After hibernating
during Mason County’s whopping snowstorm last month and communing with public
power supporters in a foreign land, the Energy News Digest is back. “Tanned,
rested, and ready.”
The Hot Shots edition of the Energy News Digest is available on Facebook,
and on Twitter.
To subscribe to the Energy News Digest,
email jmyer@masonpud3.org.
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Richland Nuclear
Plant Kept Under Order to Heat the Frigid Northwest (Tri-City Herald,
Kennewick, WA)
Forecast Indicates
Improved Coho Salmon Numbers in Puget Sound (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Washington State
Broadband Bill Passes Out of Committee (Washington State Wire, Olympia)
Washington State’s
Private Utilities Want More Time to Meet Green Goals (Crosscut Seattle)
Avista Starts $165
Million Smart-Meter Rollout in Spokane (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
1. Richland
Nuclear Plant Kept Under Order to Heat the Frigid Northwest
2. Avista
Starts $165 Million Smart-Meter Rollout in Spokane
3. Washington
State: Energy Companies Topped 2018 Consumer Complaint List
4. Jefferson
PUD to Offer Opt-Out for RF Meters – Commissioners to Meet with Citizens Board
5. Grant
PUD Commissioners Consider No Rate Increase for PUD Customers, Changes to Fiber
Network & Pricing
6. Because
of Snow, Snohomish PUD Estimated Some February Power Bills
7. Washington
State Senate Confirms Reappointment of Utilities & Transportation
Commission Chairman
8. Bonneville
Power Administration Adopts Settlement Agreement with Customers on Its Open
Access Transmission Tariff
9. March
20 – Kalispell, Montana Town Hall to Discuss Modernization of the Columbia
River Treaty Regime
10. Pacific
Gas & Electric Admits Its Equipment Likely Sparked California’s Most
Destructive Wildfire
11. Rick
Perry Warns Energy Grid Faces ‘Major Test’ in Coming Polar Vortex
12. Arizona:
Coal Plant Owners, Navajo Nation at Impasse over Takeover of Plant
13. Resolutions
Adopted on Grid Costs, Pole Attachments at Legislative Rally
14. Forecast
Indicates Improved Coho Salmon Numbers in Puget Sound
15. Most
Washington State Salmon Returns Predicted to be Worse than Last Year
16. Orcas
Gain Increasing Clout during Fishing Season Discussions
17. NOAA
Fisheries Issues BiOp Addressing Passage for Protected Puget Sound Salmon at
Green River Dam; Help Orcas
18. The
World Is Losing Fish to Eat as Oceans Warm, Study Finds
19. Washington
State’s Private Utilities Want More Time to Meet Green Goals
20. Bill
to Expand Hydrogen Fuel Production Unanimously Passes Washington State Senate
21. California’s
San Bernardino County Slams the Brakes on Big Solar Projects
22. Wind
Turbine Shutdowns During Polar Vortex Stoke Midwest Debate
23. Tennessee
Valley Authority Staff Sees No Need to Add Solar Capacity Until 2023
24. Washington
State Broadband Bill Passes Out of Committee
25. Microsoft
Wants Washington State to Double Down on Infrastructure & Privacy
26. 5G
for Rural America?
27. Facebook
& Telegram Are Hoping to Succeed Where Bitcoin Failed
28. Tesla
Is Closing All Its Stores So You Can Have a $35,000 Model 3
29. Washington
State Carbon Fee & Gas Tax Increase Proposed to Fund Transportation
Projects
30. What
Oregon’s Cap-&-Trade Legislation Can’t Buy
31. Lessons
of the Failure of Initiative 1631: A Political Analysis
32. Big
U-S Pension Funds Ask Electric Utilities for Decarbonization Plans
33. California
Firefighters Fan Flames with Broken Window Post
34. Oregon
School District Creates Series of Pop Song Parodies to Announce Snow Days
35. How
Well Do You Know Your Energy Terminology?
36. The
Advent of Cheap, Renewable Hydrogen is Nigh
37. Jay
Inslee Wants to Be a Presidential Candidate for the Climate-Change Era
38. Senators
Propose Bill to Extend Biodiesel, Other Expired Tax Provisions
39. Wild
Winter Weather: Gov. Brown Declares State of Emergency in Ten Oregon Counties
40. Fire,
Rain, Floods. What’s Next – River Flood Swamps 2,000 Buildings in Northern
California
41. Claim
Filed against City of Shelton over Divestiture of Solid Waste Service
42.
Boeing Grounds Tanker Jets – Air Force Worried
about Loose Tools, Debris in Airplanes
WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Gormless /GORM-luss/
Adjective - Chiefly British: lacking intelligence: stupid.
Worthless, inert mass
The mob’s gormless
intellect
We’re watching “Cop
Rock”
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1. Richland
Nuclear Plant Kept Under Order to Heat the Frigid Northwest (Tri-City Herald,
Kennewick, WA)
2.
Avista Starts $165 Million Smart-Meter Rollout
in Spokane (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
3.
