Thursday, July 9, 2020

The Energy News Digest for July 9, 2020


The Hot Shots edition is available on Facebook, and on Twitter.

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

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Possible Paywall restrictions are noted in the media attribution. Now, go play.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

In Parched Southwest, Warm Spring Renews Threat of ‘Megadrought’ (NY Times)

Regulators Reject Utility Moves to Recover Revenue Lost to COVID-19 as Analysts, Advocates See Trend Continuing (Utility Dive)

Rooftop Revolution: Coronavirus Chill Upends Solar Power Industry (Reuters)

U.S. Utilities Are Cleaning Up Their Act with Emissions Down 8% (Yahoo News)

Local School Districts Continue with Fall Reopening Plans amid President Trump’s Threats (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.        Regulators Reject Utility Moves to Recover Revenue Lost to COVID-19 as Analysts, Advocates See Trend Continuing
2.        U.S. House Subcommittee Approves Bill That Includes Funding Increase for LIHEAP
3.        Major Progress Made on Meter Data, Billing & Energy Imbalance Market Settlements Systems
4.        Most Regions Have the Resources to Easily Meet Electricity Demands This Summer
5.        PacifiCorp Seeks Competitively Priced Energy Projects to Add to 10-State Transmission System
6.        Grant PUD Uses Reserves, Saves Money on Debt Service
7.        With Curtailment Looming, Intalco Aluminum Workers to Get This Help from the Federal Government
8.        Activists Not Only Slow Oil Pipelines, But Also Power Lines Needed for Renewable Energy
9.        Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ May Make Meltdowns a Thing of the Past
10.     Rooftop Revolution: Coronavirus Chill Upends Solar Power Industry
11.     Artificial Lights Tell the Story of the Pandemic
12.     Endangered California Condors in Sequoia National Park for the First Time in 50 Years
13.     Northern Right Whales Are on the Brink – President Trump Could Be Their Last Hope
14.     Columbia River Tribes Gain New Clout with Major Acquisition
15.     Northwest Forest Threats Include Climate Change, Insects, Disease & Wildfire
16.     In Parched Southwest, Warm Spring Renews Threat of ‘Megadrought’
17.     U.S. Utilities Are Cleaning Up Their Act with Emissions Down 8%
18.     UN: World Could Hit 1.5-Degree Warming Threshold by 2024
19.     Head of House Democrats’ Climate Panel Defends Nuclear Inclusion
20.     Michigan: T-Mobile Aims First Wireless Broadband Service at Rural Homes
21.     A Bird? A Plane? No, It’s a Google Balloon Beaming the Internet
22.     Pioneer Utility Resources Acquires WordSouth
23.     Twitter Is Working on a New Subscription Platform, Hints Job Listing
24.     Local School Districts Continue with Fall Reopening Plans amid President Trump’s Threats
25.     Initial Claims for Washington State Unemployment Decreased Last Week
26.     Despite Budget Woe, Legislature Not Meeting
27.     Washington State Reports 521 New COVID-19 Cases, 10 Deaths Wednesday
28.     UW Model Projects 45,000 Fewer Deaths in U.S. by Nov. 1 If 95% Of People Wear Masks in Public
29.     Belfair Man Flown to Seattle Hospital after SR 3 Crash
30.     Pilot Injured as Plane Crashes into Backyard in Port Orchard
31.     Four Tribal Casinos in Vanguard to Introduce Legal Sports Betting to Washington State
32.     Washington State Fair Canceled for 2020 Due to COVID-19
33.     A Cold Start for the Summer Season

WORD OF THE DAY

Sarcophagus • \sar-KOFF-uh-guss\ • Noun - A stone coffin; broadly: coffin

Word Origin from Merriam-Webster

Body-eating coffins might sound like the stuff of horror films, but “flesh-eating stone” does play a role in the etymology of “sarcophagus.” That creepy-sounding phrase is a literal translation of “sarkophagos,” the Greek word that underlies our English term. It’s not clear whether the Romans truly believed that a certain type of limestone from the region around Troy would dissolve flesh (and thus was desirable for making coffins). That assertion came from Roman scholar Pliny the Elder, but he also reported such phenomena as dog-headed people and elephants who wrote Greek. But there’s no doubt that the ancient Greek word for the limestone, “sarkophagos,” was formed by combining “sark-,” meaning “flesh,” with a derivative of “phagein,” a verb meaning “to eat.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Regulators Reject Utility Moves to Recover Revenue Lost to COVID-19 as Analysts, Advocates See Trend Continuing (Utility Dive)

