soapbox

DAILY MONITORING OF ONTARIO ELECTRICITY USE FOLLOWS:undefined Electricity Demand 20,668 MW Projected Peak 25,114 MW Today's Projected Peak at undefined Summer Record Peak (Aug 1, 2006): 27,005 MW Summer Record Peak (Aug 1, 2006): 25,114 MW Average Daily Peak (June to Aug. 2006): 21,434 MW Generator Availability at Peak 24,960 MW Hourly Exports 442 MW Hourly Imports 1,079 MW Market Price 7.12¢/kWh More Pricing Info Generator Availability By Fuel Type Nuclear: 88% Hydro: 85% Coal: 77% Other (i.e. natural gas, oil): 96% AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO READERS OF THIS BLOG ANOTHER READING OF ONTARIO ENERGY SUPPLY AND USE IS PROVIDED,COURTESY OF THIS BLOG AND ...

. . . . . . . . . . AND THE ENEMY IS US . . . .SO SAID THE COMIC BOOK CHARACTER "POGO" . . . . . . . . . . .Nuclear power technology has advanced since the Atucha II plants were drawn up in the late 1970s. Indeed, in their plans for another one, maybe two, additional 740-megawatt nuclear plants, Argentine government officials are discussing more up-to-date designs with state-owned Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, or AECL. . . . . . . . . . . . . THE ABOVE NEWS ITEM REFERS TO PLANS THE ARGENTINE GOV'T HAS OF COMPLETING CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR DELAYED NUCLEAR POWER STATION with the help (?) of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd . . . . . . . .Also it seems that "our"AECL has been pretty busy lately .They are also partners of a just announced deal where Alberta will build a nuclear power plant to supply electricity for the gigantic mega projects in the Alberta Oil Sands. . . . .Go figure.whatever happened to clean green energy everyone was talking about?? . . . .ARE WE O...

Data as of August 28, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. EDT Electricity Demand 21,550 MW Projected Peak 22,572 MW Today's Projected Peak at 6:00 p.m. EDT Summer Record Peak (Aug 1, 2006): 27,005 MW Today's Projected Peak (at 6:00 p.m. EDT): 22,572 MW Average Daily Peak (June to Aug. 2006): 21,434 MW Current Generator Availability 24,000 MW Generator Availability at Peak 24,799 MW Hourly Exports 1,206 MW Hourly Imports 762 MW Market Price 7.75¢/kWh More Pricing Info Generator Availability By Fuel Type Nuclear:6.6 TWh--> 88% Hydro:3.3 TWh--> 89% Coal:1.7 TWh--> 79% Other (i.e. natural gas, oil):0.9 TWh--> 96% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NOTE:THE ABOVE INFO IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT THEWEATHERNETWORK.via google.

. . . . . . . . . . .Conservation may not create jobs..but it certainly saves money for governments ( that is taxpayers) business, schools, hospitals, individuals and reduces the huge environmental costs of large energy projects. . .. .. . . . .. . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . There is a myth or misconception even by knowledgable people that energy conservation and efficiency will cost jobs.This is not true.Many new workers are needed throughout ontario to install service and finetune all the new equipment such as wind turbines,solar panels,etc.New construction methods to incorporate energy efficiency will have to be designed and installed in new and existing homes.Many of these jobs are skilled hi-tech .If people are motivated enough ,get in on the ground floor of a new era in ecology oriented trades by creating new business,or self employment.Just do it.

. . . . . . . . . . if an election were held in ontario today,liberals would get 42% . . . . . pc . . 35% . . . ..ndp . . .16% . . . . . . .green party . . . 6%. . . .In my opinion there seems very little change in the voting patterns so far in ontario compared to previous years. . . . . . . .also it means a minority gov't in queens park.

