Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Microsoft, Amazon Propel Washington to Most Innovative State – “…Washington State arguably owns the cloud…” (Bloomberg News)

Study Looking for Gaps in Web Access on North Olympic Peninsula (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Home Electricity Use Plummets: Five Reasons Why (Associated Press)

Wind’s Tax Credit Winds Down, But Debate at Full Force (Christian Science Monitor)

When it Comes to Our Need for Electricity, Reliability is Essential (The Energy Collective)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 31, 2013


Monday, December 30, 2013

Washington’s Top Polluters Reduce Greenhouse Gases by 8 Percent (Associated Press)

Below Normal Snowpack Brings Concern about Washington State Water Supply (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

‘Military-Style’ Raid on California Power Station Spooks U-S (Foreign Policy)

Vermont Sees New Round of Power Outages - Driving Conditions to Worsen with Heavy, Wet Snow (Burlington Free Press, VT)

U-S Struggles to Keep Pace in Delivering Broadband Service (NY Times)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 30, 2013


Thursday, December 26, 2013

U-S Canadian Ice Storm Power Outages Leave Thousands in the Dark - Bad Weather May Hinder Efforts to Restore Electricity (Associated Press)

Ballot Fight over Oregon Renewable Energy Law Could Be Sparked by Small Rural Utility (Oregonian, Portland)

Washington State Regulators Approve Aggressive Energy Conservation Goals (Bonney Lake-Sumner Courier-Herald, WA)

Op/Ed: A Pacific Northwest Success Story for the Endangered Species Act (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Idaho Tops Nation in Portion of People Cutting Their Landline (Northwest Public Radio)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 26, 2013


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Editorial: Anti-Nuclear Group’s Case against Columbia Generating Station Unconvincing (Tri-City Herald, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Right-Size Reactors Breathing New Life into Nuclear Energy (Forbes Magazine)

Op/Ed: Oregon Renewable Standards Should Recognize Hydro (Oregonian, Portland)

Vision of Steelhead Dancing in Some Heads (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Climate Change: The Warmest November Worldwide Since 1880 (Christian Science Monitor)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 18, 2013


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

PUDs, Tribes Back Final Recommendation to Modernize Columbia River Treaty with Canada (Wenatchee World, WA)

Suspended Bonneville Power Administration Execs Refuse Reassignment, Report Says (Oregonian, Portland)

Salmon Outlook is a Christmas Present That Stocking Stuffers Can Match (Oregonian, Portland)

Dueling Reports Argue For, Against Richland Nuclear Plant (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

U-S Budget Deal Clears Crucial Vote in Senate (Reuters)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 17, 2013


Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Group: Shutting Down Richland Nuke Plant Would Save Money - Not So Fast Say Backers (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Murray, Ryan Negotiate Bipartisan Budget Deal (U-S News & World Report)

Eagle Deaths Split Wind-Farm Debate (SF Chronicle, CA)

All Power in Downtown Portland Back After Sunday Outage (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Boeing Plant Has Suitors in Several U-S States (Christian Science Monitor)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 11, 2013


Monday, November 25, 2013

Wind Energy Company Pleads Guilty to Wyoming Eagle Deaths (Associated Press)

Former Energy Secretary Calls for More Canada/U-S Co-Operation on Renewables - Like Hydroelectricity (Nanaimo Daily News, BC)

Idaho’s Governor Finds Major Ally on Grouse, Power Line (Idaho Statesman, Boise)

Orcas Power & Light Speeds Up Broadband Project (The Island Sounder, Eastsound, WA)

Franklin Pierce School District Gets Tacoma Power Rebate for $2 Million Power Project (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 25, 2013


Executive Director of Northwest Public Power Association to Retire in March (American Public Power Association)

Will Lutgen, executive director of the Northwest Public Power Association in Vancouver, Wash., will retire on March 31, 2014. "It has been the best job of my career and I’ve appreciated the opportunity to be of service to the consumer-owned electric utility industry," said Lutgen. He will pursue consulting or limited project work upon his retirement. He was hired as NWPPA’s executive director in March 2002. 

