The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for July 22, 2015

Washington State Regulators Look at Cost of Retiring Coal Plants
Small Modular Nuclear Plants Moving Ahead, But Slowly
Pacific Power Warns Customers about New Scam
Scam Targets Cowlitz PUD Customers
Illinois Lineman Dies in Sinkhole Accident
Virginia Linemen Beat the Clock to Save Customer
Greens Urge U-S Supreme Court to Prevent Blackouts
For Top Utilities, Customer Satisfaction Hinges on Empowerment
160,000-Plus Salmon Get New Waters to Hatch amid Oregon's Weather Fears
Steelhead Hatchery Impact Study Opens for Public Comment
Sammamish Residents Win Ruling to Block Subdivision near Salmon Bearing Stream
Group Demands Change in Deschutes River Dam Operations to Protect Frog
Clallam PUD Declares Emergency to Bring Upper Fairview Water Quickly
Port Townsend City Council Declares Drought Emergency
Port Angeles City Council Decides to Ask Voters If They Approve of Adding Fluoride to Drinking Water
British Columbia: Faulty Meter Missed Millions of Cubic Meters of Water Piped to North Vancouver
Benton PUD Solar Project Tour Planned Wednesday
Op/Ed: Why Utility Ownership of Rooftop Solar Should Be Explored
Study: Pepco Is the Country’s Worst Utility at Connecting Solar Power
California ISO Approves Rules to Let Aggregated Solar, Storage into Wholesale Market
Wind Industry Wins Key Victory in Senate
Iberdrola Teams with D.C. on Largest City Wind Power Purchase in U-S History
Why Is Hewlett Packard Harnessing Wind Power?
Denmark Blows Away Wind Energy Records, While Australia Says Turbines Are Too Ugly
Florida: Walmart Seeks to Opt Out of State Energy Conservation Costs
History of the Air Conditioner
All-Cash Marijuana Businesses Push for Change in Banking Law
Colorado TV Station Puts the Kibosh on First Recreational Marijuana Ad amid Legality Questions
Why Airlines Keep Pushing Biofuels: They Have No Choice
Meanwhile in the Future: We Have Changed the Climate with Wind Turbines
Idaho Sees More School Internet Savings
Spokane County’s Fast Approval of Broadband-Boosting Towers Draws Complaint
Some Landline Users Forced to Switch to Fiber
FCC Set to Approve AT&T-DirecTV Deal
Project Brings Broadband to Parts of Northern New Mexico
Op/Ed: The Internet Is a Necessity
How NASA Won the Internet
Thirteen Instagram Marketing Tips from the Experts
Google Maps Timeline Lets You Stalk Yourself
U-S Gets Revenge against Nigerian Internet Scammers
Belfair Shooting Update: Victim & Suspect Identified
Mason County Unemployment Drops Slightly in June
In Drier Washington State, Fire Chiefs Say Wildfires Could Scorch Any City
El Niño Intensifying, Could Rival Strongest in Recorded History
New NOAA Images Show El Niño & 'The Blob' in Stark Relief

WORD OF THE DAY

Octothorpe • \AHK-tuh-thorp\ • Noun – The symbol #.

“Too many hashtags,” groused the company’s social media guru. “This fascination with the octothorpe will ruin us all.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Washington State Regulators Look at Cost of Retiring Coal Plants (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/State-regulators-look-at-cost-of-retiring-coal-plants-318057731.html

Small Modular Nuclear Plants Moving Ahead, But Slowly (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/small-modular-nuclear-plants-moving-ahead-but-slowly/402694/

Pacific Power Warns Customers about New Scam (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)

http://democratherald.com/news/local/pacific-power-warns-customers-about-new-scam/article_12ace715-14d9-52dc-80e1-406cb649d144.html

Scam Targets Cowlitz PUD Customers (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/scam-targets-pud-customers/article_d326be0e-19cc-5d48-991c-2cdced2ccc80.html

Illinois Lineman Dies in Sinkhole Accident (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/newsmakers/co-op-news-newsmakers/illinois-lineman-dies-in-sinkhole-accident/83111

Virginia Linemen Beat the Clock to Save Customer (Electric Co-op Today)

http://www.ect.coop/editors-pick/virginia-electriclinemen-beat-the-clock-to-save-member/83036

Greens Urge U-S Supreme Court to Prevent Blackouts (Washington Examiner)

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/greens-urge-supreme-court-to-prevent-blackouts/article/2568711

For Top Utilities, Customer Satisfaction Hinges on Empowerment – The new J.D. Power customer survey shows not enough to provide reliable, affordable power anymore (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/for-top-utilities-customer-satisfaction-hinges-on-empowerment/402618/

FISH & WILDLIFE

160,000-Plus Salmon Get New Waters to Hatch amid Oregon's Weather Fears (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2015/07/160k-plus-salmon-get-new-waters-to-hatch-amid.html

Steelhead Hatchery Impact Study Opens for Public Comment (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/story/tech/science/environment/2015/07/21/tokul-creek-steelhead-hatchery-environmental-impact/30495357/

Sammamish Residents Win Ruling to Block Subdivision near Salmon Bearing Stream (Seattle Times, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/eastside/sammamish-residents-win-ruling-to-block-subdivision-by-salmon-creek/

Group Demands Change in Deschutes River Dam Operations to Protect Frog (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Group-demands-change-in-dam-operations-to-protect-6397664.php

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clallam PUD Declares Emergency to Bring Upper Fairview Water Quickly (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150722/news/307229991/clallam-public-utility-district-declares-emergency-to-bring-upper

Port Townsend City Council Declares Drought Emergency – Encourages Voluntary Reduction in Water Use (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150722/NEWS/307229986/port-townsend-city-council-declares-drought-emergency-encourages

