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Carbon monoxide can come from inadequately burned fuel and improperly vented appliances, such as water heaters, furnaces, space heaters, boilers, ranges/stoves, clothes dryers, grills, fireplaces and portable generators.
If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, you should leave the premises immediately, get to a safe location and call 911 first, then the Peoples Gas emergency number at 1-866-556-6002. If your CO detector should sound an alert, and you are not experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning you should leave the premises immediately and contact your HVAC professional. For more information on CO safety, please visit the company's website: www.peoplesgasdelivery.com.
Home Energy Saving Rebates At G-20 Summit, Union Leaders to Demand ‘Robin Hood’ Tax on Speculators As world leaders head to France for the the G-20 economic summit in Cannes, labor leaders from around the globe will gather nearby to represent the needs of the world’s workers. Among their demands is a Robin Hood tax on banks and financial institutions that would exact a nano-percentage of each financial transaction to the tune of 0.5 percent. (See video.) That’s one half of 1 percent on every bond or derivative traded, stocks sold and a host of other “financial instruments” bought and sold by the very institutions bailed out by the world’s taxpayers. Also known as a financial speculations tax, or a financial transactions tax, the idea is catching on in the United States through the activism of unions, especially the National Nurses United (NNU), which has been joining with Occupy protesters to support the Robin Hood tax. The idea has already gained significant momentum across the pond, where British activists are using creative means, such as this video, to sell the public on the Robin Hood tax. Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), explains it this way: Banks don’t come with an internal switch that says “Enough! Let’s slow down a little.” Or “Let’s just share this wealth around for the benefit of the community now.”…We need a new political contract. The G-20 leaders’ meeting…is a chance for leaders to set a new direction for their governments and to re-establish a fractured trust with their citizens. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will join union leaders at the Labor Summit in Cannes to call for governments around the world to focus on creating jobs and to raise much-needed revenue from financial speculators via a Robin Hood tax. As the AFL-CIO has stated: In the U.S., a tiny tax on financial transactions could raise hundreds of billions in revenue that could fund education and create jobs rebuilding our country, while discouraging speculation and encouraging long-term investment. Both Warren Buffett and Pete Peterson have urged Congress to consider a financial speculation tax. Nurses in Cannes also will lead a press conference at the G-20 calling for governments worldwide to implement a Robin Hood tax. While the global labor leaders and heads of state convene in France, working people and Occupy activists will gather with the AFL-CIO and members of the NNU at a rally in Washington, D.C., Nov. 3 to demand a Robin Hood tax that will make financial institutions pay their fair share to help put Americans back to work. For more on the Robin Hood tax, click here.
Entergy to Buy NextEra Power Plant Southland Utility Workers May Strike Over Wage Cuts, Safety Concerns Thousands of Southland employees of Sempra Energy are so dissatisfied with management they're considering a strike, organized labor leaders say. Sempra's the parent company of Southern California Gas. During a news conference in downtown Los Angeles, activists said that Sempra is unfairly demanding wage and benefit givebacks from members of the utility workers union. Maria Elena Durazo heads the L.A. County Federation of Labor. She said safety is an issue for gas company workers and consumers. "The gas company continues to reject the utility workers' efforts to work cooperatively to ensure [the] safety of our communities," Durazao said. "Instead the gas company's response is to cut wages and cut benefits." Durazo and others said they've raised concerns about preventing an incident similar to one last year in San Bruno. A pipeline explosion there killed eight people and destroyed dozens of homes. Union organizers are awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown's signature on legislation they say would protect other utility customers from a similar catastrophe. In response to the news conference, Southern California Gas officials said they hope to reach a fair contract agreement with employees. The officials added that safety is Sempra's top priority. Read More: http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/09/30/29172/southland-utility-workers-may-strike-over-wage-cut/
SoCal Gas Highest In Customer Satisfaction, Study Finds By EGP News Report (EGPNews) – Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) was ranked first in customer service, according to the J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM, the company has announced. SoCalGas earned the highest customer satisfaction ranking among large natural gas utilities in the Western United States and have the highest score among the 75 utilities nationwide that were included in the survey, and had and the highest score among the nine large utilities ranked in the western region for the period starting Sept. 2010 and ending July 2011. Sixty-two thousand randomly selected natural gas customers were asked to rank their utility company on how well they did when it came to billing and payments; price; corporate citizenship; communications; customer service and field service. For more information, visit jdpower.com. San Jose, CA officials have again voted against selling or leasing the municipal water utility, an idea that has been pitched around for decades. SAN JOSE WON’T SELL: The municipal water utility serves approximately 10 percent of the city. San Jose Water Co. (SJWC) supplies the vast majority of San Jose and wanted to buy city system for $54 million plus an annual franchise fee, or lease it for $25 million to $50 million. The city is trying to plug a budget shortfall predicted at $70 million in the coming year. Read More: http://www.americanwaterintel.com/archive/1/12/brief/america-water-news-brief.html