Washington State: Energy Companies Topped 2018
Consumer Complaint List (South Sound Business)
4.
Jefferson PUD to Offer Opt-Out for RF Meters –
Commissioners to Meet with Citizens Board (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
5.
Grant PUD Commissioners Consider No Rate
Increase for PUD Customers, Changes to Fiber Network & Pricing (iFiberOne
News, Ephrata, WA)
6.
Because of Snow, Snohomish PUD Estimated Some
February Power Bills (My Everett News, WA)
7.
Washington State Senate Confirms Reappointment of
Utilities & Transportation Commission Chairman (Washington Utilities & Transportation
Commission)
8.
Bonneville Power Administration Adopts
Settlement Agreement with Customers on Its Open Access Transmission Tariff
(Bonneville Power Administration)
9.
March 20 – Kalispell, Montana Town Hall to
Discuss Modernization of the Columbia River Treaty Regime (Woodlands Online)
10. Pacific
Gas & Electric Admits Its Equipment Likely Sparked California’s Most
Destructive Wildfire (Los Angeles Times, CA)
11. Rick
Perry Warns Energy Grid Faces ‘Major Test’ in Coming Polar Vortex (Washington
Examiner)
12. Arizona:
Coal Plant Owners, Navajo Nation at Impasse over Takeover of Plant (Associated
Press)
13. Resolutions
Adopted on Grid Costs, Pole Attachments at Legislative Rally (American Public
Power Association)
FISH & WILDLIFE
14. Forecast
Indicates Improved Coho Salmon Numbers in Puget Sound (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
16. Orcas Gain
Increasing Clout during Fishing Season Discussions (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
17. NOAA
Fisheries Issues BiOp Addressing Passage for Protected Puget Sound Salmon at Green
River Dam; Help Orcas (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
18. The World
Is Losing Fish to Eat as Oceans Warm, Study Finds (NY Times)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
19. Washington
State’s Private Utilities Want More Time to Meet Green Goals (Crosscut Seattle)
20. Bill
to Expand Hydrogen Fuel Production Unanimously Passes Washington State Senate (Peninsula
Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
21. California’s
San Bernardino County Slams the Brakes on Big Solar Projects (Los Angeles
Times, CA)
22. Wind
Turbine Shutdowns During Polar Vortex Stoke Midwest Debate (Energy News
Network)
23. Tennessee
Valley Authority Staff Sees No Need to Add Solar Capacity Until 2023 (Utility
Dive)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
24. Washington
State Broadband Bill Passes Out of Committee (Washington State Wire, Olympia)
25. Microsoft
Wants Washington State to Double Down on Infrastructure & Privacy
(GeekWire)
26. 5G
for Rural America? (Pots & Pans)
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
27. Facebook
& Telegram Are Hoping to Succeed Where Bitcoin Failed (NY Times)
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
28. Tesla
Is Closing All Its Stores So You Can Have a $35,000 Model 3 (Axios)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
29. Washington
State Carbon Fee & Gas Tax Increase Proposed to Fund Transportation
Projects (NCW Life Channel, East Wenatchee, WA)
30. What
Oregon’s Cap-&-Trade Legislation Can’t Buy (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
31. Lessons
of the Failure of Initiative 1631: A Political Analysis (Cliff Mass Weather
Blog)
32. Big
U-S Pension Funds Ask Electric Utilities for Decarbonization Plans (Reuters)
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
33. California
Firefighters Fan Flames with Broken Window Post (Associated Press)
34. Oregon
School District Creates Series of Pop Song Parodies to Announce Snow Days
(Oregonian, Portland)
35. How
Well Do You Know Your Energy Terminology? (Bonneville Power Administration)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF
SCIENCE
36. The
Advent of Cheap, Renewable Hydrogen is Nigh (Ars Technica)
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
37. Jay
Inslee Wants to Be a Presidential Candidate for the Climate-Change Era (The New
Yorker)
38. Senators
Propose Bill to Extend Biodiesel, Other Expired Tax Provisions (Reuters)
GENERAL NEWS
39. Wild
Winter Weather: Gov. Brown Declares State of Emergency in Ten Oregon Counties
(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
40. Fire,
Rain, Floods. What’s Next – River Flood Swamps 2,000 Buildings in Northern
California (Reuters)
41. Claim
Filed against City of Shelton over Divestiture of Solid Waste Service (Mason
Web TV, Shelton, WA)
42. Boeing
Grounds Tanker Jets – Air Force Worried about Loose Tools, Debris in Airplanes
(Vancouver Columbian, WA)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Drunken Hood-To-Coast
Runner Gets Jail for Taking Honey Bucket Truck on Joy Ride & Driving over
Another Runner
Fight Over Crab Legs
Leads to Two Arrests at Huntsville Buffet
Lost Caravaggio
Painting Found in Attic Could Fetch $171 Million at Auction
Police: Stolen Rare
Coins Ended Up in Change Machines
SONG OF THE DAY
Michael Bublé – Pennies
from Heaven
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in the news
digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites
regularly, which may result in broken links.
