Seattle City Light

McGinn defends City Light plan to raise utility's rates

Bellamy Pailthorp — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:33:10 +0000

The tendency for politicians to put off rate increases has meant decades of instability for customers of Seattle City Light. That’s according to Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, who has unveiled a new strategic plan, which would raise electricity rates a total of 28 percent over the next six years.

Businesses want stability

Though raising rates is unpopular, McGinn says the plan will create more predictability for customers – something that’s especially important for businesses.

LED streetlight test puts Seattle arterial in national spotlight

Bellamy Pailthorp — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:17:53 +0000

Later today, road crews will shut down a 15-block stretch of a major arterial in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. For three nights, the city is testing the use of new LED lighting to replace old-fashioned street lamps.

The study is part of a regional effort that could set the standard for more energy efficient streetlights across the country.

Community Solar program has benefits, needs more supporters

Bellamy Pailthorp — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:45:00 +0000

As interest in solar power gains momentum, Seattle City Light is marketing a new program to make it more widely available.

Community Solar gives people who can’t install solar panels on their own homes the chance to reap the rewards of a cash investment in solar power.

Solar power gaining momentum in Seattle

Bellamy Pailthorp — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-980832.mp3

From carousels to picnic shelters and libraries, solar power is becoming more commonplace in Seattle.

City Light says it has seen big growth in customer demand for alternative energy over the past decade – and small solar is one of the biggest draws.

Seattle City Light tries osprey deterrent on utility poles

Charla Bear — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:15:22 +0000

Wildlife experts think they may have finally outsmarted the osprey, at least when it comes to keeping them off of utility poles. The hawk-like birds have caused power outages and harm to themselves by nesting on high voltage power lines.

Ospreys are pretty resourceful birds. When the tall, bare trees they used to nest in disappeared from the water’s edge, they figured out utility poles were a close substitute. Whenever humans try to stop them from using the poles, ospreys find a workaround.

Seattle City Light finds another shocking light pole

Dave Meyer — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:32:54 +0000

Seattle City Light has found another electrified streetlight pole. It was a new pole, which had been installed in January. A dog detected the voltage when it sniffed the pole and its owner called it in. City Light says the streetlight had been improperly installed and had frayed wires.

As a precaution, the utility is inspecting about 60 streetlight poles that were damaged and replaced in the past year. Many of those poles weren’t in place when City Light did comprehensive voltage testing last December and January.

More snowpack means more electricity this summer

Dave Meyer — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:20:30 +0000

The Pacific Northwest has emerged from winter with an above average snowpack, and that's good news for the region's hydroelectric dams. Seattle City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco says, “The snowfall we have received in the mountains this winter was fantastic.”

Thursday morning's headlines

KPLU News Staff — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:35:45 +0000

Making headlines around the Northwest this morning:

Budget Cuts Create Backlog for King County Prosecutor
Boeing Says More 787 Work Possible in Everett
Six Years of Rate Increases Needed, Says Seattle City Light
State Patrol to Investigate Gig Harbor Police Chief

Budget Cuts Strain King Co. Prosecutor Staff

The King County Prosecutor says his office can’t keep up with high-priority crimes because of budget cuts and a jump in aggravated assaults. Doug Satterberg has asked the County Council for $225,000 in emergency funding. The Seattle Times' Keith Ervin reports the request comes six months after voters rejected a proposed sales tax increase:

Seattle City Light finds 56 streetlights with voltage issues

KPLU News Staff — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:08:32 +0000

Seattle City Light has identified 56 streetlights in the Seattle area that could give off potentially dangerous voltage. That’s the final tally from an inspection of nearly 37,000 metal streetlights for voltage issues.

Saying goodbye to decorative street lights?

Paula Wissel — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:37:17 +0000

Those quaint streetlights that grace some neighborhood business districts in Seattle may be history. Seattle City Light wants to limit the installation of decorative streetlights in the future. This comes in the wake of the city’s ongoing inspection of light poles, some of which have been emitting dangerous levels of electricity.

More bad light poles in Seattle

Paula Wissel — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:50:45 +0000

Seattle’s ongoing inspection of streetlights has turned up more dangerous structures. But city officials insist the potential harm to people and pets is minimal.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kplu/local-kplu-943570.mp3

After dog electrocuted, Seattle finds three faulty streetlights

KPLU News Staff — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 21:44:30 +0000

Seattle City Light inspectors have discovered potentially dangerous voltage present in three streetlights, a situation under scrutiny since a dog was electrocuted Thanksgiving Day on Queen Anne. "Sammy" was on a walk with his owner when he stepped on a metal plate cover at the base of a streetlight on Queen Anne Avenue.

The lights have been shut off to the three lights until repairs can be made.

The lights are on again at Northgate Mall

Dave Meyer — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:33:32 +0000

A fallen tree knocked out power to Northgate Mall and 3,000 homes and business at noon today. Power was restored to the mall and all but a handful of homes by 1 p.m. You can track outages at City Light's system status website.

Tuesday morning's headlines

KPLU News Staff — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:48:29 +0000

Local vets remember Pearl Harbor attack; guilty verdicts for some accused of helping Maurice Clemmons avoid police; vandalism punctures more than car tires in Bremerton; and questions remain over how a dog was electrocuted on a Seattle sidewalk.

Dog Electrocuted on Seattle Sidewalk

Gary Davis — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 14:25:39 +0000

Seattle City Light is apologizing to a Queen Anne neighborhood family whose dog was electrocuted Thanksgiving Day while on a walk along a city sidewalk. Lisa McKibben tells KCPQ-TV she wasn't sure what had happened at first:

“I couldn't tell because he was just convulsing so much and just screeching I didn't know what was happening and I was screaming for someone to help me,” said McKibbin.