Port Angeles City Council Decides to Ask Voters If They Approve of Adding Fluoride to Drinking Water – Question will appear on Nov. 3 ballot (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20150722/NEWS/307229971/port-angeles-city-council-decides-to-ask-voters-if-they-approve-of

British Columbia: Faulty Meter Missed Millions of Cubic Meters of Water Piped to North Vancouver (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Faulty+meter+missed+millions+cubic+metres+water+piped+North/11232158/story.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Benton PUD Solar Project Tour Planned Wednesday (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2015/07/21/3660552_benton-pud-solar-project-tour.html?rh=1

Op/Ed: Why Utility Ownership of Rooftop Solar Should Be Explored (Utility Dive)

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/why-utility-ownership-of-rooftop-solar-should-be-explored/402645/

Study: Pepco Is the Country’s Worst Utility at Connecting Solar Power (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/07/21/study-pepco-is-the-countrys-worst-utility-at-connecting-solar-power/

California ISO Approves Rules to Let Aggregated Solar, Storage into Wholesale Market (American Public Power Association)

http://www.publicpower.org/Media/daily/ArticleDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=44244

Wind Industry Wins Key Victory in Senate (Washington Examiner)

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wind-industry-wins-key-victory-in-senate/article/2568706

Iberdrola Teams with D.C. on Largest City Wind Power Purchase in U-S History (Portland Business Journal, OR)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/sbo/2015/07/iberdrola-teams-with-d-c-on-largest-city-wind.html

Why Is Hewlett Packard Harnessing Wind Power? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2015/0721/Why-is-Hewlett-Packard-harnessing-wind-power

Denmark Blows Away Wind Energy Records, While Australia Says Turbines Are Too Ugly (Takepart)

http://www.takepart.com/article/2015/07/20/wind-powers-denmark-australia-says-turbines-ugly

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Florida: Walmart Seeks to Opt Out of State Energy Conservation Costs (Tampa Bay Times, FL)

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/walmart-seeks-to-opt-out-of-state-energy-conservation-costs/2238200

History of the Air Conditioner (Breaking Energy)

http://breakingenergy.com/2015/07/21/history-of-the-air-conditioner/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

All-Cash Marijuana Businesses Push for Change in Banking Law (McClatchy Syndication)

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/congress/article27507616.html

Colorado TV Station Puts the Kibosh on First Recreational Marijuana Ad amid Legality Questions (Consumerist)

http://consumerist.com/2015/07/21/colorado-tv-station-puts-the-kibosh-on-first-recreational-marijuana-ad-amid-legality-questions/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Why Airlines Keep Pushing Biofuels: They Have No Choice (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_28516524/why-airlines-keep-pushing-biofuels-they-have-no

Meanwhile in the Future: We Have Changed the Climate with Wind Turbines (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/meanwhile-in-the-future-we-have-changed-the-climate-wi-1719130408

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Idaho Sees More School Internet Savings (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jul/22/idaho-sees-more-school-internet-savings/

Spokane County’s Fast Approval of Broadband-Boosting Towers Draws Complaint (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jul/22/countys-fast-approval-of-broadband-boosting/

Some Landline Users Forced to Switch to Fiber (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

http://www.king5.com/story/money/2015/07/21/some-landline-users-forced-to-switch-to-fiber/30492069/

FCC Set to Approve AT&T-DirecTV Deal (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/07/21/fcc-set-approve-t-directv-deal/30484649/

Project Brings Broadband to Parts of Northern New Mexico (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article28082419.html

Op/Ed: The Internet Is a Necessity (Slate)

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2015/07/ada_25th_anniversary_the_internet_should_be_accessible_for_the_disabled.html

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

How NASA Won the Internet (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/how-nasa-won-the-internet-1719318683

Thirteen Instagram Marketing Tips from the Experts (Social Media Examiner)

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/13-instagram-marketing-tips-from-the-experts/

Google Maps Timeline Lets You Stalk Yourself (Gizmodo)

http://gizmodo.com/google-maps-timeline-lets-you-stalk-yourself-1719421034

U-S Gets Revenge against Nigerian Internet Scammers (Washington Examiner)

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/u.s.-gets-revenge-against-nigerian-internet-scammers/article/2568192

GENERAL NEWS

Belfair Shooting Update: Victim & Suspect Identified (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/16137

Mason County Unemployment Drops Slightly in June (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

http://masonwebtv.com/archives/16139

In Drier Washington State, Fire Chiefs Say Wildfires Could Scorch Any City (Northwest Public Radio)

http://nwpr.org/post/drier-washington-state-fire-chiefs-say-wildfires-could-scorch-any-city

El Niño Intensifying, Could Rival Strongest in Recorded History (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/07/20/el-nino-intensifying-could-rival-strongest-in-history/

New NOAA Images Show El Niño & 'The Blob' in Stark Relief (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/weather/index.ssf/2015/07/el_nino_and_the_blob_shown_in.html

DIVERSIONS

Explore the Pacific Northwest: 17 Waterfalls You May Not Know

http://www.king5.com/story/travel/destinations/explore-the-pnw/2015/07/21/explore-the-pnw-waterfalls/30468419/

Photo of Dogs Hugging Saves Them from Euthanasia

http://koin.com/2015/07/22/photo-of-dogs-hugging-saves-them-from-euthanasia/

Everyone Likes Free Office Food Because We’re All Basically Cave People

http://consumerist.com/2015/07/20/everyone-likes-free-office-food-because-were-all-basically-cave-people/

Stroke of Luck: Man Who Survived Lightning Strike Wins Lottery

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/07/22/lightning-man-lottery-canada/30506469/

SONG OF THE DAY

Leo Sayer – Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-qxCWf0SCY

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.

The Energy News Digest

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Energy News Digest for July 22, 2015

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