Washington Religious Groups Unite to Find Reduced-Rate Energy Deals - NYTimes.com

Mireya Navarro

"The windfall arose after 11 churches and a nonprofit youth group got together to solicit reduced-rate bids for electricity — most of it from renewable energy sources — from local suppliers. In the first year of its contract, which ends in May, the group expects combined savings of nearly $100,000."

Berkeley Electric plans big expansion | The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment

Warren Wise

"But by this time next year, the Moncks Corner-based utility will serve its 5,000 or so customers in the growing Awendaw and McClellanville markets from a 30,000-square-foot district office with an additional 50,000 square feet of warehouse space on U.S. Highway 17."

[FLA] PSC reverses electric conservation goals for FPL and Progress Energy | Naked Politics

"The Public Service Commission agreed with the utilities' projections that the cost of implementing the program for the state's two largest electric monopolies would raise bills for customers so they voted to ignore a 2008 law and not require utilities to expand their existing conservation programs."

SCE&G to go to dry storage | The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment

Sammy Fretwell

"Toxic radioactive waste now will be stored in steel and concrete containers at a Fairfield County nuclear plant that for nearly three decades has submerged the atomic refuse in a pool of water to keep the material from overheating."

Utility Shelves Ambitious Plan to Limit Carbon - NYTimes.com

Matthew L. Wald and John M. Broder

"American Electric Power has decided to table plans to build a full-scale carbon-capture plant at Mountaineer, a 31-year-old coal-fired plant in West Virginia, where the company has successfully captured and buried carbon dioxide in a small pilot program for two years."

Republicans fail to block new light bulb standards - Business - TheState.com

By JIM ABRAMS - The Associated Press

"Under existing rules, new bulbs will have to be 25 to 30 percent more efficient than traditional incandescent models. As of Jan. 1, 2012, inefficient 100-watt bulbs will no longer be available at most stores. Also on the way out are traditional 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and 40-watt and 60-watt versions in 2014.
The National Resources Defense Council said that when the law is fully implemented in 2020, energy costs will be reduced by 7 percent or about $85 a household every year. It said the more efficient bulbs will eliminate the need for 33 large power plants."

Water rate hike challenged - Local / Metro - TheState.com

By TIM FLACH - tflach@thestate.com

'Its requests would increase the typical monthly residential bill to $65 from $35 for water and to $44 from $39 for sewer, state officials estimate."