Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Energy News Digest for January 19, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for January 19, 2016

Flood Warning for the Skokomish River

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Corvallis Firm Hopes to Build Nuclear Power Plants in England (Oregonian, Portland)

Chelan PUD Plans Forum with Intense Energy Users (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Ethics Complaints Dismissed Against Former Top Washington Commerce Staffers (Northwest Public Radio)

State Officials Say Oregon Energy Bill Would Boost Rates, Wouldn’t Cut Emissions (Oregonian, Portland)

Wild Fish Advocates Threaten to Sue over Columbia River Hatcheries (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Corvallis Firm Hopes to Build Nuclear Power Plants in England
  • DOE Taps Two New Nuclear Reactor Designs for Development Funding – Includes Idaho-Oregon Partners
  • Areva Cuts 50 More Jobs In Lynchburg; Layoffs Loom at End of Month
  • Chelan PUD Plans Forum with Intense Energy Users
  • Direct Subsidy to Preserve Washington State Aluminum Smelter Jobs Ruled Out
  • Comments Sought on Klamath River Dams – California Water Board Seeks Input on Relicensing
  • Wyoming Officials Back Various Schemes in Bid to Rescue Coal
  • Grant PUD Commissioners Declare Wanapum Village Surplus
  • Op/Ed: Stop Wasting America’s Hydropower Potential
  • J.D. Power: Business Customer Satisfaction with Utilities at 8-Year High
  • Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study
  • Wild Fish Advocates Threaten to Sue over Columbia River Hatcheries
  • Columbia Basin Schools Partaking in Fishy Project
  • Basin Water Supply Forecasts, Snowpack Look Good For Now; but El Nino Hasn’t Really Kicked In
  • New Water Reservoir Eyed for Sequim Area Aims to Alleviate Flooding, Aid Irrigators
  • Port Angeles to Mull Options for Fluoridation
  • In Flint & Beyond, People Come Together to Address City’s Water Crisis
  • Ethics Complaints Dismissed Against Former Top Washington Commerce Staffers
  • Community Solar Program Going Strong in the Flathead
  • Solar Customers Launch a Class Action Lawsuit against NV Energy
  • Buyer Beware: Solar Power May Be Missing Key Ingredient
  • With New Tech, Scientists Probe What Lies beneath Puget Sound
  • 60 Minutes Investigates Chinese Cyber-Espionage in Wind Industry
  • Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold
  • Pot Shop Bans Would Need Public Vote under Proposed Legislation
  • 14-Day Notice Shocks Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
  • Chart of the Week: Cannabis Industry Attracts Highly Educated Leaders
  • State Officials Say Oregon Energy Bill Would Boost Rates, Wouldn’t Cut Emissions
  • The Oceans Are Heating Up More Rapidly Than We Thought. Why That Matters
  • Op/Ed: Proof That a Price on Carbon Works
  • This Oregon Brewery Uses 116% Sustainable Energy – Here’s How
  • California: Orange County Residents Turn Kitchen Scraps to Power Source
  • Idaho: Legislative Budget Writers OK Funding for Broadband Lawsuit
  • R.I.P. Bitcoin. It’s Time to Move On
  • Yahoo Staffers Fear Layoffs Could Be Worse Than Expected
  • Ranking America’s Most Future-Ready Cities
  • Twitter Disruption Silences Swaths of U-S, Europe
  • First Came Facebook, Then Twitter – Now Say Hi to New Peach App
  • State Fleecing 13 Counties; Payments in Lieu of Taxes Frozen Since 2011
  • Senators Grill Washington State Corrections Head over Early Release Scandal
  • Obama Administration Approves Public Assistance for November Wind & Rain Storms
  • Belfair: An Uncertain Future for Thelers’ Legacy
  • SUV Rearends School Bus in Hoodsport
  • Oregon: Militia, Environmentalists Face Off at Malheur Briefing
WORD OF THE DAY

Desideratum • \dih-si-duh-ROT-tum\ • Noun – Something that is needed or wanted. Something desired as essential (plural is desiderata).