Friday, November 22, 2013

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Study: California Wind Power is the Worst for Wildlife (KCET TV, Huntington Beach, CA)

Updated: Worker Injured in Fire at Grand Coulee Dam Is in Serious Condition (Wenatchee World, WA)

Study Reports 1.6 Billion People on Social Networks (Yahoo! News)

North Fork of the Lewis River Gets Huge Fall Chinook Return (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Shelton Resident in the Spotlight - Ductless Heat Pumps a Super Saver for Pacific Northwest Homeowners (Bonneville Power Administration)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 21, 2013


Wednesday, November 20, 2013

U-S, Canada Clash over Columbia River Treaty Agendas (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Energy Department Is Told to Stop Collecting Fee for Nuclear Waste Disposal (NY Times)

Obama Budget Staff Studying Sale of Tennessee Valley Authority - Unions & U-S Senator Lamar Alexander Denounce Move (The Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN)

With Rogue River Dams Gone, Chinook Salmon Make a Splash (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Special Weather Statement for Cold and Clear Conditions into the Weekend (National Weather Service, Seattle, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 20, 2013


Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Worker Hurt in Grand Coulee Dam Fire (Associated Press)

Coal Export Terminal Proposed for Longview Draws Unprecedented 163,000-Plus Public Comments (Associated Press)

Fuel Removal Starts at Japan’s Crippled Nuclear Plant (NY Times)

Tidal Energy Sparks Concerns over Impact on Marine Life (KING-TV, Seattle, WA – Build a qualifying renewable energy project; we dare you…)

No Data Storage, No Spying in Port Angeles’ Wi-Fi System, City Police Say (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Flood Warning for Mason County’s Skokomish River (National Weather Service, Seattle, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 19, 2013


Monday, November 18, 2013

Editorial: DOE Does the Right Thing in Promising It Has No Plan to Run Bonneville Power Administration (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

PNNL Practices Defense Drill against Cyber Attack on Grid (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Cloud City: Amazon Web Services Is One of Many Reasons Seattle Is the Next Tech Mecca (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Dead Fish Wash Up On Richland's Waterfront after Record Salmon Run (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Op/Ed: Climate Change Forces Us to Rethink Glen Canyon Dam & Its Releases (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 18, 2013


Friday, November 15, 2013

Federal Bill Would Make It Easier to Kill Salmon-Munching Sea Lions (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

600,000 Bats Killed at Wind Farms in 2012 (Northwest Public Radio)



DOE Nominee Pledges to Study Whistleblowing Policies – Respect Regional Control of Bonneville Power Administration (Bellingham Herald, WA)

Appeals Court Overturns Shelton Area’s Johns Creek Ruling (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Winter Storm Warning Issued as Heavy Snow Aims for Cascade Passes (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 15, 2013


Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Washington State Supreme Court Will Hear Challenge to Okanogan PUD Powerline (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)

Congressman Hastings Joins Pacific Northwest Lawmakers in Calling for Bonneville Power Administration Independence (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Gigabit Internet in Portland: It’s Here, If You Pick Your Spots (Oregonian, Portland)

Federal Money to Boost Solar Installations (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Marbled Murrelets Discovered in Elliott State Forest, Put Land Sale in Doubt (Oregonian, Portland)



Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 12, 2013


Friday, November 8, 2013

Pacific Northwest Congressional Delegation to Feds: Fix Bonneville Power Administration's Hiring Problems, Then Hands Off (Oregonian, Portland)

U-S Columbia River Users Seek ‘Better Bargain’ with Canada (Northwest Public Radio)

Phone, Data Outage at San Juan Islands Causes Island Fever (Northwest Cable News Network)

Napa on the Sound: Climate Change Turning Puget Sound Area into Prime Terrain to Grow Valuable Vines (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Sake, Food, Speeches Celebrate Nippon Paper Mill’s New Biomass Cogeneration Plant (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 8, 2013


Thursday, November 7, 2013

Wet & Windy Day Ahead (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration: Feds Hire New HR Director for BPA, Appoint Acting Deputy Administrator (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

Turbine Topples at Stateline Wind Farm in Eastern Washington State (Oregonian, Portland)

REC Silicon to Reduce Employees (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Special Washington State Legislative Session Beginning for Boeing Incentives (Associated Press)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 7, 2013


Friday, November 1, 2013

Electric Jolt Causes Minor Damage at Grand Coulee Dam Powerhouse (Wenatchee World, WA)

Blustery Weekend in Store - Special Statement from National Weather Service in Seattle (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Wind Power Installations Down 96 Percent in the Third Quarter from 2012, But Orders Looking Up (Denver Business Journal, CO)

Puget Sound Still in “Critical Condition” (Northwest Public Radio)

Editorial: Keep Bonneville Power Administration Independent despite Hiring Problems (Tri-City Herald, WA)



Energy News Digest Word Cloud for November 1, 2013


Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Pacific States Push for Price on Carbon. Is it Effective? (Christian Science Monitor)

Bonneville Power Administration Grand Bargain on Residential Exchange is Legal, Court Says (Oregonian, Portland)

Go-Go NoaNet: Washington State Governor Hails Completion of $140 Million Broadband Network (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Scheduling Conflict: Washington State Governor Cancels Appearance at Port Angeles Biomass Ceremony (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Daylight Saving Time Ends Sunday; Change Clocks & Alarms (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 30, 2013