Carbon Disclosure Project Lauds Con Edison 5th Year in a Row Consolidated Edison Inc. (Con Edison) has earned recognition from the international Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for five years running for the company’s carbon emission reduction and carbon disclosure efforts. In the newly released 2011 rankings, Con Edison placed first among utilities in the S&P 500 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index. And the company was the only utility listed in the S&P 500 Carbon Performance Leadership Index. The CDP, representing 551 institutional investors who manage $71 trillion in assets, has again commended the New York-based utility’s holding company for the way it discloses climate change information. Read More: http://www.coned.com/newsroom/news/pr20110920_2.asp
DTE Energy Monroe Plant Gets State Safety, Health Award DTE Energy’s Monroe Power Plant recently received the CET Bronze Award for an outstanding safety and health record from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training Division recognizes the safety and health achievements of Michigan employers and employees through CET Awards, which are based on excellent safety and health performance. The CET Bronze Award recognizes leadership and commitment to workplace safety and health resulting in significant improvement of their MIOSHA record. The Monroe Power Plant employs more than 400 full-time workers and has a well-developed safety and health system and an active safety committee. CET Division Supervisor Sherry Scott presented the award to Brian Rice, Plant Manager, and Todd Burger, Site Union Safety Representative. Rice and Burger are the Safety Committee Co-chairs and accepted the award on behalf of all employees. Most plant employees are represented by Local 223. The Monroe Power Plant is classified under NAICS code 221112 – Electric power generation, fossil fuel (e.g., coal, oil, gas). The Monroe Power Plant significantly reduced its incident rates over the last three years. Their total recordable case rate was 3.2 in 2008, 1.6 in 2009, and 1.2 in 2010, compared to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) industry average of 8.4 in 2008 and 15.0 in 2009. Their total day’s away/restricted cases rate was 2.5 in 2008 and 0.8 in 2009 and 2010, compared to the BLS industry average of 1.8 in 2008 and 1.7 in 2009. "We are honored to present this award to DTE's Monroe Power Plant for providing their workers with a safe and healthy work environment," said Steve Arwood, LARA Deputy Director. "This award recognizes their outstanding efforts to protect their workers, while providing the energy that is fueling our economic recovery." "This award means a lot to everyone who works at the Monroe Power Plant because it could not be achieved without a personal commitment by every individual," Rice said. "Everyone has to be aware of potential hazards that could jeopardize their own safety, but everyone also has to take a personal responsibility for the safety of their co-workers. Without a team effort where every worker is focused on the health and safety of their fellow employees, we could not achieve the safety levels that have earned us this recognition." The plant has completed the following criteria to receive the Bronze Award: · Reduced their injury/illness incident rate by more than 50 percent within the last three calendar years; · Developed and implemented a comprehensive safety and health management system; · Established a safety and health committee, with both employee and management participation; · Developed an employee training system, with an emphasis on how to do the work in a safe and healthful manner; and · Worked diligently to change their workplace culture to reflect the importance of worker safety. The award ceremony took place at a luncheon on the last day of the plant's annual Safety Week. During that week, most plant work is focused on safety, including a day or more dedicated to plant clean up and housekeeping. During the course of the week, plant employees have an opportunity to participate in group safety presentations, displays and demonstrations and other activities with a safety focus.
University of Michigan Discussing Possible North Campus Solar Energy Installation With DTE Energy - 8/24/2011 The University of Michigan is discussing a deal with DTE Energy to build a ground-level solar panel installation on its North Campus in Ann Arbor, a school official said. The project could materialize within the next six months, said Terry Alexander, director of U-M's office of campus sustainability. Read More: http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/solar-panels-could-be-on-the-way-to-north-campus-but-a-big-house-installation-is-not-likely/?cmpid=RSS_link_business_review ----------------------------------------------------------------------- United Solar Proud Sponsor of Consumers Energy's SmartStreet(TM) Solar Installation - 8/21/2011 AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug 18, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- United Solar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) and leading global manufacturer of UNI-SOLAR(R) light-weight, flexible thin-film solar modules, announced today that it was the primary equipment provider of the solar energy system installed at The Green Well Gastro Pub in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The solar energy system was installed as part of Consumers Energy's SmartStreet(TM) project, which focuses on emerging opportunities for saving energy, saving money and improving the environment. A year-long pilot project centered in the Grand Rapids community of East Hills, SmartStreet previews the ways Consumers Energy is using energy efficiency and renewable energy resources to help meet the growing customer demand for energy. SmartStreet has installed smart meters at approximately 60 homes and commercial properties in the East Hills neighborhood. These customers have received energy audits and energy efficient lighting. Using web portals and home energy display units, the participating customers can track and actively control their energy usage in near real time. "We are pleased SmartStreet has brought together two Michigan-based businesses, United Solar and The Green Well, to create this solar demonstration project," said Kristin van Reesema, SmartStreet project manager for Consumers Energy. "The Green Well's culture and commitment to sustainability, as well as its roof-access to the sun, made it an ideal site for the solar demonstration with UNI-SOLAR's made-in-Michigan product. It's a great location for