Movers & Shakers Mar. 6, 2010
Olympian to speak at Upbeat Breakfast
Leadership Coeur d'Alene is hosting March's Upbeat Breakfast program and the speaker is three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Tom Jager.
He is head coach of the University of Idaho's swim team. Jager began to make his mark on the swimming world at UCLA. His Olympic and collegiate careers overlapped during his years with the Bruins.
By the time he graduated in 1987, Jager had seven NCAA championships and two Olympic gold medals. As team captain for the U.S. national team, he added 11 national titles and five more Olympic medals - three gold, one silver and one bronze. He is one of just two swimmers in history to compete in three Olympics (1984, 1988, 1992).
All past Leadership graduates are encouraged to attend.
For more information contact Toni Sayler, programs manager, at 415-0112 or e-mail her at Toni@cdachamber.com.
Avista submits long-range gas plan
Avista Utilities anticipates a 1.1 percent growth each year for the next 20 years in natural gas consumption in Idaho, but maintains it has sufficient gas supply to serve its 73,000 North Idaho customers at least through 2022.
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is taking comments on Avista's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) through March 23. The commission requires regulated gas and electric utilities to file an IRP every two years outlining a plan to meet the future needs of its customers.
Avista's portfolio of natural gas supply resources includes firm capacity rights on six pipelines and commodity purchase contracts from several supply basins. It also has storage capacity at basins owned by the company as well as contract storage. The plan includes price forecasts for natural gas, but notes that price forecasting is difficult given the current economic situation, the expectations for new shale gas production and the increased amount of natural gas used by electric companies for power generation.
Matching its resource supply with its expected demand, Avista does not anticipate shortages until at least 2023 and then only if the company did nothing in the meantime to meet expected future demand.
Avista's IRP establishes a near-term action plan to steer the company toward risk-adjusted, least-cost methods of providing service to customers.
Avista has identified three issues that could increase risk. They include 1) current economic conditions and financial markets, 2) the possibility of federal climate change legislation and 3) an increasing amount of supply coming from unconventional sources, especially shale gas and liquefied natural gas.
The IRP includes steps Avista will take to help customers reduce demand including incentives for the purchase of high-efficiency appliances (water heaters, clothes dryers, furnaces), insulation, weather-stripping, insulated windows and duct work and heat recovery systems.
A copy of the entire plan is available on the commission's Web site at www.puc.idaho.gov. Click on the gas icon, then on "Open Gas Cases," and scroll down to Case No. AVU-G-09-06. Comments are accepted via e-mail by accessing the commission's Web site and clicking on "Comments & Questions." Fill in the case number above and enter your comments. Comments can also be mailed to P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0074 or faxed to (208) 334-3762.
If you have a new, relocated or expanded business, or announcement of events, promotions or awards, The Press wants to let our readers know. The service is free and items run Tuesday through Saturday. To get the word on the street on your movers and shakers, call city editor Bill Buley at 664-8176 Ext. 2016 or e-mail bbuley@cdapress.com.