Power Supply Good for Summer, Says Grid Operator
Posted on: Wednesday, 7 May 2008, 00:00 CDT
Electricity supplies should be adequate throughout this summer, even though peak power use is projected to be higher than a year ago, the region's transmission grid operator said. PJM Interconnection, which oversees the power supply for all or parts of 13 states, including Pennsylvania, along with Washington, D.C., expects the summer weather-adjusted demand to reach 137,950 megawatts, with 1 megawatt enough power for 800-1,000 homes. PJM said it has 159,780 megawatts of power committed capacity for the summer. Last summer's weather-adjusted peak totaled 136,100 megawatts. PJM region's all-time record use of electricity of 144,644 megawatts occurred in 2006.
Strike puts Malibu at risk
A strike Monday by a United Autoworkers local at the General Motors plant could endanger production of the popular Chevrolet Malibu sedan, adding to mounting problems for the automaker. Employees at the Fairfax, Kan., plant, which has more than 2,500 UAW members, set up pickets in medians and at the gates of the sprawling plant, and vowed to stay out for as long as necessary to get a contract. The strike is particularly important to GM because the plant produces the Malibu, a medium-sized sedan that was named "Car of the Year" at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
iGate fined in discrimination case
Computer consulting firm iGate Mastech of Robinson has agreed to pay $45,000 in civil penalties to settle allegations of discrimination against U.S. citizens in its employment practices, the Justice Department said. As part of the agreement, iGate must train recruitment personnel and put a nondiscrimination statement on its Web site. The department said that between May 9, 2006, and June 4, 2006, iGate placed 30 job announcements for computer programmers that favored H-1B visa holders and excluded U.S. citizens and other legal U.S. workers. Such preference hiring is prohibited by the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. H-1B visas are granted to highly skilled foreigners or international students studying in the United States, to remain employed in the country for up to six years.
Strikers protest at Latrobe steel firm
Steelworkers on strike at Latrobe Specialty Steel Co. and their supporters on Monday protested outside the plant against the steel company's use of temporary workers. The strikers did not block vehicles from entering and leaving the plant, spokeswoman Lisa Pierce said. Latrobe Police Chief Charles Huska could not be reached for comment. Kevin Caruso, president of United Steelworkers Local 1537, which represents about 360 workers at the plant, could not be reached for comment. No negotiations are scheduled to end the walkout, which began May 1 when the union's former six-year contract expired.
Model train maker exits bankruptcy
Legendary model train maker Lionel LLC has emerged from bankruptcy protection, court documents show, allowing it to focus on expanding its pop-culture and high-end collector trains. "After more than seven long years of legal warfare, a brutal financial restructuring, and a lot of corporate soul searching, Lionel has fully emerged from bankruptcy," CEO Jerry Calabrese wrote on the company's Web site. Lionel, which has been in business since 1900, sought bankruptcy protection in 2004 after a trade-secrets dispute with MTH Electric Trains. Lionel and MTH settled their dispute in October, paving the way for Lionel to obtain financing to exit bankruptcy.
Financing for membrane firm
A Harmar-based Alcoa Inc. spin-off that develops ceramic membranes for various applications has been awarded $225,000 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to commercialize its technology. Media and Process Technology Inc. is developing a membrane that recovers both water and energy from boiler flue gas. If the company's technology was implemented nationally, the EPA estimates it would recover 70 billion gallons of water annually and save 500 trillion BTUs of energy. Two years ago, Media and Process Technology was awarded $69,964 in initial Phase I funds for its process development. The company, spun off in 1991 from Alcoa, is located in the University of Pittsburgh Research Park, U-PARC.
Other business news
- North Shore-based Equitable Resources Inc. said Monday it plans to issue 7.5 million shares of common stock, using proceeds for general purposes including its ongoing natural gas well drilling in Appalachian regions, and its development of pipelines. The company said the stock offering will be made subject to market conditions, but at yesterday's closing price of $67.09, for example, the stock would bring in $50.32 million, less expenses.
- Leonard T. Petrancosta will take over as president and CEO of Sysco Food Services of Pittsburgh Inc. on July 1. Petrancosta, executive vice president, will succeed Joel R. TePastte, whose retirement becomes effective on that date. Sysco, a subsidiary of food service distributor Sysco Corp., is based in Harmony.
- US Airways' traffic declined 6.5 percent to 4.75 million passengers in April, the airline said Monday. The month this year excluded the Easter holiday, vs. 2007 when the holiday fell in March, said President Scott Kirby. But total capacity declined by 2.6 percent. That enabled the airline to still fill 83.2 percent of its passenger seats, which is 0.5 percentage point higher than the year earlier.
Originally published by staff and wire reports.
(c) 2008 Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
Source: Tribune-Review/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
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