Monday, October 28, 2013

Bonneville Power Administration Allies Raise Shield against D-C Interference (Associated Press)

Op/Ed: Include Salmon, Climate Provisions in Columbia River Treaty (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

West Coast Leaders to Announce Regional Climate Pact (Northwest Public Radio)

Ninth Circuit Rejects Petition Seeking Regulation of Greenhouse Gases in Washington (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

Small Hydroelectric Dams Bring Clean Power to Utilities (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Union Workers Ratify CenturyLink Contract (Denver Business Journal, CO)

Copper Wire Thieves Targeting Vacant Rental Homes (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

Benton City Chosen for LED Street Light Pilot Study (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Colorado Governor Signs Controversial Renewable Energy Bill into Law (Burlington Record, CO)

DOE’s Poneman Says Regions Will Be Consulted on Bonneville Power Administration, Western Area Power Administration Joining an Energy Imbalance Market (American Public Power Association)

Stoel Rives Snags Top U-S Energy Regulator to Join Law Practice (Oregonian, Portland)

U-S Carbon Dioxide Pollution Down 3.8 Percent (Associated Press)

Some Retailers Rejecting Modified Salmon (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 22, 2013


Monday, October 21, 2013

U-S Senator Ron Wyden Warns Against Interference in Pacific Northwest Energy (Associated Press)

Ruling on Snohomish County PUD Tidal Turbines Delayed; Sparring Continues (Everett Herald, WA)

Thousands of Fish Die as Water Drops in Oregon’s Deschutes River (Associated Press)

Washington State Governor to Attend Private Nippon Paper Biomass Plant Ribbon-Cutting (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Slow Wi-Fi Connections Trip Up University of Oregon Students (Associated Press)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 21, 2013


Friday, October 18, 2013

Bonneville Power Administration Hiring Issues and the Road Ahead (Public Power Council, Portland, OR)

Today, Scott Corwin, Public Power Council Executive Director, made the following comments at a news conference held by U-S Senator Ron Wyden, OR:

(PORTLAND, OR) -- We share Chairman Wyden’s resolve that the BPA hiring practices issues be addressed quickly for the sake of job applicants including veterans, for the sake of current employees at BPA who desire certainty about their future, and for the sake of consumers who are concerned about how this could impact agency operations and the cost of electricity.

We appreciate the focus of Chairman Wyden and other members of the Northwest Congressional delegation upon this key issue.  Electricity ratepayers have a strong interest in the effective operation of this regional wholesale utility.  They trust in BPA’s reliable management of the grid and in the stable supply of clean hydropower.

These hiring issues are serious and must be corrected.  But, they should not be seen as an open door for assertions of Department of Energy control over BPA policies that are governed by the laws passed by Congress.   BPA’s critical missions for the region are being achieved every day by thousands of hard-working BPA employees in Portland, Vancouver and around the region.

Electricity ratepayers pay all of the costs of BPA through rates.  This is unlike other federal agencies.  Its proud history, mission, and funding are regional by design.  It is a key part of the fabric of our daily lives in the Northwest.  The system investments have been made by the millions of Northwest citizens so that they can see the benefits in the region.

PPC is looking for clarification of the leadership status, and for a transparent approach to correct the hiring issues, including identifying the scope of needed actions, the specific steps needed, and the legal basis for those steps.  This will help instill confidence in the system, and will aid employees and consumers in better understanding the potential costs and operational impacts.

During this time of challenges to our industry, our region needs certainty and a clear path forward for BPA. We will work with the agency, with Congress, and with DOE toward that goal.


PPC represents Pacific Northwest consumer-owned utilities on issues related to the Federal Columbia River Power System.

Bonneville Power Administration Execs Offered New Jobs by U-S Energy Department (Oregonian, Portland)

Electrical Grid Is Called Vulnerable to Power Shutdown (NY Times)

Facebook Puts Seldom-Used Data in ‘Cold Storage’ - Housing It at Oregon Location Helps Cut Energy Costs (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

With Shutdown Over, Pacific Northwest Fisherman Hope to Get Back to Work in Alaska (Northwest Public Radio)

Supreme Court May Fidget with Carbon Formula But Not EPA’s Authority (Forbes Magazine)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 18, 2013


Thursday, October 17, 2013

U-S Congress Ends Default Threat, Obama Signs Debt Bill (Reuters)

Report: 'The Big One' Could Kill 10,000 in Western Washington State (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)



Cable Theft: Phone Service Down in Gleed Area; 911 Also Affected (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)



British Columbia, U-S Grapple over Columbia River Pact (The Canadian Press)

Oregon: Seneca Biomass Power Plant’s Air Proposal Criticized - The company’s effort to raise pollution limits at its wood-fired electric plant draws opponents to a hearing (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 17, 2013


