Friday, May 24, 2013

Energy News Digest for May 24, 2013


SUBSCRIBE TO THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

THE NEWS DIGEST TWITTER FEED

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for May 24, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Skagit River - I-5 Bridge Collapsed after Oversize Truck Hit Span (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Major Nuclear Upgrade at Energy Northwest (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

New Leadership at Bonneville Power Administration Means Greater Emphasis on Demand-Side Management (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Oregon State Representative First to Sign Bill Classifying Hydro as Renewable Power (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Last Defendant Pleads Guilty In Wyoming, South Dakota Wind Farm Fraud (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Major Nuclear Upgrade at Energy Northwest
  • Seattle City Light Warns of Scammers Threatening to Cut Off Power
  • Klamath Falls Public Utility Debate Heats Up
  • May 30 – Planned Power Outage for Portion of State Route 106 & Twahoh Falls Area
  • Grant County PUD Opens an Improved Recreation Area Friday
  • Moody's Assigns AA2 Rating to Seattle's New Electric Revenue Bonds. Rating Outlook – Stable
  • Coos Bay, Oregon, Gas Export Terminal Application Filed
  • Columbia River Dams Offer Geocaching
  • As Towns Say No, Signs of Rising Resistance to Smart Meters
  • Boulder Asks FERC to Rule on Stranded Costs
  • Witnesses Stress Importance of Hydropower Development for Job Creation & Economic Growth
  • Fish Screens Help Farmers, Save Fish
  • Study: Amphibians Disappearing at an Alarming Rate
  • Poop-Sniffing Dogs Helping Save Whales All Over the World
  • Water Rights for Washington State University Golf Course Disputed
  • Oregon State Representative First to Sign Bill Classifying Hydro as Renewable Power
  • Last Defendant Pleads Guilty In Wyoming, South Dakota Wind Farm Fraud
  • Franklin PUD Teaches Kids about Energy with Traveling Kiosk
  • Texas Solar Power Buyback Bill Struggling Amid Electric Industry Opposition
  • Google Kite? Tech Giant Buys 'Flying Windmill' Firm Makani
  • New Leadership at Bonneville Power Administration Means Greater Emphasis on Demand-Side Management
  • Super-Energy Efficient Homes Built to Inspire More Stringent Codes
  • Seattle Discloses Energy Performance of Its Own Buildings
  • Energy Star Saves Money & Electricity
  • Bringing Smart Grid Intelligence to Street Lights in Paris
  • Seven Thrilling Facts about Carbon Taxes from the Congressional Budget Office
  • Study Finds Fish Species Shifting to the North Because of Climate Change
  • Have the Climate Skeptics Really Won?
  • In a Plus for Electrics, Tesla Repays a Big Federal Loan Early
  • iFIBER Communications Expands to Pend Oreille County
  • 18% of Rural Residents Can't Get 6 Mbps - 59% Can't Get Speeds of 25 Mbps
  • Op/Ed - Digital Cloud Simplifies Routine Classroom Work
  • Infectious Computer Worms Are Sucking Energy & Money from Companies
  • Shockingly, You Still Hate Your Cable Company
  • Battle over ‘GIF’ Pronunciation Erupts
  • Google Faces New Federal Probe over Display Ads
  • How Much Power Does a Yelp Review Have?
  • Skagit River - I-5 Bridge Collapsed after Oversize Truck Hit Span
  • Obvious Headline of the Day - Bridge Collapse Will Cause Holiday Travel Headaches
  • Mason Medic Unit Vehicle Struck Thursday in Head-On Collision

WORD OF THE DAY

Amalgamate • \uh-MAL-guh-mayt\ • Verb - To unite in or as if in a mixture of elements; especially: to merge into a single body.