sharing Consumers Energy's message about renewable energy." Van Reesema said the solar demonstration project was part of Consumers Energy's commitment to the Pure Michigan Business Connect initiative. The utility has committed to spending $250 million more with Michigan businesses over the next five years to boost the state's economy and create jobs. United Solar and Cascade Renewable Energy, which supplied the engineering and design services, are proud sponsors of the SmartStreet project. The Green Well project combines solar power with energy efficiency and smart meter technology, all working tandem. This project acts as a demonstration installation and consists of ten UNI-SOLAR brand PowerTilt(R) photovoltaic modules. At maximum output, the installed solar panels can generate 1.44 kilowatts of electricity. Green Well customers can view a video and watch a real-time display of the energy being produced by the rooftop UNI-SOLAR solar panels. "United Solar is proud to have worked with Consumers Energy and its SmartStreet project in its endeavor to utilize solar energy in our home state of Michigan," said Michael E. Schostak, Director of Business Development and Communications at United Solar's parent company, Energy Conversion Devices. "We believe that strong commercial and utility partnerships can drive the advancement of solar energy as together we work to make solar a convenient and cost-effective source of clean, renewable energy generation." United Solar has more than 25 years experience in the industry of solar power generation, and is the largest manufacturer of lightweight, flexible solar panels in the world. About Energy Conversion Devices / United Solar Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) is a global leader in building-integrated and rooftop photovoltaics. Through its United Solar Ovonic subsidiary, the company manufactures, sells and installs thin-film solar laminates that convert sunlight to clean, renewable energy using proprietary technology. ECD's UNI-SOLAR(R) brand products are unique because of their flexibility, light weight, ease of installation, durability, and real-world efficiency. The company also designs, manufactures and installs rooftop photovoltaic systems, which enable customers to transform unused rooftop space into a value-generating asset. ECD's Ovonic Materials Division includes the Ovonic Battery Company, the inventor and worldwide licensor of nickel-metal-hydride battery technology and the developer of proprietary advanced lithium-ion cathode materials, along with other emerging energy storage technologies. ECD's Ovonyx joint venture is the inventor and worldwide licensor of phase change memory (PCM) technology. For more information, please visit ECD on the web at energyconversiondevices.com, on Facebook, and follow ECD on Twitter @ECD_ENER. This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com SOURCE: Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. Read More: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/united-solar-proud-sponsor-of-consumers-energys-smartstreettm-solar-installation-2011-08-18?reflink=MW_news_stmp Win a Free Furnace Tune-Up Regular tune-ups keep your car running at peak efficiency – why not do the same for your furnace? We want to help you save energy and money by making sure you’re getting the best performance from your existing gas furnace. Test your furnace tune-up smarts and win a free tune-up! Ten lucky DTE energy customers will win! Read More DTE Energy Emissions Control Detroit Edison has consistently supported reasonable controls on power plant emissions and has been a leader in adopting new technologies and practices to reduce emissions. In the last 30 years – while increasing generation output by about 53 percent – Detroit Edison has reduced emissions of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide by about 60 percent across our electrical generating fleet. Monroe Power Plant Illustration(pdf) In 1999, Detroit Edison launched a $1.7 billion program to install state-of-the-art emission controls at the Monroe Power Plant, the largest generating plant in DTE Energy’s system and the fourth largest coal-fired plant in the country. The start-up of these emission controls marks a milestone in the history of the Monroe Power Plant and signals a new era of improved air quality in the region. Read More Minnesota Power to Provide Power to Innovative New Industrial Customer DULUTH, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Minnesota Power has completed an all-requirements electric service agreement to provide power to Magnetation, an innovative new company that produces iron concentrate from previously-mined ore. Magnetation has begun grading and road work for a facility near Taconite, Minn. that it expects to open in May of 2012. Minnesota Power, an ALLETE Company (NYSE:ALE - News), anticipates a peak electric demand from Magnetation of about 5 megawatts. The privately-held company, founded in 2006, expects to produce 500,000 metric tons of iron concentrate in 2012 at the new plant and 800,000 tons annually thereafter, according to Larry Lehtinen, President and CEO. The company has been producing iron concentrate from a facility in Keewatin, Minn. since February 2009. Using a relatively simple process based on its patent-pending Rev3™ Separator, Lehtinen said he expects production to ramp up quickly at the two plants, to a total of more than a million tons of iron concentrate as soon as 2013. “Magnetation under Larry Lehtinen’s skilled leadership is yet another example of new growth and development we are seeing in our region,” said ALLETE Chairman, President and CEO Al Hodnik. “We are pleased to serve this innovative new customer.” Magnetation’s development efforts began in 2008 at its first plant near Keewatin, and its first concentrate was shipped in February of 2009. Early in 2011, Magnetation reached an agreement with Cargill Inc. under which the companies will explore opportunities to develop and utilize Magnetation's proprietary mineral processing technology internationally. As part of the agreement, Cargill has the exclusive right to jointly develop and apply the technology with Magnetation on projects targeting the seaborne iron ore trade, and the right to market the recovered iron concentrate to its international iron ore customers. Minnesota Power provides retail electric service within a 26,000-square-mile area in northeastern Minnesota to 144,000 customers and wholesale electric service to 16 municipalities. More