Alabama power rates 7th highest in the south

MONTGOMERY (AP) — A review of federal reports shows that residential customers of Alabama Power Co. paid the seventh-highest average prices for electricity among 21 southeastern utilities over a recent 12-month period.

The study by The Birmingham News showed that Alabama Power’s commercial customers paid the fourth-highest price among the southern utilities and that industrial customers were 14th out of the 21 utilities.

The News reviewed U.S. Energy Information Administration records from June 2009 through May 2010.

Ala. GOP justice gives to Democratic candidate

MONTGOMERY (AP) — A Republican justice on the Alabama Supreme Court, Tom Woodall, gave a $5,000 campaign donation last week to Democratic Circuit Judge Mac Parsons of Jefferson County. Parsons is running against Republican Supreme Court Justice Tom Parker. Woodall told the New York Times Regional Newspapers that the donation speaks for itself.

NASA booster test a success

HUNTSVILLE (from al.com) — A NASA team fired up a next-generation solid rocket motor in Utah.

The $72 million test-firing began at 10:27 a.m. CDT. Smoke and fire billowed from the rocket motor, which was mounted horizontally on the ground.

ATK manufactured the rocket, which is designed to fly for the Constellation program, a human spaceflight program within NASA.

Constellation may never get off the ground. In February, President Barack Obama announced plans to cancel the program.