Les Crane – Desiderata

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Corvallis Firm Hopes to Build Nuclear Power Plants in England (Oregonian, Portland)

DOE Taps Two New Nuclear Reactor Designs for Development Funding – Includes Idaho-Oregon Partners (Utility Dive)

Areva Cuts 50 More Jobs In Lynchburg; Layoffs Loom at End of Month (Lynchburg News & Advance, VA)

Chelan PUD Plans Forum with Intense Energy Users (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Direct Subsidy to Preserve Washington State Aluminum Smelter Jobs Ruled Out (Northwest Public Radio)

Comments Sought on Klamath River Dams – California Water Board Seeks Input on Relicensing (Klamath Falls Herald & News, OR)

Wyoming Officials Back Various Schemes in Bid to Rescue Coal (Associated Press)

Grant PUD Commissioners Declare Wanapum Village Surplus (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Op/Ed: Stop Wasting America’s Hydropower Potential (NY Times)

J.D. Power: Business Customer Satisfaction with Utilities at 8-Year High (Utility Dive)

Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study (JD Power)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Wild Fish Advocates Threaten to Sue over Columbia River Hatcheries (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Columbia Basin Schools Partaking in Fishy Project (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Basin Water Supply Forecasts, Snowpack Look Good For Now; but El Nino Hasn’t Really Kicked In (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

New Water Reservoir Eyed for Sequim Area Aims to Alleviate Flooding, Aid Irrigators (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Port Angeles to Mull Options for Fluoridation (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

In Flint & Beyond, People Come Together to Address City’s Water Crisis (Christian Science Monitor)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Ethics Complaints Dismissed Against Former Top Washington Commerce Staffers (Northwest Public Radio)

Community Solar Program Going Strong in the Flathead (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

Solar Customers Launch a Class Action Lawsuit against NV Energy (GreenTech Media)

Buyer Beware: Solar Power May Be Missing Key Ingredient (Associated Press)

With New Tech, Scientists Probe What Lies beneath Puget Sound (Everett Herald, WA)

60 Minutes Investigates Chinese Cyber-Espionage in Wind Industry (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Nest Thermostat Glitch Leaves Users in the Cold (NY Times)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Pot Shop Bans Would Need Public Vote under Proposed Legislation (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

14-Day Notice Shocks Medical Marijuana Dispensaries (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Chart of the Week: Cannabis Industry Attracts Highly Educated Leaders (Marijuana Business Daily)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

State Officials Say Oregon Energy Bill Would Boost Rates, Wouldn’t Cut Emissions (Oregonian, Portland)

The Oceans Are Heating Up More Rapidly Than We Thought. Why That Matters (Christian Science Monitor)

Op/Ed: Proof That a Price on Carbon Works (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

This Oregon Brewery Uses 116% Sustainable Energy – Here’s How (Mashable)

California: Orange County Residents Turn Kitchen Scraps to Power Source (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Idaho: Legislative Budget Writers OK Funding for Broadband Lawsuit (Associated Press)

R.I.P. Bitcoin. It’s Time to Move On (Washington Post)

Yahoo Staffers Fear Layoffs Could Be Worse Than Expected (Dallas Business Journal, TX)
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/techflash/2016/01/yahoo-staffers-fear-layoffs-could-be-worse-yhoo.html

Ranking America’s Most Future-Ready Cities (Future Ready Economies)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Twitter Disruption Silences Swaths of U-S, Europe (Associated Press)

First Came Facebook, Then Twitter – Now Say Hi to New Peach App (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

State Fleecing 13 Counties; Payments in Lieu of Taxes Frozen Since 2011 (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Senators Grill Washington State Corrections Head over Early Release Scandal (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Obama Administration Approves Public Assistance for November Wind & Rain Storms (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Belfair: An Uncertain Future for Thelers’ Legacy (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

SUV Rearends School Bus in Hoodsport (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Oregon: Militia, Environmentalists Face Off at Malheur Briefing (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Tributes Pour in for The Eagles’ Glenn Frey

Five Planets Will Be Visible from Earth This Week

You Really Don’t Want to Know How Many Species of Bugs Live in Your Home

The 25 Most Popular Passwords of 2015: We’re All Such Idiots

SONG OF THE DAY

Eagles – Old ‘55

Glenn Frey - The Heat Is On

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:

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their websites 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.