. . . . . . . . . . . ."Apply this recipe to the countries of the third world and you will see how many people among the hungry masses of our planet will no longer consume corn. "Or even worse: by offering financing to poor countries to produce ethanol from corn or any other kind of food no tree will be left to defend humanity from climate change." The octogenarian leader wrote that during a meeting earlier this week between the US president and American car manufacturers, "the sinister idea of converting food into combustibles was definitively established as the economic line of the foreign policy of the United States". . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .THE ABOVE QUOTE'S ARE FROM FIDEL CASTRO . . . . . . . . . . . COMMENTING ON USA PLAN TO CONVERT CORN INTO ETHANOL.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IS THAT THE OIL COMPANIES AND AUTO MAKERS ,THE TWO INDUSTRY GROUPS RESPONSIBLE FOR MOST OF THE DESTRUCTION TO THE ENVIRONMENT ARE BEING REWARDED BY AN ESTABLISHMENT SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GO ANYWHERE ON PLANET EARTH WITH IMPUNITY AND DO THEIR DIRTY DEEDS.THEY CAN DO THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE INSULATED BY BAGS OF MONEY FROM THE EVER INCREASING PRICE OF OIL . . . . . . . .AND STILL NO ONE CAN DARE CHALLENGE THEM EVEN KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR EFFORTS IS DISASTROUS TO OUR PLANET. .. . . . . . . FOR EXAMPLE :EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON GASOLINE, SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT GOES TO THE OIL COMPANY.THIS IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT AND GIVES THEM THE INCENTIVE TO CONTINUE REGARDLESS OF THE GAS GUZZLING HABITS OF THE AUTOMOBILE OWNERS. . . . . .

Data as of August 24, 2007 at 8:00 a.m. EDT Electricity Demand 18,118 MW Projected Peak 23,563 MW Today's Projected Peak at 3:00 p.m. EDT Summer Record Peak (Aug 1, 2006): 27,005 MW Today's Projected Peak (at 3:00 p.m. EDT): 23,563 MW Average Daily Peak (June to Aug. 2006): 21,434 MW Current Generator Availability 24,000 MW Today Generator Availability at Peak 23,852 MW Hourly Exports 948 MW Hourly Imports 1,255 MW Market Price 6.92¢/kWh More Pricing Info Generator Availability By Fuel Type Nuclear:6.6 TWh--> 82% Hydro:3.3 TWh--> 91% Coal:1.7 TWh--> 76% Other (i.e. natural gas, oil):0.9 TWh--> 94% . . . . . . . .. . . . .. .. . . .. .. . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . NOTE:AS ANYONE WHO HAS TO PAY THEIR OWN ELECTRICITY KNOWS IT IS VITAL TO KNOW AND CONTROL IF NECESSARY ELECTRICITY USEAGE . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . .THE ABOVE INFO IS A DAILY READING OF THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF ELECTRICITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO,AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET VIA "THEWEATHERNETWORK...

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dean's path takes it directly through the Cantarell oil field, Mexico's most productive, with dozens of oil rigs and three major ports. All were shut down just ahead of the storm, resulting in a production loss of 2.7 million barrels of oil and 2.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day. The path also veers toward Mexico's only nuclear plant, where a state official said 2,000 buses were brought in to evacuate personnel if necessary.The Laguna Verde nuclear plant, which is more than 20 years old and has endured other severe weather with no problems, implemented emergency procedures and remains online, said Estefano Conde, spokesman for Mexico's Federal Electricity Commission. I can assure you that everything is well taken care of, he said.Dean was to expected slam into the central Mexican coast as a major hurricane Wednesday afternoon about 400 miles south of the Texas border. . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . DON'T WORRY PEOPLE ,NUCLE...

. . . . AS PART OF A TEST TO CLEAR THE SMOG FILLED AIR OVER BEIJING,CHINA,CARS WERE BANNED FROM DOWNTOWN STREETS STARTING AUGUST 16-2007 . . . . . .NOTICABLE IMPROVEMENT WAS EVIDENT IN PRELIMINARY RESULTS IN AIR QUALITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .HMMMMMMM. . . .I WONDER IF MAYOR DAVID MILLER,MAYOR OF TORONTO WOULD DO THE SAME . . . . .JUST ASKING.