information can be found at: www.mnpower.com. The statements contained in this release and statements that ALLETE may make orally in connection with this release that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks discussed in documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact: Minnesota Power Amy Rutledge, 218-723-7400 Manager-Corporate Communications arutledge@mnpower.com Verizon's Wireline Unions Go On Strike After Deadline Passes - 8/7/2011 About 45,000 Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) workers walked off the job on Sunday after negotiators failed to reach an agreement on a new contract, marking the first strike at the telecommunications giant in 11 years. Most of the workers -- represented by the Communications Workers of America and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers -- are in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions and handle the wireline side of Verizon's business, which faces continuing revenue declines as cable companies poach landline customers and consumers switch to cellphones. Both sides plan to continue talking but also have prepared themselves for a stoppage. The CAW -- the larger of the two Verizon unions -- has set up a contingency fund of more than $400 million for the strike, according to union officials. Verizon, meanwhile, has been training nonunion managers to handle customer service calls and network repairs and maintenance. Verizon said its customers should expect no changes to network quality during the strike, though they may have to wait longer for service calls or installations. A spokesman declined to say how much a strike may cost Verizon. The strike does not affect Verizon's wireless business. Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/technology/2011/08/07/verizons-wireline-unions-go-on-strike-after-deadline-passes SoCal Gas Highest In Customer Satisfaction, Study Finds By EGP News Report (EGPNews) – Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) was ranked first in customer service, according to the J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM, the company has announced. SoCalGas earned the highest customer satisfaction ranking among large natural gas utilities in the Western United States and have the highest score among the 75 utilities nationwide that were included in the survey, and had and the highest score among the nine large utilities ranked in the western region for the period starting Sept. 2010 and ending July 2011. Sixty-two thousand randomly selected natural gas customers were asked to rank their utility company on how well they did when it came to billing and payments; price; corporate citizenship; communications; customer service and field service. For more information, visit jdpower.com. American Water You Can't Drink Money Pennsylvania American Water has proposed double-Digit hikes in water rates and customer charges, which would push customers' bills up 13 percent or more- a portion of which would be used to expand the Utility's profit margin. Read More PA American Water Seeks Higher Rates, Greater Profits From Customers Pennsylvania American Water has proposed double-digit hikes in water rates and customer charges, which would push customers' bills up 13 percent or more - a portion of which would be used to expand the utility's profit margin. The Hershey-based company petitioned the state Public Utility Commission for the hike, which would cost the average customer using 4,100 gallons per month $6.42 more. The request also includes a 10 percent increase in the utility's allowed profits, or rate of return, for its shareholders, from 8.11 to 8.88 percent. Last year, the utility's parent company, Voorhees, N.J.-based American Water Works Co. Inc. reported net profits of $268 million. The controversial part of the request is the increase in profits, said state Consumer Advocate Irwin "Sonny" Popowsky. "Sure, they have to spend money to maintain the system," he said. "But how much of a return is necessary? Consider that this is a monopoly and look around. Who is getting that sort of a return?" Pennsylvania American Water has a good track record in maintaining water systems, Mr. Popowsky said, particularly when acquiring other smaller systems that need investment. The Hershey-based Pennsylvania unit of the company says it needs the increase to help maintain and upgrade its aging infrastructure. The company maintains a 9,200-mile network of water lines and treatment plants and many are in need of ongoing repair and replacement, said utility Chief Executive Officer Kathy Pape in a statement. The rate Pennsylvania American customers pay for 100 gallons, now 78.9 cents, would go to 94.9 cents, a 20.2 percent increase. The monthly service charge, a flat rate that covers the utility's cost of customer service and billing, would go from $13 to $15.50 per month, a 19.2 percent hike. The company says the increased revenue would cover $533 million it invested in upgrades and repairs since its last rate case in 2009, which includes upgrades to water treatment facilities, storage tanks, wells and pumping stations. During that time, about $70 million was invested in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, said Pennsylvania American spokesman Terry Maenza, including new mains in the Bellview section of Scranton, and parts of Abington Twp. and Olyphant. The company will have replaced approximately 177 miles of aging water main statewide by the time the rate hikes would kick in. The company typically requests increases in the low- to mid-teens every three to four years, with regulators eventually approving less. In 2007, a rate hike drove the average bill up 9.4 percent. In 2009, the rate hike increased bills by 6.6 percent. The PUC typically puts a stay on proposed increases and schedules public hearings and an investigation into the need for the additional revenue and profit. Mr. Popowsky said his office would file a formal complaint. "It's a big increase and we need to take a good look at it," Mr. Popowsky said. Read More Carmanah Technologies Teams with Other North American Manufacturers to Form the Consortium for Solar Lighting Carmanah Technologies has announced its participation as a founding member to form the Consortium for Solar Lighting (CSL). The CSL’s other founding members are Sharp Electronics Corporation, Inovus Solar, Inc., and SolarOne Solutions, Inc. The mission of this group is to accelerate the adoption of reliable solar lighting technology through the development of universal