“This is awful,” Mandrake mumbled to himself. Halfway through his experimental amalgamated accordion/ukulele/banjo rendition of “Stairway to Heaven,” he realized it was an unmitigated cacophonic disaster. The neighborhood kennel club’s residents, however, would never be the same.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Major Nuclear Upgrade at Energy Northwest (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Seattle City Light Warns of Scammers Threatening to Cut Off Power (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Klamath Falls Public Utility Debate Heats Up (Klamath Falls Herald & News, OR)

May 30 – Planned Power Outage for Portion of State Route 106 & Twahoh Falls Area (Mason County PUD 3, Shelton, WA)

Grant County PUD opens an improved recreation area Friday (iFiber One News, Ephrata, WA)

Moody's Assigns AA2 Rating to Seattle's New Electric Revenue Bonds. Rating Outlook – Stable (Moody’s Investors’ Services)

Coos Bay, Oregon, Gas Export Terminal Application Filed (Associated Press)

Columbia River Dams Offer Geocaching (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

As Towns Say No, Signs of Rising Resistance to Smart Meters (NY Times)

Boulder Asks FERC to Rule on Stranded Costs (American Public Power Association)

Witnesses Stress Importance of Hydropower Development for Job Creation & Economic Growth (U-S House of Representatives, Natural Resources Committee)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fish Screens Help Farmers, Save Fish (Northwest Public Radio)

Study: Amphibians Disappearing at an Alarming Rate (Associated Press)

Poop-Sniffing Dogs Helping Save Whales All Over the World (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Water Rights for Washington State University Golf Course Disputed (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon State Representative First to Sign Bill Classifying Hydro as Renewable Power (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Last Defendant Pleads Guilty In Wyoming, South Dakota Wind Farm Fraud (Associated Press)

Franklin PUD Teaches Kids about Energy with Traveling Kiosk (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Texas Solar Power Buyback Bill Struggling Amid Electric Industry Opposition (Austin Business Journal, TX)

Google Kite? Tech Giant Buys 'Flying Windmill' Firm Makani (Christian Science Monitor)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

New Leadership at Bonneville Power Administration Means Greater Emphasis on Demand-Side Management (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Super-Energy Efficient Homes Built to Inspire More Stringent Codes (Northwest Public Radio)

Seattle Discloses Energy Performance of Its Own Buildings (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Energy Star Saves Money & Electricity (KAMR-TV, Amarillo, TX)

Bringing Smart Grid Intelligence to Street Lights in Paris (The Energy Collective)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Seven Thrilling Facts about Carbon Taxes from the Congressional Budget Office (Washington Post)

Study Finds Fish Species Shifting to the North Because of Climate Change (Montreal Gazette, Canada)

Have the Climate Skeptics Really Won? (The Guardian, UK)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

In a Plus for Electrics, Tesla Repays a Big Federal Loan Early (NY Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

iFIBER Communications Expands to Pend Oreille County (iFiber One News, Ephrata, WA)

18% of Rural Residents Can't Get 6 Mbps - 59% Can't Get Speeds of 25 Mbps (Broadband Reports)

Op/Ed - Digital Cloud Simplifies Routine Classroom Work (Wenatchee World, WA)

Infectious Computer Worms Are Sucking Energy & Money from Companies (Forbes Magazine)

Shockingly, You Still Hate Your Cable Company - ACSI: Broadband ISPs Rated Worst of Any Industry (Broadband Reports)

Battle over ‘GIF’ Pronunciation Erupts (NY Times)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Google Faces New Federal Probe over Display Ads (Washington Post)

How Much Power Does a Yelp Review Have? (Washington Post)

GENERAL NEWS

Skagit River - I-5 Bridge Collapsed after Oversize Truck Hit Span (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Obvious Headline of the Day - Bridge Collapse Will Cause Holiday Travel Headaches (Seattle Times, WA)

Mason Medic Unit Vehicle Struck Thursday in Head-On Collision (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

DIVERSIONS

"Sound Bulbs" Are Vintage Speakers That Screw Right into Light Sockets

Tourists Rescued after Dining Out on Iceberg

Operation Swill - New Jersey Eatery Served Rubbing Alcohol Instead of Scotch

Dog Years: The Calculator

SONG OF THE DAY

Diana Krall & Michael Franks - Popsicle Toes (Note: PG-13 for “potentially” suggestive lyrics)

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

Note that as some newspapers migrate to a “paywall” system of access, some articles may not be available without forking over some cold hard credit card cash. However, some sites will allow a certain number of story accesses per month before holding out their hand. Sorry if this is an inconvenience.