Business Briefs: Nuclear-fuels plant clears a hurdle - Business - TheState.com

Business Briefs: Nuclear-fuels plant clears a hurdle - Business - TheState.com:

"Federal regulators have given the green light for licensing to proceed for a plant to make nuclear reactor fuel from plutonium waste at the old nuclear bomb plant near Aiken. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in a report that plans for the mixed oxide fuel facility at the Savannah River Site seem safe and would not pose undue risks to workers or the public. Construction on the facility to convert weapons-grade plutonium into nuclear reactor fuel called MOX began in 2007. Officials say the facility is on schedule and should be up and running in 2016."

Wind Turbine Projects Run Into Resistance - NYTimes.com

Wind Turbine Projects Run Into Resistance - NYTimes.com:

By LEORA BROYDO VESTEL

Published: August 26, 2010

"Moving turbine blades can be indistinguishable from airplanes on many radar systems, and they can even cause blackout zones in which planes disappear from radar entirely. Clusters of wind turbines, which can reach as high as 400 feet, look very similar to storm activity on weather radar, making it harder for air traffic controllers to give accurate weather information to pilots."

Gmail Offers Phone Service via Web - NYTimes.com

Gmail Offers Phone Service via Web - NYTimes.com:

By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

Published: August 25, 2010

"After Gmail users install a voice and video chat plug-in to their browsers, they can make a call using their computer’s microphone and speakers or a headset. Calls to numbers in the United States and Canada will be free at least through the end of the year. International calls range from 2 cents a minute to many countries to 98 cents a minute to call Cuba."

Ethics charges dropped against LA PSC chairman - WXVT-TV Delta News - More Local News and Weather WXVT.com |

Ethics charges dropped against PSC chairman - WXVT-TV Delta News - More Local News and Weather WXVT.com |: "Public Service Commissioner Lambert Boissiere III has since filed the document, so the Louisiana Board of Ethics agreed not to pursue the charges.

Boissiere still must pay late filing penalties. He can be penalized up to $2,500 for his tardiness in filing the report showing his 2008 personal finances."

COLUMBIA | New energy policies can create jobs, S.C. business leaders told | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC

COLUMBIA | New energy policies can create jobs, S.C. business leaders told | The Herald - Rock Hill, SC:

Yvonne Wenger

"Suzanne Watson, policy director for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, said the state needs to make energy efficiency a priority.
Doing so would lead to an economic boon, even greater than the impact of Boeing's new Dreamliner plant, she said.
Watson was one of three panelists at a breakfast roundtable sponsored by the S.C. Businesses for Clean Energy, the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina and others. The roundtable was intended to help promote the interests of South Carolina's businesses in the creation of new energy policies for the state."

Santee Cooper raising cost of living on Lake Moultrie - Local / Metro - TheState.com

Santee Cooper raising cost of living on Lake Moultrie - Local / Metro - TheState.com:

Warren Wise

"Santee Cooper officials outlined a plan Monday to charge residents in three subdivisions bordering the lake 3.5 percent of the appraised lot’s value.
For the Barneses, the proposed increase could mean about $4,000 a year to lease their Lakeside Drive lot in Thornley Forest subdivision that their two-story, four-bedroom brick house sits on."

Crist expected to get Fla. PSC nominees this week - Florida AP - MiamiHerald.com

Crist expected to get Fla. PSC nominees this week - Florida AP - MiamiHerald.com:

BY BILL KACZOR

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

"Two nominees have direct links to utility regulation: the commission's former executive director, Mary Bane, and former Missouri Public Service Commissioner Connie Murray, now living in Sun City, Fla.

The others are former Progress Energy Florida executive James Baumstark, also a retired Navy submarine captain from Crystal River; Tampa lawyer Julie Brown, who dealt with utility contracts when she worked as an assistant city attorney; Senate Communications, Energy and Public Utilities staffer Kevin Wiehle and West Palm Beach utilities director and assistant city administrator Eduardo E. Balbis."

Saving rare fish could cost utility $100 million - Local / Metro - TheState.com

Saving rare fish could cost utility $100 million - Local / Metro - TheState.com:

By Sammy Fretwell

"Fewer than 1,000 shortnose sturgeon are estimated to live in central South Carolina’s main river basins, primarily because dams have kept them from migrating from salty coastal estuaries to inland freshwater shoals, where they spawn."

FPL agrees to freeze base rate - Florida - MiamiHerald.com

FPL agrees to freeze base rate - Florida - MiamiHerald.com:

"BY MARY ELLEN KLAS
HERALD/TIMES TALLAHASSEE BUREAU
TALLAHASSEE --

Florida Power & Light announced Friday it has reached a settlement to freeze its electricity base rate through 2012, allowing only fuel prices and other parts of the bill to fluctuate.

The decision means that FPL will not only embrace the January rate decision it had blasted as politically motivated but will not challenge it or seek another rate increase through 2012."