Data as of August 21, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. EDT(NOTE:THIS DATA AVAILABLE DAILY ONLINE@THEWEATHERNETWORK(SIDEBAR-HOME AND GARDEN)CLICK POWER CONSUMPTION. Electricity Demand 17,133 MW Projected Peak 18,939 MW Today's Projected Peak at 2:00 p.m. EDT Summer Record Peak (Aug 1, 2006): 27,005 MW Today's Projected Peak (at 2:00 p.m. EDT): 18,939 MW Average Daily Peak (June to Aug. 2006): 21,434 MW Generator Availability at Peak 22,478 MW Hourly Exports 1,175 MW Hourly Imports 1,080 MW Market Price 3.89¢/kWh More Pricing Info Generator Availability By Fuel Type Nuclear: 78% Hydro: 84% Coal: 75% Other (i.e. natural gas, oil): 82% Energy Sup...

In all, 37 deaths in the South and Midwest have been confirmed as heat-related, and heat is suspected in 10 more, authorities said. The Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation's largest public utility, shut down one of three units at the Browns Ferry nuclear plant in Athens, Ala., on Thursday because water drawn from the Tennessee River was exceeding a 90-degree average over 24 hours. "We don't believe we've ever shut down a nuclear unit because of river temperature," said John Moulton, spokesman for the Knoxville, Tenn.-based utility. The shutdown posed no safety threat, but it came as TVA hit records for power consumption in the last two weeks in its service area covering most of Tennessee and parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. The utility will compensate for the loss of power by buying it elsewhere. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..Note: . .Some important points about this news item . . . .. . .. . . .. . ....

. . . . . . . . . . . .After doing some grocery shopping a few days ago,I notice that there is a wonderful fruit and vegetable display,and to my pleasant surprise most if not all the colorful and nutritious products were grown,packed,marketed and transported right here in ontar-i-ar-i-o. . . . . . . . . .the whole effort I believe is supported by foodland ontario,and they should be rightly commended.And lest we forget, the hard working farmers . . . .well done.Local produce in season is healthy,fresher and good for the environment and economy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NOTE:There is a technical glitch in todays posts. . .It will be corrected in due course.

. . . .While I try to figure out the tech problems,there should be a video display on this post . . . . . . .the video is an example of the waste encountered by people in everyday life with an over abundance of junk mail,flyers,bills,etc. . . . .the You-Tube video shows a girl in the USA getting a 300 page bill in a cardboard box delivered by mail.I think that one page should have been sufficient,but thats just me.(ATT sent the bill and I believe I-Phone was the product).What a waste of trees ,time and money.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Australian government has reportedly agreed to sell uranium to India on condition that inspectors are permitted to ensure it is used only for peaceful nuclear power generation. The government has not commented on the report, which appeared in The Australian newspaper on Wednesday. According to the paper, cabinet ministers agreed on Tuesday to allow uranium sales, even though India has not signed the international non-proliferation treaty (NPT). The report said any trade in the nuclear fuel would be subject to stringent conditions, although those have yet to be negotiated. Last month the Australian government said it was considering selling uranium to New Delhi after India finalised a landmark civilian nuclear deal with the United States, allowing it to buy US civilian nuclear technology while possessing nuclear weapons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .This news update is from al j...

. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . Data as of August 14, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. EDT Electricity Demand 19,529 MW Projected Peak 20,352 MW Today's Projected Peak at 6:00 p.m. EDT Summer Record Peak (Aug 1, 2006): 27,005 MW Today's Projected Peak (at 6:00 p.m. EDT): 20,352 MW Average Daily Peak (June to Aug. 2006): 21,434 MW Current Generator Availability 24,000 MW Generator Availability at Peak 25,044 MW Hourly Exports 1,305 MW Hourly Imports 222 MW Market Price 3.71¢/kWh More Pricing Info Generator Availability By Fuel Type Nuclear:6.6 TWh 87% Hydro:3.3 TWh 82% Coal:1.7 TWh--> 88% Other (i.e. natural gas, oil):0.9 TWh--> 94% Imports: 0.5 TWh 4% Energy Supply by Fuel Type for Last Month Ontario Electricity Demand Yesterday Today Tomorrow Note: Projected Ontario Demand uses a step graph to show the highest expected demand within the hour. Actual Demand uses a line graph to show average demand for that hour. Ontario Demand Last Month Power Outlook How Weather Affects Electricity Con...