specifications intended to support customers’ fair and comprehensive evaluation of commercial-scale lighting systems. In the process, the group expects that these specifications will foster awareness of solar powered lighting and the applications where it is a viable alternative to conventional grid-connected lighting technology. Read More N.J. taxpayers protest corporate 'dodgers' For millions of taxpayers Monday, the arrival of Tax Day meant last-minute number-crunching and rushed trips to the post office. In New Jersey and other states, protest groups organized rallies to target so-called "tax dodgers," a term to describe big corporations and wealthy individuals who use tax breaks and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share. In Elizabeth, about 35 protesters gathered Monday in front of a Bank of America branch in the late afternoon as part of a national campaign organized by nonprofit MoveOn.org. The event, which took place at dozens of sites across the country, was called "Make Them Pay" and targeted a dozen corporations including Bank of America, Google, BP, Amazon, Wells Fargo, FedEx and Chase. The protests underscore public criticism against big companies that take advantage of federal and state incentives and loopholes, even as the job market struggles to recover and states and municipalities continue to trim their budgets. Read More GE GOES SOLAR General Electric is particularly good at NOT paying corporate income taxes. They got considerable flak in the mainstream media for that. General Electric relies heavily on its financial dealings to make money. Yet it has been particularly good about financing renewable energy projects. Think what you want about the company, but they’ve been a star in green energy. They grabbed the wind turbine division of Enron Wind out of a bankruptcy courtroom and turned it into a global wind turbine powerhouse. They’ve supported the commercialization of electrically-driven cars by a commitment to purchase 25,000 of them for fleet use. Now they’ve positioned themselves to go big time with solar energy. The giant global conglomerate has announced it will build a 400 megawatt annual production capacity thin-film solar manufacturing plant in the U.S. This largest solar manufacturing plant in the U.S. will employ 400. GE will announce the plant site, or sites shortly. Multiple locations are possible, sharing the wealth among communities as it were. Victor Abate, vice president of GE’s renewable energy business said in a press release,” “Our plan to open a U.S. solar manufacturing facility further demonstrates our confidence in this technology and is just the first phase in a global, multi-gigawatt roadmap. We’re not only excited by the efficiency milestone, but also by the speed at which our team was able to achieve it and the innovation runway for future improvements in this technology.” The thin-film solar technology to be manufactured will be PrimeStar Solar’s cadmium-telluride (CdTe) non-silicon variety similar to that produced by First Solar. GE has held a major equity stake in PrimeStar since 2008. CdTe is considered one of the most affordable solar technologies on the market and is expect to get even more so with greater commercialization. GE also announced that it’s CdTe technology has also reached new heights for efficiency. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has certified a panel built at PrimeStar’s 30-megawatt manufacturing line in Arvada, Colorado as reaching 12.8 percent aperture efficiency. This panel surpasses all previously published records for CdTe thin film. GE says that a 1 percent increase in efficiency is equal to an approximate 10 percent decrease in system cost. Already the company has racked up more than 100 megawatts in thin film solar orders. Major purchasers are NextEra Energy that will buy 60 MW’s worth and Invenergy which will buy 20 MW’s worth for a project in the company’s home state of Illinois. Links: GE Energy PrimeStar Solar First Solar Utilities apt to shed 350 jobs in NStar and Northeast Utilities merger Merging NStar and Northeast Utilities would allow the new company to cut nearly 350 administrative jobs over five years, mostly through attrition, according to an analysis the utilities are expected file today with Massachusetts regulators. NStar and Northeast Utilities proposed a partnership in October, saying it would create a $17.5 billion company better able to bargain for cheaper energy supplies and pursue clean-energy projects. At the time, the utilities said they did not expect the merger to result in layoffs — a position that NStar spokeswoman Caroline Allen reiterated yesterday, when she said any lost jobs are expected to occur through attrition. Read Full Article MGE Energy to Present April 4 at Wellington Shields Midwest Utilities Seminar - 3/30/2011 MADISON, Wis. (BUSINESS WIRE) MGE Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq:MGEE - News) will make a presentation at the April 4, 2011, Wellington Shields Midwest Utilities Seminar. Who: Jeffrey C. Newman, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer What: Newman will present an overview of MGE Energy's 2010 results and business strategy. When: Monday, April 4, 2011, at 1:15 p.m. (CDT) Where: The Park Hyatt Chicago, 800 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. The presentation will be available on MGE Energy's Web site at http://www.mgeenergy.com. MGE Energy is an investor-owned public utility holding company headquartered in the state capital of Madison, Wis. It is the parent company of Madison Gas and Electric, which generates and distributes electricity in Dane County, Wis., and purchases and distributes natural gas in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties. MGE Energy's assets total over $1.3 billion. It has approximately 700 employees, more than 35,000 stockholders of record and its 2010 revenues were approximately $533 million. Council of State Governments (CSG): Green Jobs Increase as Recovery Act Funding Ends - 3/14/2011 According to a new CSG report, stimulus-funded green jobs topped 51,700 in the sixth and final quarter of the Recovery Act. The report updates past CSG green job reports, the first, released in December 2009, which found that roughly 13,000 green jobs were created or saved in the first quarter of the Recovery Act. Read More Local 537 Pickets American Water President's Neighborhood - 3/7/2011 On Sunday, March 6, 2011, approximately 80 UWUA, Local 537 members arrived at a housing development where the