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Bonneville Power Administration: Feds Release Damning Investigation of BPA’s Hiring Practices & Management Culture (Oregonian, Portland)

Revised Draft I-937 Rules Suggest Significant Changes in Energy Conservation Compliance (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

Governor Inslee Proclaims Public Power Week October 6-12 - Mason PUD 3 Celebration Continues (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

San Juan Islands Clash over Broadband; Another Board Member Steps Down (Journal of the San Juan Islands, Friday Harbor, WA)

Snohomish PUD Makes Case for Dam, Residents Push Back (Monroe Monitor, WA)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 9, 2013


BPA Acting Administrator Statement on U-S Department of Energy’s DOE Inspector General Report (Bonneville Power Administration)

“The findings in the Department of Energy Inspector General’s report are deeply troubling to all of us at the Bonneville Power Administration.  The Department and BPA are fully committed to addressing the problems with our human capital management program and providing recourse to the many individuals, including veterans, who were impacted by our flawed hiring practices.  I also want to reiterate my commitment to a workplace free of retaliation, particularly against those who raise concerns. As we move forward to rebuild our human resource capabilities, all of us at BPA will continue to serve our core mission by bringing reliable, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable power and transmission service to the people of the Pacific Northwest."

Elliot Mainzer, Acting Administrator

Bonneville Power Administration 

Friday, October 4, 2013

How the Federal Shutdown Affects Federal Energy Agencies (GTH Energy & Natural Resources Law Blog)

Northwest Hydropower Output Falls Four Percent in September below Same Month in 2012 (Platts)

Washington Court Ruling Means More Water for Fish, Less For Landowners (Northwest Public Radio)

Group Files Suit to Stop Barred Owl Shooting (KGW TV, Portland, OR)

Wal-Mart Turns Up the Heat in $10 LED Bulb Pricing War (Midwest Energy News)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 4, 2013


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Fed Shut-Down – Normal Operations at Bonneville Power Administration: Self-Funding Agency! (U-S Department of Energy)

The Shutdown, Day Two: Olympic National Park Curtails Operations; School Kids’ Visits among Foiled Plans (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

FERC: Nominee for Energy Regulatory Post Withdraws (USA Today)

Reopening Columbia River to Salmon Could Come at High Cost to British Columbia Taxpayers - Bonneville Power reports already spending $750 million a year alleviating effects on wildlife (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Analysis Shows Extending Wind Tax Credit Would Cost Billions (The Hill)

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for October 2, 2013


Lewis County PUD Looks Into Possible Rate Increase (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

(CHEHALIS, WA) -- Will the Lewis County PUD be forced into raising rates next year?  That’s not known at this time.  But, the BPA is raising wholesale rates by 9-percent.  The federal power broker also raised its transmission rates by 11-percent.  Those increases took place at the first of the month.  The Lewis County PUD gets nearly all of its power from the BPA.  PUD leaders are now looking into whether a rate hike will be necessary.  A final decision is expected by the end of the year. 

Fed Shut-Down – Normal Operations at Bonneville Power Administration: Self-Funding Agency! (U-S Department of Energy)



Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) will continue to operate normally (3,103 employees financed by other than annual appropriations). BPA is self-funding under the permanent, indefinite appropriation known as the Bonneville Fund, established in the Federal Columbia River Transmission System Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. § 838i(b)). It markets wholesale electrical power from 31 federal hydro projects in the Columbia River Basin, one nonfederal nuclear plant, and several other small nonfederal power plants. BPA also operates and maintains about three-fourths of the high-voltage transmission in its service territory, which includes Idaho, Oregon, Washington, western Montana and small parts of eastern Montana, California, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Weather Forecast and Special Weather Statement from National Weather Service

Weather forecast and summary for the weekend:



Today
Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 61.
South southwest wind 13 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Tonight
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 52. Breezy, with a southwest wind 14 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday
Rain. High near 59. South wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Sunday Night
Showers. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 49. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 22 to 25 mph becoming southwest in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Now to the special weather statement as of late yesterday:

Synopsis:

Saturday will see increasing rainfall, heavy at times, ahead of a strong Pacific cold front that will reach the Washington coast Saturday afternoon, and then move inland through Puget Sound and the Cascades Saturday night.  Winds will pick up as the day wears on, with the strongest winds occurring just ahead of, and with the front. Rain rates will ease behind the front, however, moist westerly flow aloft will maintain precipitation through the day Sunday. A second, strong front will reach western Washington Sunday night. This front has the potential to produce the strongest winds of the two weekend storm systems. In addition to the stronger winds, it will bring another round of enhanced rainfall to the area, especially over the mountains. Snow levels behind the front on Monday could drop as low as 5000 feet, which would impact the highest mountain passes in the Cascades.