2.      U.S. House Subcommittee Approves Bill That Includes Funding Increase for LIHEAP (American Public Power Association)

3.      Major Progress Made on Meter Data, Billing & Energy Imbalance Market Settlements Systems (Bonneville Power Administration)

4.      Most Regions Have the Resources to Easily Meet Electricity Demands This Summer (Daily Energy Insider)

5.      PacifiCorp Seeks Competitively Priced Energy Projects to Add to 10-State Transmission System (Daily Energy Insider)

6.      Grant PUD Uses Reserves, Saves Money on Debt Service (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

7.      With Curtailment Looming, Intalco Aluminum Workers to Get This Help from the Federal Government (Bellingham Herald, WA)

8.      Activists Not Only Slow Oil Pipelines, But Also Power Lines Needed for Renewable Energy (Forbes Magazine)

9.      Nuclear ‘Power Balls’ May Make Meltdowns a Thing of the Past (Grist Online)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

10.   Rooftop Revolution: Coronavirus Chill Upends Solar Power Industry (Reuters)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

11.   Artificial Lights Tell the Story of the Pandemic (Atlantic Magazine)

FISH & WILDLIFE

12.   Endangered California Condors in Sequoia National Park for the First Time in 50 Years (Los Angeles Times, CA)

13.   Northern Right Whales Are on the Brink – President Trump Could Be Their Last Hope (NY Times)

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

14.   Columbia River Tribes Gain New Clout with Major Acquisition (Oregonian, Portland)

15.   Northwest Forest Threats Include Climate Change, Insects, Disease & Wildfire (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

16.   In Parched Southwest, Warm Spring Renews Threat of ‘Megadrought’ (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

17.   U.S. Utilities Are Cleaning Up Their Act with Emissions Down 8% (Yahoo News)

18.   UN: World Could Hit 1.5-Degree Warming Threshold by 2024 (Associated Press)

19.   Head of House Democrats’ Climate Panel Defends Nuclear Inclusion (Axios)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

20.   Michigan: T-Mobile Aims First Wireless Broadband Service at Rural Homes (Bloomberg News)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

21.   A Bird? A Plane? No, It’s a Google Balloon Beaming the Internet (NY Times)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

22.   Pioneer Utility Resources Acquires WordSouth (Pioneer Utility Resources)

23.   Twitter Is Working on a New Subscription Platform, Hints Job Listing (The Verge)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

24.   Local School Districts Continue with Fall Reopening Plans amid President Trump’s Threats (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

25.   Initial Claims for Washington State Unemployment Decreased Last Week (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

26.   Despite Budget Woe, Legislature Not Meeting (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

SICKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

27.   Washington State Reports 521 New COVID-19 Cases, 10 Deaths Wednesday (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

28.   UW Model Projects 45,000 Fewer Deaths in U.S. by Nov. 1 If 95% Of People Wear Masks in Public (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

29.   Belfair Man Flown to Seattle Hospital after SR 3 Crash (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

30.   Pilot Injured as Plane Crashes into Backyard in Port Orchard (Associated Press)

31.   Four Tribal Casinos in Vanguard to Introduce Legal Sports Betting to Washington State (Northwest News Network)

32.   Washington State Fair Canceled for 2020 Due to COVID-19 (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

33.   A Cold Start for the Summer Season (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Was New Chex Flavor Worth South Koreans’ 16-Year Wait?

Doggy Deliveries Help Colombians Shop During Pandemic

Band Formerly Known as Lady Antebellum Sues Long-Time Seattle Blues Singer Over Name ‘Lady A’

Former High School Football Player & U.S. Marine Catches Toddler Dropped from Burning Building

SONG OF THE DAY

LeBlanc & Carr – Falling