President of Pennsylvania American Water Company lives at approximately 11:00 AM. Local 537 members set out to leaflet and picket the neighborhood, protesting the huge rate increases for customers, huge bonuses for top bosses, and at the same time, cuts for the workers. Read More Northeast Utilities Shareholders Approve Merger with Power Company NSTAR - 3/7/2011 Northeast Utilities shareholders voted Friday to approve the merger between NU and NSTAR, a Boston-area power company. NU hopes to close the deal, which would create a $17.5 billion powerhouse and one of the nation's largest utilities, late this year. Read More PUC Approves Merger of Allegheny Power, TrAILCo and FirstEnergy - 2/28/2011 The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved the joint application filed by West Penn (Allegheny Power), Trans-Allegheny Interstate Line Company (TrAILCo) and FirstEnergy to obtain approval for a change of control of Allegheny and TrAILCo. Allegheny and TrAILCo will become a wholly owned subsidiary of FirstEnergy. Read More Southern California Edison Solar Stations - 2/16/2011 Southern California Edison (SCE) has switched on seven new neighborhood solar projects for SCE customers. The newest solar photovoltaic installations, located in Ontario and Redlands, California, have a combined peak generating capacity of 12.5-MW (AC). The new plants bring to 10 the number of SCE neighborhood solar stations. The Ontario installations involved four solar stations on 1.8 million square feet of leased warehouse roofs owned by ProLogis. The 32,950 solar photovoltaic panels SCE has installed in Ontario are capable of generating 5.5-MW (AC) of power. In Redlands SCE has built three installations, with 34,600 panels spread over 1.5 million square feet of ProLogis warehouse roofs. The panels can generate 7-MW (AC) of power. Southern California Edison http://www.sce.com DTE Energy asks gas customers to think about meter readers - 2/13/2011 Detroit, Feb. 8, 2011 – Winter in Michigan always makes for low temperatures, snow and ice – which pose a challenge for DTE Energy meter readers. Customers are asked to remove ice and snow from potentially hazardous areas, such as a roofline directly above a meter. “Falling ice can damage the meter and cause serious harm to the reader or others in the vicinity,” said John Boladian, DTE Energy director, Metering & Billing Support Services. “For safety’s sake, it’s a good idea to keep these areas as clear as possible.” Boladian added that heavy snow can make it difficult for DTE Energy employees to access customer meters, and slow them down and affect how many meters they can read in a day. “We want to provide regular, accurate meter readings so customers can track and manage their energy use and bills,” Boladian said. “They can help us do that by clearing a path to their meter and brushing off the snow.” In addition, DTE Energy customers who live in manufactured homes should keep their vent stacks clear of snow to prevent carbon monoxide problems. Read More at DTE Energy. State fire marshal finishes on-scene investigation into Fairport Harbor explosions, fires - 2/7/2011 FAIRPORT HARBOR --The state fire marshal's office is finished with the on-scene investigation into the Jan. 24 Fairport Harbor natural gas explosions and fires. Since no arson or foul play was involved, the on-scene investigation is closed and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio will work with the state fire marshal as the case goes forward. State fire marshal spokesman Shane Cartmill said the fires were the result of the delivery system and no foul play was involved. A total of 96 calls came in Jan. 24, Cartmill said. Twenty homes were investigated and eight suffered significant damage. PUCO's Matt Butler said the preliminary findings indicate ice caused the buildup in natural gas pressure that triggered the explosions and fires.The PUCO has 30 days to release their report, putting the release about Feb. 24. Butler says that at one of the three village pressure-regulator stations both the primary and secondary regulators failed after ice apparently formed in the sensor lines. It's something that rarely happens even when temperatures are well below freezing as they were at the time of the incident. He said he does not yet know whether the double failure was a mechanical, maintenance and/or manufacturing issue. Fairport Harbor Explosions Being Investigated - 1/31/2011 Ohio regulators say ice caused the buildup in natural gas pressure that triggered a house explosion, fires and an evacuation in one village. Spokesman Matt Butler with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio tells The News-Herald of Willoughby that ice formed in a sensor line, causing a gas pressure regulator to fail Jan. 24 in Fairport Harbor amid freezing temperatures. Dominion East Ohio tells The Associated Press the gas company found fluids and debris in a regulator and is investigating. Mayor Frank Sarosy tells the AP seven houses were destroyed and about 23 more were damaged. No injuries were reported in the community about 30 miles northeast of Cleveland. UWUA Local 537 American Water Workers Picket for Health Benefits - 1/25/11  After working until 3 a.m. Wednesday to repair a broken waterline along North Grant Avenue, the five Pennsylvania American Water employees based in Kittanning took to the streets after work on Wednesday to hand out fliers. "We want everyone to know that we are not on strike, but we want people to understand how unfair it is for the company executives to be raking in such huge salaries, while at the same time, increasing our health care rates by more than 50 percent," said Mike Fleming, union steward for the Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) Local 537. Read More and Discuss ThisA Steady Hand Takes Over at PGW - 1/3/2011 “We conducted a major business transformation,” White related. “We went into most departments and re-engineered them, putting in best practices. We’ve designed rates that meet our customers’ needs more specifically – whether they are small or large commercial, municipal or residential – so we can be most cost-effective.” To push this process along, Knudsen and White lobbied the Public Utility Commission to make changes in its Code. They developed a smooth working relationship with Utility Workers Union of America 686 and its leader Keith Holmes. ”Our labor-management agreements have been a keystone to our success,” stated White. Read More Apply Now for 2011 Union Plus Scholarships - 12/30/2010  