. . . . . . . . . . The announcement yesterday by Dalton of plans to plant 50 million trees in Ontario is the right thing to do. . . . . . . . . . . .He deserves credit for this idea if it is implemented. . . . . . . .that may be a big IF since he may not get re-elected this October 10 election. . . . . . . . . . . .. . ..Lets assume the trees are planted . . . . . . . .OK . .Where do we plant them ? . . . . . . .The big picture has to be examined a litle more closely . . . . . . If the province is going to build two high-voltage transmission lines (1.2 Billion dollars) as in the present planning,how many trees will be destroyed while these lines are built.One line will come from the Nanticoke area to Toronto,while the other line will cut a swath through the eastern side of the city from the nuclear power stations . . . . . . . . . . .Also to be considered are the many highways and shopping centers being built.(how many trees destroyed ?) . . . . . . . . . . .Also one must decide...

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), without giving a firm date, said on Friday the task of certifying the power plant safe could take months or longer. The six-member IAEA team reached the conclusion after a four-day assessment of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant damaged by a magnitude-6.8 earthquake in mid-July. The quake, which killed 11 people and injured more than 1,000, caused malfunctions and leaks at the plant which operates seven nuclear reactors, making it the world's biggest power generator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the above news exerpt is from a news article in al jazeera on-august-10-2007. . . . . . (the nuclear power plant is located in japan)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Climate change? More like climate changed, said Page Spencer, chief of natural resources at Lake Clark National Park & Preserve in Southwest Alaska. "This is a visible and conscious thing in my lifetime," Spencer said. "We're growing apples in Anchorage now and we've never been able to do that before." . . . . . . . . . . . . more evidence . . . .of . . . climate . . .changing . . . . . . .ASK ANY EXPERIENCED GARDENER ABOUT THE SUBJECT.

.......>.I JUST CAME HOME FROM AN INTERESTING PHOTOGHAPHIC EXHIBITION COMMERATING THE 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR MELTDOWN . . . . . . . . . .IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS HELD AT A HOTEL THAT WAS RESCUED FROM DERELECTION AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN DEMOLISHED HAD IT NOT BEEN COMPLETELY RENOVATED BY SOME FORWARD THINKING PEOPLE .. . .. . . . . .. . . ..NOTWITHSTANDING ,THE EVENT WAS A REMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENED AT A NUCLEAR FACILITY AND THE SAME THING COULD HAPPEN HERE IN ONTARIO .PICKERING NUCLEAR IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO A MAJOR CITY ,TORONTO TO CAUSE SIMILAR DAMAGE AS CHERNOBYL,AND THE PRESENT LIBERAL GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO BUILD MORE REACTORS IF RE ELECTED.LIKEWISE THE ONTARIO PC PARTY HAS ALSO PROMISED TO BUILD MORE NUCLEAR. . . . . . . . . THE EXHIBIT OF PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE SCENES AROUND THE UKRAINE WILL BE ON DISPLAY UNTIL LABOUR DAY IN SEPTEMBER AT THE GLADSTONE HOTEL,QUEEN STREET WEST,TORONTO.(DAILY NOON-5.00 PM) . . . . . . . . .FREE ADMISSION.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . As Sharon Begley's Newsweek story demonstrates, that's what's been happening with the people disputing global warming. The science on global warming is indisputable and conclusive: the planet's getting hotter and humans are doing it. But science has little to do with climate-change deniers' tactics. Their aim is confusion and inaction, which serves the needs of the oil companies paying for their work much better than science could anyway."Since the late 1980s, this well-coordinated, well-funded campaign by contrarian scientists, free-market think tanks and industry has created a paralyzing fog of doubt around climate change," Begley writes. "Through advertisements, op-eds, lobbying and media attention, greenhouse doubters (they hate being called deniers) argued first that the world is not warming; measurements indicating otherwise are flawed, they said. Then they claimed that any warming is natural, not caused by h...

