Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Energy News Digest for February 17, 2016

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for February 17, 2016

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

High Density Power User Moratorium Extended by Chelan PUD (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Snohomish PUD Customers Pack House Demanding Answers for Their Escalating Bills (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Oregon: State Utility Regulators Were Silenced by Governor on Big Energy Bill (Oregonian, Portland)

Groups Sue Feds over Lack of Steelhead Recovery Plan (Associated Press)

Mason Transit Manager Resigns under Pressure (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • High Density Power User Moratorium Extended by Chelan PUD
  • Snohomish PUD Customers Pack House Demanding Answers for Their Escalating Bills
  • Oregon: State Utility Regulators Were Silenced by Governor on Big Energy Bill
  • Oregon: Since You Asked – Where Do We Get Electricity? Coal or Hydro?
  • Smart Meters “Dramatically Underutilized” With Lack of Access to Data
  • From the Ashes of Some Coal Plants, New Energy Rises
  • Growth, Infrastructure Challenges Set Stage for Fewer, Larger US Utilities
  • Groups Sue Feds over Lack of Steelhead Recovery Plan
  • Hatchery Life Changes Fish Genetics, Oregon Study Finds
  • Oregon Conservation Projects to Receive More than $20 Million in 2016
  • Nevada Regulators Deny ‘Grandfathering’ Provision for Existing Rooftop Solar Users
  • Warm Beach Camp Solar System Supports Snohomish PUD Power Grid
  • El Niño Not Cause of 2015 “Wind Drought”
  • Ohio: Cost to Power a Hospital Outlined in New Regulatory Filing
  • Washington State Scrutinizing Cannabis Pesticide Use
  • Op/Ed: Time for a Carbon Tax
  • That’s the Brakes: Utilizing Stored Energy from Public Transit for Grid Services
  • Grass Greener, Internet Faster? Why Seattle Is Mapping Broadband Speeds across the City
  • Spokane: Is Your Internet Up to Speed?
  • AT&T Will Start Testing 5G This Year
  • Google Plans to Double the Size of Kirkland Engineering Office
  • Google’s Project Loon Will Be Tested By Real Carriers This Year
  • Why Brand Matters for Electric Cooperatives
  • CBS All Access Streaming Service Bungles the Grammy Awards
  • Why Do Consumers Increasingly Want to Be Less Connected, Not More?
  • Four Ways to Optimize Your Facebook Ads
  • States Form Clean-Power Pact after SCOTUS Stay
  • Mason Transit Manager Resigns under Pressure
  • Seattle Set to Break Wettest Winter Records
  • Mason County Commissioners Appoint McFadden as Interim Public Works Director
  • Bombardier to Cut About 7,000 Jobs, Hire for Growth Areas
  • That Grated Parmesan on Your Pasta May Contain Nine Percent Wood
  • German Shorthaired Pointer Westminster’s Top Dog
WORD GRAMMAR TIP OF THE DAY

The Oxford Comma Is Extremely Important, Everyone Should Be Using It (Buzzfeed – Contains PG-13 Language, and puns)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

High Density Power User Moratorium Extended by Chelan PUD (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Snohomish PUD Customers Pack House Demanding Answers for Their Escalating Bills (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Oregon: State Utility Regulators Were Silenced by Governor on Big Energy Bill (Oregonian, Portland)

Oregon: Since You Asked – Where Do We Get Electricity? Coal or Hydro? (Medford Mail-Tribune, OR)

Smart Meters “Dramatically Underutilized” With Lack of Access to Data (American Public Power Association)

From the Ashes of Some Coal Plants, New Energy Rises (National Public Radio)

Growth, Infrastructure Challenges Set Stage for Fewer, Larger US Utilities (Forbes Magazine)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Groups Sue Feds over Lack of Steelhead Recovery Plan (Associated Press)

Hatchery Life Changes Fish Genetics, Oregon Study Finds (Oregonian, Portland)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon Conservation Projects to Receive More than $20 Million in 2016 (Portland Business Journal, OR)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Nevada Regulators Deny ‘Grandfathering’ Provision for Existing Rooftop Solar Users (Utility Dive)

Warm Beach Camp Solar System Supports Snohomish PUD Power Grid (Stanwood Camano News, WA)

El Niño Not Cause of 2015 “Wind Drought” (DNV GL)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Ohio: Cost to Power a Hospital Outlined in New Regulatory Filing (Dayton Business Journal, OH)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Washington State Scrutinizing Cannabis Pesticide Use (Marijuana Business Daily)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Op/Ed: Time for a Carbon Tax (Brookings Institution)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

That’s the Brakes: Utilizing Stored Energy from Public Transit for Grid Services (Utility Dive)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Grass Greener, Internet Faster? Why Seattle Is Mapping Broadband Speeds across the City (Geekwire)

Spokane: Is Your Internet Up to Speed? (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

AT&T Will Start Testing 5G This Year (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

Google Plans to Double the Size of Kirkland Engineering Office (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Google’s Project Loon Will Be Tested By Real Carriers This Year (Gizmodo)

MARKETING & MEDIA

Why Brand Matters for Electric Cooperatives (Electric Co-op Today)

CBS All Access Streaming Service Bungles the Grammy Awards (Broadband Reports)

Why Do Consumers Increasingly Want to Be Less Connected, Not More? Horizon Media finds growing desire to unplug (AdWeek)

Four Ways to Optimize Your Facebook Ads (Social Media Examiner)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

States Form Clean-Power Pact after SCOTUS Stay (Courthouse News Service)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason Transit Manager Resigns under Pressure (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Seattle Set to Break Wettest Winter Records (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Mason County Commissioners Appoint McFadden as Interim Public Works Director (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Bombardier to Cut About 7,000 Jobs, Hire for Growth Areas (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

That Grated Parmesan on Your Pasta May Contain Nine Percent Wood (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

German Shorthaired Pointer Westminster’s Top Dog (Associated Press)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

If You Hate Telemarketers, You’ll Love This Robot Designed to Waste Their Time

How “The Martian” Is Helping to Sell Actual Potatoes – Astronaut Poop Not Included

Impatient Patient Floods Bathrooms, Three Emergency Rooms

For $500, Your Kid Can Have Their Own Battery-Powered Tesla with Top Speed of Six MPH

SONG OF THE DAY

The Martian OST – The Martian Score Suite

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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.