Since 1991, Union Plus has awarded more than $3 million in college scholarships to 1,900 union members and their families. Applications are now available for the 2011 Union Plus Scholarship Program. They must be submitted by Jan. 31. Click here to download the application.All members of unions participating in the Union Plus programs (as well as their spouses and dependent children) are eligible to apply for scholarships. In addition to demonstrating academic ability, applicants submit essays describing their career goals, detailing their relationship with the union movement and making the case for why they deserve a union scholarship. Visit AFL-CIO Blog for more information. First Energy-Allegheny Energy Merger Approved by West Viginia Public Service Commission - 12/21/2010 AKRON, Ohio, and GREENSBURG, Pa., December 16, 2010 – FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) and Allegheny Energy, Inc. (NYSE: AYE) today announced that they received approval for their merger from the Public Service Commission of West Virginia (WVPSC). “We are pleased to have successfully completed this important step in our merger process,” said Anthony J. Alexander, President and Chief Executive Officer of FirstEnergy. “We believe the commitments we’ve made to customers in Allegheny Energy’s West Virginia service area will bring significant value in terms of reasonable rates, enhanced customer service and continued support for community initiatives. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with the West Virginia communities now served by Allegheny Energy.” “We appreciate the Commission’s approval of our proposed merger,” said Paul J. Evanson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Allegheny Energy. “We are confident this combination will result in a stronger company that will better serve our many stakeholders, including those in West Virginia.” Read More and Discuss This at the UWUA Forum. Obama Seeks to Make Amends with Union Over Tax Deal - 12/17/2010 Dec. 17 (Bloomberg) -- President Barack Obama met today with union leaders to try to heal a relationship strained by his agreement to extend Bush-era tax cuts. Behind the scenes, the White House is waging a broader campaign among Democratic Party loyalists to undo damage over the deal. The administration is making an "all hands on deck" effort to contact party activists angry over the accord, Jared Bernstein, Vice President Joe Biden's chief economic adviser, said last night before the U.S. House passed the $858 billion bill. Bernstein has made telephone calls and met with activists to defend a deal with Republicans that continues lower tax rates for all Americans, including top earners. Read More at San Francisco Chronicle. Spending Package Worked - 12/8/2010  The definitive answer is ‘Yes!’ The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is creating new jobs and stabilizing the economy.The source? No less than the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Congress’ own non-partisan economic and budget analysts. In a recent report, the CBO estimates that as of September up to 3.6 million people owe their jobs to the Recovery Act’s infusion of more than $230 billion in federal funds. Significantly, not one Republican voted for this successful measure, with its primary goal of protecting the economy during the worst of the recession and keeping state and local governments afloat. Read More at Greenline: AFSCME Blog Completed. - 12/6/2010 Detroit Edison has completed a second-generation solar energy facility in Scio Township in Washtenaw County. It is the first installation to produce power for the grid under the company's SolarCurrents program. The 60-kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic installation nearly doubled the size of the previous experimental solar energy facility at that site. The installation at 1901 South Wagner, which started producing electricity in 1997, was decommissioned last summer in favor of newer solar technology. The new installation has 270 solar panels, including 60 that track the movement of the sun. Detroit Edison's SolarCurrentsprogram calls for photovoltaic systems to be installed on utility- or customer-owned property or rooftops over the next five years. Those systems would generate 20 megawatts of electricity throughout Southeast Michigan. Detroit Edison http://www.dteenergy.com Under Construction - 11/30/2010 Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) has announced that the first phase of construction at its Yardville Solar Farm in Hamilton Township, New Jersey is now underway. The 4.4-MW facility is one of four ground-mounted solar farms that the utility is developing as part of its $515 million Solar 4 All (tm) program. Through the program, PSE&G expects to develop more than 20 solar projects, which represents an investment of more than $140 million that will create almost 300 jobs and provide New Jersey with 30 megawatts of solar-generated power. The Yardville Solar Farm will be comprised of 15,750 solar panels covering 15.75 acres of PSE&G property and will be connected directly to the electric grid for the benefit of all PSE&G electric customers. The solar farm will produce enough electricity to power about 720 average-size homes. Read More at Green Energy News Buy American Explained - 11/8/2010 Everyone’s heard the term Buy American in one context or another. However, what does that truly mean? It was once easily interpreted as simply going to your local store and purchasing something. Nowadays the term can be confusing to many patriotic Americans who want to do their part in retaining jobs and this nation’s hard fought for sovereignty. Click here to Read More at WFRNLive.com UWUA Urges State To Hold Water Company Rate Hearings In Chattanooga - 11/5/2010 The Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, and its Local 121 have voiced their support for the Tennessee Regulatory Authority to hold the hearings on Tennessee American Water’s request for a 28% rate increase in Chattanooga. The UWUA filed a pleading with the TRA supporting a request by the Chattanooga Manufacturers Association to conduct the rate increase hearings in Chattanooga. Read More at Chattanoogan.com Entergy, J. Wayne Leonard Named Finalists for Multiple Global Energy Awards - 10/6/10 Total of Six Entries Make Finals of Energy Industry’s Annual Contest New Orleans, La. – Six entries by Entergy Corporation are included among the finalists in the prestigious annual Platts Global Energy Awards, including Power Company of