Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Energy News Digest for July 25, 2018


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SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS




HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Releasing Water Over Dams Means Higher Electric Bills in Mason County (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)

Grant PUD: Priest Rapids Dam Work Progressing (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Bipartisan Letter Urges Trump to Resolve Growing Trade Dispute with China Affecting REC Silicon (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

Sequim Scientists to Study Fish Reactions to Turbines as New Partnership with University of Alaska Fairbanks (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Facebook Must End Discriminatory Ad Practice Under Deal with Washington State Attorney General (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Releasing Water Over Dams Means Higher Electric Bills in Mason County
2.      Grant PUD: Priest Rapids Dam Work Progressing
3.      Editorial: High Power Rates Still a Risk as Trump Administration Proposes Privatizing Bonneville Power Administration
4.      Op/Ed: Bonneville Power Administration Solution Sits in Risch’s Committee
5.      Powerline Down Sparks Small Fire, Large Power Outage in Spokane
6.      Governor Proposes to Ease Wildfire Financial Burdens on Pacific Gas & Electric, California’s Utilities
7.      Aging Grids Drive $51 Billion in Annual Utility Distribution Spending
8.      How Vulnerable Is the Grid to Cyberattacks, Really?
9.      Why Nuclear Power Must Be Part of the Energy Solution
10.   American Public Power Association Earns Power of Gold Award for Mutual Aid in U.S. Virgin Islands
11.   Getting the Bandwidth Back Together – Utility Needs for Radio Frequencies
12.   Sequim Scientists to Study Fish Reactions to Turbines as New Partnership with University of Alaska Fairbanks
13.   The Last Generation of Southern Resident Orcas?
14.   Op/Ed: What Will Become of Orcas If the Endangered Species Act Is Gutted?
15.   Hawaiian Killer Whales Granted Critical Habitat Protection
16.   Upper Columbia River Fishery Reopens Due to High Salmon Count
17.   Can Mussels Be the Sustainable Snack That Saves the Ocean?
18.   Bipartisan Letter Urges Trump to Resolve Growing Trade Dispute with China Affecting REC Silicon
19.   New York Utilities Outline ‘Transformative’ Uses for Blockchain
20.   Five Ways to Keep Cities Cooler During Heat Waves
21.   Dams Win in $2.5 Billion California Spending Spree
22.   Shell, BP Sign Letter Praising Bill Taxing Carbon Emissions
23.   Facebook Must End Discriminatory Ad Practice Under Deal with Washington State Attorney General
24.   Washington State Lawmaker Unblocks Constituents from His Facebook Page
25.   Cox Media Studies Sale of Seattle’s KIRO, Other TV Stations around U-S
26.   Highways Aren’t the Answer, Traffic Jams Can’t Be Stopped, Says Washington State’s Transportation Chief
27.   Frustrated by Gridlock, House Members Propose Rules Overhaul
28.   Update: Lake Nahwatzel Wildfire 70 Percent Contained
29.   Aging Lookout Towers Still Key During Fire Season in U-S West
30.   Update: Hood Canal Bridge Shooter Identified as New Jersey Man Suspected of Murder
31.   Mason County Unemployment Drops Slightly in June
32.   Seattle’s New Streetcars May Be Too Big to Fit Tracks, Maintenance Barn, Mayor’s Office Says

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU

Behemoth ● /bu-HEE-muth/ ● Noun – 1: Often capitalized: a mighty animal described in Job 40:15-24 as an example of the power of God 2: something of monstrous size, power, or appearance.

Odd protest puppet
Behemoth marshmallow man
Shouts: “S’mores are Murder.”


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES


2.    Grant PUD: Priest Rapids Dam Work Progressing (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

3.    Editorial: High Power Rates Still a Risk as Trump Administration Proposes Privatizing Bonneville Power Administration (Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA)

4.    Op/Ed: Bonneville Power Administration Solution Sits in Risch’s Committee (Idaho Falls Post-Register, ID)
http://www.postregister.com/articles/opinions/2018/07/24/guest-column-bpa-solution-sits-risch%E2%80%99s-committee

5.    Powerline Down Sparks Small Fire, Large Power Outage in Spokane (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

6.    Governor Proposes to Ease Wildfire Financial Burdens on Pacific Gas & Electric, California’s Utilities (San Francisco Business Times, CA)

7.    Aging Grids Drive $51 Billion in Annual Utility Distribution Spending (Utility Dive)

8.    How Vulnerable Is the Grid to Cyberattacks, Really? (Utility Dive)

9.    Why Nuclear Power Must Be Part of the Energy Solution (YaleEnvironment360)

10. American Public Power Association Earns Power of Gold Award for Mutual Aid in U.S. Virgin Islands (American Public Power Association)

11. Getting the Bandwidth Back Together – Utility Needs for Radio Frequencies (Politico’s Morning Energy)

FISH & WILDLIFE

12. Sequim Scientists to Study Fish Reactions to Turbines as New Partnership with University of Alaska Fairbanks (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

13. The Last Generation of Southern Resident Orcas? (KCPQ-TV, Seattle/Tacoma, WA)

14. Op/Ed: What Will Become of Orcas If the Endangered Species Act Is Gutted? (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

15. Hawaiian Killer Whales Granted Critical Habitat Protection (Courthouse News Service)

16. Upper Columbia River Fishery Reopens Due to High Salmon Count (Lens, Business Institute Of Washington)

17. Can Mussels Be the Sustainable Snack That Saves the Ocean? (Fast Company)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

18. Bipartisan Letter Urges Trump to Resolve Growing Trade Dispute with China Affecting REC Silicon (iFiberOne News, Ephrata, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

19. New York Utilities Outline ‘Transformative’ Uses for Blockchain (Utility Dive)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

20. Five Ways to Keep Cities Cooler During Heat Waves (NY Times)

WATER, THE SOURCE OF ALL LIFE

21. Dams Win in $2.5 Billion California Spending Spree (Courthouse News Service)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

22. Shell, BP Sign Letter Praising Bill Taxing Carbon Emissions (Axios)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

23. Facebook Must End Discriminatory Ad Practice Under Deal with Washington State Attorney General (Associated Press)

24. Washington State Lawmaker Unblocks Constituents from His Facebook Page (Associated Press)

25. Cox Media Studies Sale of Seattle’s KIRO, Other TV Stations around U-S (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

26. Highways Aren’t the Answer, Traffic Jams Can’t Be Stopped, Says Washington State’s Transportation Chief (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

27. Frustrated by Gridlock, House Members Propose Rules Overhaul (NY Times)

GENERAL NEWS

28. Update: Lake Nahwatzel Wildfire 70 Percent Contained (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

29. Aging Lookout Towers Still Key During Fire Season in U-S West (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)

30. Update: Hood Canal Bridge Shooter Identified as New Jersey Man Suspected of Murder (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

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

32. Seattle’s New Streetcars May Be Too Big to Fit Tracks, Maintenance Barn, Mayor’s Office Says (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

‘Married at First Sight’ Bride Arrested at Airport on Her Way to Honeymoon

Did a Fire Alarm Stop A Cardinals Rookie from Some Serious No-Hit Deja Vu?

Shortage Prompts German Brewers’ Appeal for Bottles, Crates

The Crane Who Fell in Love with a Human

SONG OF THE DAY

Tavares – Whodunit, Don’t Take Away the Music, More than a Woman, Heaven

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. There may be paywall barriers, unless you are willing to fork over some dough or if you have a clean browser history.