore Power to 22,000 (Everett Herald, WA)

Washington State Plowing Ahead with Greenhouse Gas Limits (Northwest Public Radio)

Oregon: EWEB President Says Contract to Buy Power from Seneca Wood-Burning Plant Was “Mistake” (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Snake River Salmon Closing in on Record (Twin Falls Times News, ID)

Monday, November 16, 2015

Looming Storm Has Potential for 55-60 Mph Winds Tuesday (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Global Warming Could Be Melting Ancient Greenhouse Gases under Oregon Coast (Oregonian, Portland)

Nuclear Fuel Leak at Columbia Generating Station Poses “Zero Safety Risk,” Operators Say (Oregonian, Portland)

Oregon: Officials Say Apple Is Now Prineville’s Top Water User (Associated Press)

Report: Fish Also Fought Warm Water at Dams along Columbia This Summer (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Two-Day Storm to Pummel Region with Heavy Rains, Strong Winds (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Chinook Salmon Numbers Surge in U-S Columbia River System (Reuters)

First of Three Cowlitz PUD Community Solar Panel Projects Funded (Longview Daily News, WA)

This Tiny Town in Central Washington is Home to Some of the Biggest Tech Companies. Here’s Why (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

As American Homes Get Bigger, Energy Efficiency Gains Are Wiped Out (Pew Research)

Monday, November 9, 2015

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Bonneville Power Administration Energizes a New 500-Kilovolt Line in Southeastern Washington (Bonneville Power Administration)

Washington State Joins Legal Fight to Defend Obama Climate Plan (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Chinese Company May Get Behind Klickitat County PUD Reservoir System (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Shelton: New Marijuana Business Gets Majority Support from City Commissioners (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Arizona: Regulators Defend Calling Trash Burning 'Renewable Energy' (Arizona Daily Star, Tucson)

Bonneville Power Administration Energizes a New 500-Kilovolt Line in Southeastern Washington (Bonneville Power Administration)

(PORTLAND, OR) -- At 4:33 PM Tuesday, the Bonneville Power Administration energized and brought into service a new 500-kilovolt transmission line in southeastern Washington.

The 38-mile, single-circuit line connects BPA’s Central Ferry Substation near the Port of Central Ferry in Garfield County, Wash., to BPA’s Lower Monumental Substation in Walla Walla County. The line increases the electrical capacity of BPA’s transmission system in response to requests for transmission service in this area.

“Energizing a project of this size and magnitude requires substantial work across our transmission organization,” said Chad Hamel, the project manager for the new line. “Our talented people in Field Services, planning, engineering, contracting and construction management, environmental and cultural compliance, real estate and dozens of others behind the scenes made this project seamless.

“The final step of bringing the line into service went smoothly and as planned, which is a testament to the hard work and preparation by the entire project team.”

Construction on the Central Ferry-Lower Monumental line began in May 2014, following an extensive environmental review and public engagement process.

Later this month, BPA anticipates energizing another 500-kilovolt line in north-central Oregon and south-central Washington. The 28-mile Big Eddy-Knight line will connect the Big Eddy Substation in The Dalles, Ore., to Knight Substation near Goldendale, Wash.

The two projects – Central Ferry-Lower Monumental and Big Eddy-Knight – will bolster system reliability and enable BPA to carry a significant amount of new generating resources, including wind, to population centers in western Oregon and Washington.


BPA operates three-fourths of the high-voltage transmission lines in the Northwest with more than 15,000 circuit miles. Consistent with its Open Access Transmission Tariff, BPA has an obligation to ensure sufficient capability to serve its customers through a safe and reliable transmission system.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Alcoa Decision to Idle Plants Comes after Tax Breaks Renewed – Language that would have required Alcoa to pay back those tax savings if it laid off workers was not included in the final deal (Northwest Public Radio)

Power Shift: Data Centers to Replace Aluminum Industry as Largest Energy Consumers in Washington State (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Federal Plan for Snake River Fall Chinook Recovery Unveiled (Oregonian, Portland)

Silicon Supply Lawsuit Could Threaten SolarWorld’s Existence (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Mason County Unofficial Election Results (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Alcoa to Idle Smelters at Ferndale, Wenatchee Plants (Bellingham Herald, WA)

California Ballot Initiative Would Eliminate Investor Owned Utilities, Establish Statewide Public Utility (Utility Dive)

Electricity Restored after Head-On Collision with Utility Pole Leaves 10,377 in the Dark East of Port Angeles (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

These 13 U-S States Saw Carbon Pollution Go Up over a Decade (National Geographic)

Twitter Makes 'Heart' Icon the New 'Like' Button (USA Today)

A Rate Decrease for Puget Sound Energy Natural Gas Customers (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

(CENTRALIA, WA) -- Puget Sound Energy natural gas customers will be paying less starting this month. The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission approved a 15-percent decrease in natural gas rates for PSE customers in several Washington counties, including parts of Thurston and Lewis counties.  According to the UTC, the average PSE bill for someone using 68 therms per month will drop by $12.54 to an average of $68.61 a month.  The rate decrease, which went into effect on November 1, is due to a drop in the wholesale cost of natural gas.