Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Energy News Digest for September 23, 2015

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

Weather Forecast for September 23, 2015

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Columbia River at a Six-Year Low but Trending Upward, River Forecasters Say (Oregonian, Portland)

Portland General Electric Could Join CAISO Energy Imbalance Market (Utility Dive)

Benton PUD to Start Second Community Solar Project (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Solar Supplier with Moses Lake Plant Warns of Big Layoffs if Trade Dispute Drags on Longer (Northwest Public Radio)

Washington State Begins Writing Stricter Greenhouse Gas Rules for Utilities, Industry (Utility Dive)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
  • Portland General Electric Could Join CAISO Energy Imbalance Market
  • Backup for Wind: Perennial Wind Chaser Catches Key Permit for Natural Gas Plan
  • Tacoma Public Utilities Director Keeps His Job after City Council’s 7-1 Vote
  • Bonneville Power Administration Recognized for Stewardship in Rights-Of-Way
  • Fitch Rates Energy Northwest's Bonds 'AA'; Outlook Stable
  • Op/Ed: Are We Headed for Electric Sticker Shock?
  • Record-Breaking Conference Reveals Excitement Surrounding Hydropower
  • In Sage Grouse Plan, Vision of Conservation that Industry Can Embrace
  • Columbia River at a Six-Year Low but Trending Upward, River Forecasters Say
  • Can App-Enabled Smart Meters Solve the Water Crisis?
  • Benton PUD to Start Second Community Solar Project
  • Solar Supplier with Moses Lake Plant Warns of Big Layoffs if Trade Dispute Drags on Longer
  • Oregon: Umatilla County Rejects Wind Farm Plan
  • U-S Senate Democrats Unveil Energy Bill That Restores PTC & Extends ITC
  • Negative Renewable Energy Credits for Community Solar: Market Failure or Utility Opportunity?
  • Get Your Furnace Checked before Winter Hits
  • Bill Would Protect Pot from Next President
  • Washington State Begins Writing Stricter Greenhouse Gas Rules for Utilities, Industry
  • Pope Francis Urges Action on Climate Change on Visit to U-S
  • Build a Solar-Powered School in Rural Kenya – In 48 Hours
  • Solar War Heats Up: Sunrun Wants S.F. Giants to Dump Pacific Gas & Electric
  • Community-Based Telecom Providers Recognized for Delivering Gigabit Broadband
  • Radio Frequency Fears: Judge Largely Upholds Berkeley Cellphone Ordinance
  • Groupon to Lay Off 1,100, Close Operations in Six Countries
  • Facebook's Instagram Hits 400 Million Users
  • Here Is an Hour-By-Hour Breakdown of When People Post on Instagram
  • State Corrections Secretary Quits after Four Years on Job
  • One Injured in Crash on 101 near Highway 3
  • Port of Allyn Backs Out of Theler Center Proposal
  • Not Guilty Pleas from Men Shot by Olympia Police Officer
  • Kam Chancellor Ends Holdout, Returns to Seahawks
  • Volkswagen CEO Resigns amid Emissions Violation Scandal
  • Drug Company to Cut 5,000% Price Raise after Criticism
WORD OF THE DAY

Bluster • \BLUSS-ter\ • Verb – 1: to talk or act with noisy swaggering threats 2 a: to blow in stormy noisy gusts b: to be windy and boisterous

At about three this morning, Ephram’s blustering monologue about the comparative cultural value of “Three’s Company” versus “Joanie Loves Chachi” was drowned out by a blustery storm that dumped torrential rain down his blabbering, gaping maw.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Portland General Electric Could Join CAISO Energy Imbalance Market (Utility Dive)

Backup for Wind: Perennial Wind Chaser Catches Key Permit for Natural Gas Plan (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

Tacoma Public Utilities Director Keeps His Job after City Council’s 7-1 Vote (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA - Paywall Advisory)

Bonneville Power Administration Recognized for Stewardship in Rights-Of-Way (Bonneville Power Administration)

Fitch Rates Energy Northwest's Bonds 'AA'; Outlook Stable (MarketWatch)

Op/Ed: Are We Headed for Electric Sticker Shock? (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Record-Breaking Conference Reveals Excitement Surrounding Hydropower (Renewable Energy World)

FISH & WILDLIFE

In Sage Grouse Plan, Vision of Conservation that Industry Can Embrace (Christian Science Monitor)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Columbia River at a Six-Year Low but Trending Upward, River Forecasters Say (Oregonian, Portland)

Can App-Enabled Smart Meters Solve the Water Crisis? (Reviewed.com)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Benton PUD to Start Second Community Solar Project (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Solar Supplier with Moses Lake Plant Warns of Big Layoffs if Trade Dispute Drags on Longer (Northwest Public Radio)

Oregon: Umatilla County Rejects Wind Farm Plan (East Oregonian, Pendleton)

U-S Senate Democrats Unveil Energy Bill That Restores PTC & Extends ITC (Renewable Energy World)

Negative Renewable Energy Credits for Community Solar: Market Failure or Utility Opportunity? (Utility Dive)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Get Your Furnace Checked before Winter Hits (WLUC-TV, Negaunee, MI)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

Bill Would Protect Pot from Next President (Associated Press)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Begins Writing Stricter Greenhouse Gas Rules for Utilities, Industry (Utility Dive)

Pope Francis Urges Action on Climate Change on Visit to U-S (British Broadcasting Corporation)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Build a Solar-Powered School in Rural Kenya – In 48 Hours (Christian Science Monitor)

Solar War Heats Up: Sunrun Wants S.F. Giants to Dump Pacific Gas & Electric (SF Chronicle)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Community-Based Telecom Providers Recognized for Delivering Gigabit Broadband (Fierce Telecom – The only Washington State provider on this list is “Toledo Tel”? Really?)

Radio Frequency Fears: Judge Largely Upholds Berkeley Cellphone Ordinance (Associated Press)

MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA

Groupon to Lay Off 1,100, Close Operations in Six Countries (Washington Post)

Facebook's Instagram Hits 400 Million Users (USA Today)

Here Is an Hour-By-Hour Breakdown of When People Post on Instagram (AdWeek)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

State Corrections Secretary Quits after Four Years on Job (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

One Injured in Crash on 101 near Highway 3 (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

Port of Allyn Backs Out of Theler Center Proposal (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Not Guilty Pleas from Men Shot by Olympia Police Officer (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Kam Chancellor Ends Holdout, Returns to Seahawks (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

Volkswagen CEO Resigns amid Emissions Violation Scandal (Consumerist)

Drug Company to Cut 5,000% Price Raise after Criticism (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Kick Off the Fall Season with a Total Super Moon Eclipse this Sunday

Who, What, Why: What is an equinox? (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Yankees Hall of Fame Catcher Yogi Berra Dies at 90

Yogi Berra's 50 Greatest Quotes

‘Happy Birthday’ Copyright Invalidated by Judge

SONG OF THE DAY

Sarah Vaughan - How High the Moon

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.