The Spokesman-Review Newspaper

The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review

Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883 Partly Cloudy Night 39° Partly Cloudy
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Tags let us describe our content with keywords, making it easier to find what you're most interested in. Use the search box to look for tags, or explore our coverage with the lists below.

Caldwell: Wright’s calming influence refreshing

Steve Wright was appointed interim administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration Nov. 15, 2000. You could forgive him for not saying thanks. The agency was on the threshold of its worst year ever.

Avista gears audits toward plugged-in college students

The dresser in Kelsie Marick’s dorm room is crowded with gadgets. It holds two electric hair straighteners, a blow dryer, a flat-screen TV and an iPod dock. Marick, a Gonzaga University freshman, and her roommate live in Madonna Hall. Built in the 1950s, when college students’ energy needs were relatively modest, the room has only three outlets.

Avista rates on the rise in Washington

Starting Monday, Avista’s Washington customers will pay about $4.50 extra on their monthly gas and electric bills. The price hike is a result of higher wholesale natural gas costs and a reduction in a federal credit for electricity rates.

Alcoa site could open for silicon plant

A potential restart of the shuttered Alcoa plant at Addy may founder because of high electricity costs, executives working on the project say. Northwest Silicon LLC President Dave Tuten said the company would produce metallurgical silicon using two furnaces consuming 55 megawatts of electricity, enough to supply more than 38,000 homes.

Family dog kept barking at basement where gas built up

Sean Morden wasn’t thinking much of it. The old tree behind his North Side house south of Corbin Park needed a good pruning, and he figured he’d be able to handle that just fine. When a tree limb came crashing down and hit a nearby power line, he knew he had to call Avista and he knew he’d be without power for a while – but he couldn’t imagine the chain of events set off by that downed power line, or that his new puppy Max would be the hero of the day.

Apartment dwellers can be eco-friendly too

So you’re a renter and you want to green your space, but your landlord won’t splurge on solar panels. Don’t fret. There are plenty of low-cost ways for apartment dwellers to be eco-friendly.

Here’s the Dirt: Safeway updating regional center

It’s costing Safeway Corp. $1.9 million at its Spokane regional distribution center to move the large building’s refrigeration system onto the roof. The work started in July and is expected to end in the fall. Center manager Mike Fuhrman said he hopes the center can switch over to the new roof lines at the end of October.

Dust on power line leaves 15,000 in dark

Dust collecting on a major transmission line combined with light rain Tuesday night to trigger a power outage affecting 15,000 Avista customers.

Avista seeks rate increase for Washington customers

Avista customers in Washington could see their electric rates go up 7.2 percent and their natural gas rates rise 3.2 percent starting Dec. 1, according to an agreement pending state approval. Under terms of a rate case settlement agreement announced Wednesday, the rate hikes would boost Avista’s annual electric revenues by $29.5 million and natural gas revenues by $4.6 million.

Hearing set for Avista hikes for Idaho customers

Avista’s Idaho customers can participate in a 7 p.m. hearing Thursday via telephone regarding the utility’s request for rate hikes. To listen or participate, customers should call (800) 920-7487. The pass code is 76373262.

Largest in U.S., Pacific Northwest smart grid gets funding

RICHLAND, Wash. – The check has arrived to pay for the main work phase on the largest and most comprehensive project in the nation to demonstrate how the electric grid can be used more efficiently and made more reliable.

Tests will temporarily dry up river channel

Beginning tonight at sunset, water flows in the north channel of the Spokane River downtown will be stopped as Avista tests an “aesthetic flows program” and works to remove rock and sediment from the riverbed.

Avista plans summer dam work

Avista Utilities will begin work today on several dam projects along the Spokane River in the downtown Spokane area. The highly visible work will involve a crane near the Monroe Street Dam, sandbags, water bladders and rock-moving equipment near Upper Falls Dam. It is expected to continue through September.

Border agents find pot, arrest driver

A Canadian truck driver was arrested at an Avista Utilities power plant in Ferry County with 300 pounds of marijuana on Friday.

Power restored in Deer Park area

Electricity has been restored to the 3,200 Avista customers in the Deer Park area who were without power for about two hours this afternoon.

Animal may have triggered outages

Nearly 6,000 Avista Utilities customers were without power Tuesday morning when fuses blew at a substation near Francis Avenue and Cedar Street on Spokane’s North Side.