the Year and CEO of the Year. The six finalists bring to 53 the total Entergy submissions to earn that honor during the past 12 years of the competition, significantly more than any other energy corporation worldwide. Entergy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Wayne Leonard was named a finalist for CEO of the Year for a record 10th consecutive year on the strength of his leadership, his commitment to the principles of sustainable growth despite economic turmoil and his advocacy of a robust federal policy to combat climate change. He won the award in 2003. Read More at Entergy.com Alabama Northern Pipeline Construction Workers Join The UWUA - 9/28/2010 The Northern Pipeline Construction Company Employees in Alabama are the most recent group to become UWUA members in a southern state. Now a part of Local 609, the group was organized through what is called a "neutrality agreement" between the union and the employer. Under such agreements, employers agree to recognize a union as the bargaining agent of their employees when more than half have signed union cards. The UWUA also represents the Northern Pipeline employees in Connecticut. The workers construct natural gas pipelines. Local 609 is now in the process of electing officers. Allegheny Harrison Power Workers Vote "Yes," Become Newest UWUA Members - 9/28/2010 With the slogan of "Organize 2 Survive," workers at Allegheny Energy's Harrison Power Plant in West Virginia voted September 23 to join the UWUA. "Central to the victory was the internal organizing committee that remained committed and worked vigorously to get their co-workers to vote 'yes' to join the UWUA," says UWUA Organizing Director Bob Houser. Allegheny is in the process of merging with FirstEnergy, an employer the UWUA has a good working relationship with. "There was only one issue in this organizing campaign," explained one plant operator. "It was about keeping what we have." Turning Green to Gold, Safely Campaign - 9/25/2010 Over the next year, The U.S. Department of Labor will collect examples of actions that organizations and businesses have taken to support green job growth while at the same time adopt climate friendly actions. A sampling of best practices will be featured in a guide to be released on Earth Day 2011.  To be considered as a featured best practice. Please describe (in 150 words or less) how your company has changed or adopted a plan to create green jobs within your company/organization and helped spur economic growth. Submissions will be evaluated, among other things, to the extent they provide insights as to the following:
Submit your "Turning Green to Gold, Safely" best practice. Texas Clean Energy Hampered by Location - 9/13/2010 AUSTIN, TEXAS — As the United States contemplates a clean-energy future, leadership is coming from a surprising place — Texas. This state is well-known for producing oil and natural gas. But Texas also has erected far more turbines than any other state and now has nearly three times as much wind capacity as Iowa, which is ranked second. Forests of turbines have sprouted atop remote, scrubby mesas. If Texas were its own country, it would generate more wind power than all but five nations — the United States, China, Germany, Spain and India. “Texas still has a long way to go to meet its future energy demand with an increased amount of clean energy, but there’s a lot of success to build on,” said Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, a major environmental group based in San Francisco, who visited the state last week. Texas, he said, ranks second nationally in the creation of clean-energy jobs, after California. Read More at New York Times Lockout of USW-represented Uranium Processing Plant in US Continues - 09/09/2010  A lockout of 230 steelworkers by the American-based electronics firm Honeywell continues into month four at the company’s uranium hexaflouride (UF6) plant in the state of Illinois. Honeywell locked out members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 7-669 on 28 June over workers’ refusal to accept steep out-of-pocket increases to their health care plan, as well as complete elimination of retiree health care coverage.The company’s demands are a slap in the face to workers who must toil inside an industry rife with hazards and long-term health risks. The plant in Metropolis, Illinois, on the Ohio River, is America’s only facility that mills “yellow cake” uranium into frozen fluid UF6 for enrichment use in nuclear reactors. Read More at ICEM.org States Offer Rich Incentives for Going Green.Is Your Company Leaving Money on the Table with Unrealized Credits and Incentives? - 8/31/2010 State and local governments are offering generous “green” incentives to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, including solar power. Despite tight budgets, most state tax incentive programs have survived or increased, providing an exceptional opportunity for companies to improve the environment while enhancing their bottom line. Many states are looking to bolster their economies by attracting green jobs. In addition to the federal government’s $2.3 billion of new incentives for renewable energy, states are creating their own incentives to attract these new jobs. Legislatures in many states are requiring minimum investments, as well as looking at the quality and quantity of jobs that will be created. Many states are using federal stimulus money to fund their incentive programs. Green incentives present companies with both opportunities and challenges. The applicable regulations are often complex, and the programs themselves are in a constant state of flux. State and local governments are continuously revising and adding new rules to existing programs. Read More at Green Energy News Make An Impact: What's Your Carbon Footprint? - 8/12/2010  A Collective Solution to a ‘Personal Problem’—Unions Fight for Paid Sick Days (AFL-CIO Now Blog) - 8/1/2010 Jenya Cassidy, with the Labor Project for Working Families, sends us this cross-post from MomsRising. When my son was almost 10, I found out I was pregnant with twin girls. I was excited but a little intimidated. I remembered one newborn being a lot of work—what would two be like? I mentally prepared for double the amount of diaper changes, laundry, bottles and child care costs. But what didn’t occur to me until after my return to work was how going from one child to three more than tripled my chances of needing to call in sick. Read More
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