. . . . . .AS A CONVENIENCE TO READERS OF THIS BLOG A TRANSLATION SERVICE HAS BEEN INSTALLED . . . . . . . . . . . MANY THANKS TO GOOGLE . . . . . . .TO USE SIMPLY CLICK THE FLAG LOGOS AFTER SCROLLING DOWN THE HOME PAGE OF THIS SITE . . .. . . . . . . . .THEN COPY AND PASTE THE BLOG POST YOU ARE INTERESTED IN IN THE SPACE PROVIDED FOR IN THE GOOGLE PAGE .. . . . . . . . . .CLICK THE TRANSLATION BUTTON AND IN MERE SECONDS YOUR TRANSLATION IS COMPLETE IN THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR CHOICE .. . . . . . . . . . . .YOU'RE WELCOME.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .AFTER SCANNING THE NEWS TODAY I AM CONFLICTED BY WHAT TO THINK.WHILE THE LATEST ANNOUNCEMENTS OUT OF WASHINGTON ABOUT A CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER SEEMS HOPEFUL ,OTHER EVENTS IN THE NEWS ARE AT ODDS WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE UPCOMING MEETING. . . . . . . . . . . . FOR INSTANCE NEWS IN THE BUSINESS SECTION OF THE MAJOR PAPERS TALK ABOUT MEGA DEALS WITH INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONS TO BUILD HUGE BILLION DOLLAR OIL SANDS PROJECTS MOSTLY IN ALBERTA. . . . . . . . . . THE ECOLOGICAL RAMIFICATIONS OF SIMILAR MINING IN THE FORT MCMURRAY AREA IS BECOMING WELL KNOWN FOR ITS NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT .IN THE SHORT TERM IT'S VERY GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY . . . . . . . . . .BUT WE ARE PAYING A BIG PRICE LONG TERM. . . . . . . . . .SO TO SUM UP . . . .ITS GOOD THAT THE MAJOR POWERS ARE FINALLY TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE,BUT THEIR PARTNERS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SHOULD ALSO BE ON BOARD.

. . . . .. . IN MY NAIVITY,I THOUGHT THAT PROTECTING CANADA'S ARTIC SOVERIGNTY MEANT JUST THAT, TO PROTECT THE SENSITIVE TERRITORIES NORTH OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE FROM EXPLOITATION FOR NATURAL RESOURCES AND TO PROTECT THE ECOLOGY OF THE LANDSCAPE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PLANET EARTH. . . . . . . . . .HOW WRONG I WAS . . . . . .FROM RECENT ARTICLES IN THE NEWS IT SEEMS THAT THE REASON WHY RUSSIA,DENMARK AND CANADA ARE INTERESTED IN THE NORTH IS BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL RICH OIL AND GAS DEPOSITS UNDER THE ARCTIC ICE,NEVER MIND THE ENVIRONMENT . . . . .. . . . .MY OPINION AND THE OPINION OF MANY THINKING PEOPLE IS THAT THE ARCTIC SHOULD BE PRESERVED IN ITS CURRENT NATURAL STATE .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO DO SOME NUMBER CRUNCHING REGARDING ENERGY SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN ONTARIO IN REAL TIME THERE IS AVAILABLE NOW ON A WEBSITE (THEWEATHERNETWORK.COM) . . . . .INSTANT . . . READINGS . . . .OF HOURLY,DAILY OR MONTHLY DATA . . . . . . .FOR EXAMPLE TODAY BEING AN EXTRA HOT DAY WITH AIR CONDITIONERS ON FULL BLAST THERE IS A READING FOR 5 PM WHICH SHOWS WE JUST BARELY GOT BY TO MATCH DEMAND WITH AVAILABLE SUPPLY.(5 PM WAS THE PEAK DEMAND TIME) . . .. . .. . .. . .ALSO THERE IS ADDITIONAL DATA ABOUT THE TYPE OF POWER, EG:HYDRO,NUCLEAR,GAS,OIL GENERATED OR IMPORTED POWER. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .ITS NICE TO HAVE THIS DATA IN REAL TIME IN ORDER TO PLAN FOR FUTURE ,BUT NOTICEABLY . . . .ABSENT ON THE GRAPHS,DATA,ETC.WAS ANY MENTION OF SOLAR,WIND, OR CONSERVATION . . . . . . . ..AT LEAST THAT WAS MY IMPRESSION ON MY FIRST LOOK AT IT TODAY. . . . . ANY WAY . . .ON THE HOME PAGE OF THIS SITE LOOK ON THE LEFT SIDE UNDER THE HEADING "HO...