Friday, December 27, 2013

Energy News Digest for December 27, 2013

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THE NEWS DIGEST WORD CLOUD

Energy News Digest Word Cloud for December 27, 2013

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Rig Downs Poles While Being Transported on Train in Shelton (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Reclamation Employee Dies from Injuries Following Fall Monday (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Endangered Species Act marks 40 years (Everett Herald, WA)

Why LED Retrofits Are the ‘Trojan Horse’ of the Internet of Things (Forbes Magazine)

Puget Sound Region’s Economy Looks to Rebound in 2014 (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Rig Downs Poles While Being Transported on Train in Shelton
  • Shelton Woman Trapped in Car by Downed Power Lines
  • Reclamation Employee Dies from Injuries Following Fall Monday
  • Eastern U-S & Canada: Utility Linemen Brave Cold, Ice to Restore Power
  • Some Mainers Could Be without Power Until 2014
  • Positions Emerge Ahead of 2014 Columbia River Treaty Deadline
  • Avista Fund: Being a Good Neighbor
  • Nuclear Safety Regulators Cite Now-Closed San Onofre Power Plant
  • Northern Exposure: Canadian Hydro in the Spotlight
  • Utilities Mimic Cable with Monthly Fee to Preserve Grid
  • Planning, Preparation Crucial to Storm Recovery
  • Endangered Species Act marks 40 years
  • A King without a Crown: Chinook Vulnerable to Ocean Forces
  • Restoring Ranch Land for a Profit, & a ‘Trout Dividend’
  • Gagged Fish-Farm Foe Takes Fight against Industry to Scotland
  • Op/Ed: An Oyster Allegory Captures Irony & Absurdity
  • Interior Head Sally Jewell Brings Outsider’s Perspective to Job
  • Energy Adviser: Take a Long View in Terms of Renewable Energies
  • Catching Rays in California, & Storing Them
  • EIA: Most New Residential Solar PV Projects in California Program Not Owned by Homeowners
  • As Solar Power Grows, Dispute Flares Over U-S Utility Bills
  • Tennessee Valley Authority Using Tims Dam for Solar Study
  • Fitch Ratings: Net Metering Can Destabilize Entire Utility Industry
  • Why LED Retrofits Are the ‘Trojan Horse’ of the Internet of Things
  • Governor Inslee Honors Washington State Industries That Excel in Energy Efficiency
  • How is Global Warming Affecting Precipitation? New Satellite to Help Explain
  • Washington State’s 2013 Climate Report Card
  • Federal Communications Commission: Mapping Progress - Connect America Fund’s Broadband Expansion
  • President Obama Signs Bipartisan Budget Deal, Annual Defense Bill
  • Puget Sound Region’s Economy Looks to Rebound in 2014
  • Fire Burns Part of Port Angeles Mill
  • A Computer Error Lets Travelers Book Rock-Bottom Airfares on Delta

WORD OF THE DAY

Sprite • \SPRĪT\ • Noun – 1: A small creature that has magical powers: an elf or fairy 2a: archaic: soul b: a disembodied spirit: ghost 3a: elf, fairy b: an elfish person.

See the bug-eyed Sprite
Austin Healey’s smiling car
Vroom, vroom: watch it go

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Rig Downs Poles While Being Transported on Train in Shelton (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Shelton Woman Trapped in Car by Downed Power Lines (Northwest Cable News Network – Great interview: her husband had worked for the PUD, so she knew exactly what to do…)

Reclamation Employee Dies from Injuries Following Fall Monday (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Eastern U-S & Canada: Utility Linemen Brave Cold, Ice to Restore Power (Olympian - Paywall Advisory)

Death Threats, Fistfights as Northeast U-S, Canadian Power Outages Linger (USA Today)

Some Mainers Could Be without Power Until 2014 - As thousands regain electricity, crews face harsh conditions & extensive damage in areas hit hardest by the ice storm (Portland Press-Herald, ME)
http://www.pressherald.com/news/Utility_crews_back_to_work__but_roughly_35_000_still_without_power_.html

Positions Emerge Ahead of 2014 Columbia River Treaty Deadline (Revelstoke Times-Review, BC)

Avista Fund: Being a Good Neighbor (HydroWorld)

Nuclear Safety Regulators Cite Now-Closed San Onofre Power Plant (KPBS Radio, San Diego, CA)

Northern Exposure: Canadian Hydro in the Spotlight “…Some U-S states are already working to modify their renewable portfolio standards to include hydropower imported from Canada…” (HydroWorld)

Utilities Mimic Cable with Monthly Fee to Preserve Grid (Bloomberg News)

Planning, Preparation Crucial to Storm Recovery (Electric Light & Power)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Endangered Species Act marks 40 years (Everett Herald, WA)

A King without a Crown: Chinook Vulnerable to Ocean Forces (Alaska Journal of Commerce)

Restoring Ranch Land for a Profit, & a ‘Trout Dividend’ (NY Times)

Gagged Fish-Farm Foe Takes Fight against Industry to Scotland (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

Op/Ed: An Oyster Allegory Captures Irony & Absurdity (Sacramento Bee, CA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Interior Head Sally Jewell Brings Outsider’s Perspective to Job (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Energy Adviser: Take a Long View in Terms of Renewable Energies (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Catching Rays in California, & Storing Them (NY Times)

EIA: Most New Residential Solar PV Projects in California Program Not Owned by Homeowners (Electric Light & Power)

As Solar Power Grows, Dispute Flares Over U-S Utility Bills (National Geographic Magazine)

Tennessee Valley Authority Using Tims Dam for Solar Study (Tullahoma News, TN)

Fitch Ratings: Net Metering Can Destabilize Entire Utility Industry (The Energy Collective)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Why LED Retrofits Are the ‘Trojan Horse’ of the Internet of Things (Forbes Magazine)

Governor Inslee Honors Washington State Industries That Excel in Energy Efficiency (Bonneville Power Administration)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

How is Global Warming Affecting Precipitation? New Satellite to Help Explain (Christian Science Monitor)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington State’s 2013 Climate Report Card (Crosscut Seattle)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Federal Communications Commission: Mapping Progress - Connect America Fund’s Broadband Expansion (4-Traders)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

President Obama Signs Bipartisan Budget Deal, Annual Defense Bill (Reuters)

GENERAL NEWS

Puget Sound Region’s Economy Looks to Rebound in 2014 (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

Fire Burns Part of Port Angeles Mill (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

A Computer Error Lets Travelers Book Rock-Bottom Airfares on Delta (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

South Carolina Woman Stabs Fiancé over Wedding Color Scheme

Wisconsin Has a Cheesy Solution for De-Icing Roads. Literally.

‘The Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects’: Why Richard Kurin Chose As He Did

Deer Makes Appearance at Pennsylvania Sporting Goods Store

SONG OF THE DAY

Nazareth - Love Hurts

Norah Jones & Keith Richards - Love Hurts

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.