Monday, September 9, 2019

Energy News Digest for September 9, 2019


The Hot Shots edition of the Energy News Digest is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

To subscribe to the Energy News Digest, email jmyer@masonpud3.org.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Saturday’s Electrifying Thunderstorms Were Highly Unusual — And Not Likely to Repeat Any Time Soon (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Bonneville Power Administration Responds to Deeply Flawed Article on Agency’s Financial Health (Bonneville Power Administration)

Sockeye Salmon Returns Plunge in British Columbia, Official Calls 2019 ‘Extremely Challenging’ (Global News, Canada)

Broken Columbia River Barge Lock at Bonneville Dam Means Commerce Chokehold (Associated Press)

Rocky Mountain Institute Drafts Electric Vehicle Plan For Seattle City Light (Daily Energy Insider)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Bonneville Power Administration Responds to Deeply Flawed Article on Agency’s Financial Health
2.      Broken Columbia River Barge Lock at Bonneville Dam Means Commerce Chokehold
3.      Thousands Flood Columbia Park Celebrating Local Dam Culture
4.      Newhouse Dams Vital to Ag, Regional Economy
5.      Lewis County PUD Draft 2020 Budget Includes $3 Million Shortfall, Rate Increases a Possibility
6.      Scammers Target Tacoma Utility Customers with Threats to Turn Off Power
7.      Meeting Scheduled to Discuss Lowering Klamath Irrigation Power Costs
8.      Harper Joins Jefferson PUD as Water Superintendent
9.      PacifiCorp Forecast Offers Grim Outlook for Wyoming's Coal-Fired Power Plants
10.   San Francisco Makes $2.5 Billion Offer for Pacific Gas & Electric System
11.   Bill to Help Pacific Gas & Electric with Wildfire Payments Dies in California Legislature
12.   NERC Finds First Remote Hacker Interference on U.S. Grid from Cyberattack
13.   New York City: An Illegal Gas Line Killed Two People. Should the Landlord Go to Prison?
14.   Sockeye Salmon Returns Plunge in British Columbia, Official Calls 2019 ‘Extremely Challenging’
15.   Warming Rivers Are Causing Die-Offs Among Alaska Salmon
16.   Oregon: Temporary Fix Made at Hatchery to Prevent Salmon Die-Off
17.   Wood Chips Fly at Elwha River as Beavers Make a Comeback
18.   Water Shortages Seen Across Clallam County
19.   Guemes Island Residents Asking Skagit County for Help with Water Issues
20.   Montana: NorthWestern Energy Plans to Upgrade 8-MW Madison Powerhouse Near Ennis
21.   Average U.S. Construction Costs for Solar Generation Continue to Decrease
22.   Oregon: FCC Grant to Boost Jefferson County Rural Broadband
23.   Commuters, Telecommuters Changing the Face of Work in Central Washington
24.   The Census Bureau and the Digital Divide
25.   U.S. Cellular's New 'Fairness' Campaign to Include Rural 5G Component
26.   Op/Ed: Use Playbook from 1930s to Extend Broadband Internet
27.   Google: 50 U.S. States & Territories Launch Competition Probe
28.   Rocky Mountain Institute Drafts Electric Vehicle Plan for Seattle City Light
29.   ‘Romance without the Smoke:’ Clean Air Agencies Didn’t Get Seattle’s Memo That Natural Gas Is the New Coal
30.   Marijuana Industry Shakes 'Cheech & Chong' Stereotype, Improves in Public Eye
31.   Saturday’s Electrifying Thunderstorms Were Highly Unusual — And Not Likely to Repeat Any Time Soon
32.   Photos: Lightning Crashes Around Olympic Peninsula
33.   California: As Erratic Winds Whip Flames, Plumas County Wildfire Swells to 44,000 Acres
34.   Hood, Rainier, et.al. - We’re Barely Listening to the U.S.’s Most Dangerous Volcanoes

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Olfactory /awl-FACT-tuh-ree/ Adjective – Of or relating to the sense of smell.

Sniff the dairy air
Olfactory repugnance
In this, the nose knows

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    Bonneville Power Administration Responds to Deeply Flawed Article on Agency’s Financial Health (Bonneville Power Administration)

2.    Broken Columbia River Barge Lock at Bonneville Dam Means Commerce Chokehold (Associated Press)

3.    Thousands Flood Columbia Park Celebrating Local Dam Culture (KEPR TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

4.    Newhouse Dams Vital to Ag, Regional Economy (Washington Ag Network)

5.    Lewis County PUD Draft 2020 Budget Includes $3 Million Shortfall, Rate Increases a Possibility (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

6.    Scammers Target Tacoma Utility Customers with Threats to Turn Off Power (KING TV, Seattle, WA)

7.    Meeting Scheduled to Discuss Lowering Klamath Irrigation Power Costs (Capital Press)

8.    Harper Joins Jefferson PUD as Water Superintendent (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

9.    PacifiCorp Forecast Offers Grim Outlook for Wyoming's Coal-Fired Power Plants (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)

10. San Francisco Makes $2.5 Billion Offer for Pacific Gas & Electric System (SF Chronicle, CA)

11. Bill to Help Pacific Gas & Electric with Wildfire Payments Dies in California Legislature (Courthouse News Service)

12. NERC Finds First Remote Hacker Interference on U.S. Grid from Cyberattack (Utility Dive)

13. New York City: An Illegal Gas Line Killed Two People. Should the Landlord Go to Prison? (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

14. Sockeye Salmon Returns Plunge in British Columbia, Official Calls 2019 ‘Extremely Challenging’ (Global News, Canada)

15. Warming Rivers Are Causing Die-Offs Among Alaska Salmon (Earth Institute, Columbia University)

16. Oregon: Temporary Fix Made at Hatchery to Prevent Salmon Die-Off (Associated Press)

17. Wood Chips Fly at Elwha River as Beavers Make a Comeback (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

“CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE” – WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

18. Water Shortages Seen Across Clallam County (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

19. Guemes Island Residents Asking Skagit County for Help with Water Issues (Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

20. Montana: NorthWestern Energy Plans to Upgrade 8-MW Madison Powerhouse Near Ennis (Renewable Energy World)

21. Average U.S. Construction Costs for Solar Generation Continue to Decrease (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

22. Oregon: FCC Grant to Boost Jefferson County Rural Broadband (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

23. Commuters, Telecommuters Changing the Face of Work in Central Washington (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

24. The Census Bureau and the Digital Divide (Pots & Pans)

25. U.S. Cellular's New 'Fairness' Campaign to Include Rural 5G Component (Light Reading)

26. Op/Ed: Use Playbook from 1930s to Extend Broadband Internet (Wilkes Journal-Patriot, NC)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

27. Google: 50 U.S. States & Territories Launch Competition Probe (British Broadcasting Corporation)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

28. Rocky Mountain Institute Drafts Electric Vehicle Plan for Seattle City Light (Daily Energy Insider)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

29. ‘Romance without the Smoke:’ Clean Air Agencies Didn’t Get Seattle’s Memo That Natural Gas Is the New Coal (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

30. Marijuana Industry Shakes 'Cheech & Chong' Stereotype, Improves in Public Eye (Longview Daily News, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

31. Saturday’s Electrifying Thunderstorms Were Highly Unusual — And Not Likely to Repeat Any Time Soon (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

32. Photos: Lightning Crashes Around Olympic Peninsula (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, Wa)

33. California: As Erratic Winds Whip Flames, Plumas County Wildfire Swells to 44,000 Acres (SF Chronicle, CA)

34. Hood, Rainier, et.al. - We’re Barely Listening to the U.S.’s Most Dangerous Volcanoes (NY Times)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Carnival Crook Steals Entire Roller Coaster in Broad Daylight

Trapped at a Waterfall, This Man Sent Out an SOS Message in a Bottle. Someone Actually Found It Downstream.

University of Tennessee Turns Bullied 4th Grader's T-Shirt Design into Official School Apparel

Amazon Echo Link Could Be Turning UK Parents Off the Name Alexa

SONG OF THE DAY

Ohio Players - Love Rollercoaster

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.