Friday, January 3, 2020

The Energy News Digest for January 3, 2020


The Hot Shots edition 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

Montana’s Colstrip Coal Power Plant Closing Two Units Built in 1970s (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Dena Diamond-Ott, Cowlitz PUD Commissioner, Kalama Business Owner Moving to Texas (Longview Daily News, WA)

Shepherds Flat, Oregon: Giant Wind Farm Nears Approval for New, Longer Blades (Portland Business Journal, OR)

Grant PUD Sets 2020 Schedule for Fiber-Optic Lines (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Heavy Snow for the Mountain Passes Friday Evening, & Into the Weekend (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Montana’s Colstrip Coal Power Plant Closing Two Units Built in 1970s
2.      Dena Diamond-Ott, Cowlitz PUD Commissioner, Kalama Business Owner Moving to Texas
3.      EnergyGPS Review of the Northwest Energy Coalition’s Lower Snake River Dams Power Replacement Study
4.      Link to EnergyGPS Review - PDF
5.      NW Natural Seeks $71 Million Rate Hike
6.      Missouri River Power from Upstream Dams Increases in 2019
7.      Colorado: Tri-State Members Develop Alternative Generation Plans in Their Bid to Exit the Utility’s Service
8.      The Navajo, Circled by Coal, See Jobs Vanish as Carbon Dioxide Falls
9.      Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection Order Will Lead to Massive Rate Hike, Threat to Public Power: FERC Commissioner Glick
10.   Alaska Bans Rockfish from Commercial & Personal Fishing
11.   Puffins Seen Using Tools for the First Time
12.   First Sierra Snowpack Survey a Positive for Thirsty California
13.   Shepherds Flat, Oregon: Giant Wind Farm Nears Approval for New, Longer Blades
14.   U.S. Electricity Generation from Renewables Surpassed Coal in April
15.   Portugal: The World’s Largest Floating Wind Farm Is Here
16.   Grant PUD Sets 2020 Schedule for Fiber-Optic Lines
17.   Rural Communities Taking Action to Accelerate Broadband
18.   Kirkland Firm Moves Closer to Buying Frontier Communications
19.   Tesla 2019 Sales Hit Goals, Rise Over 50% from Previous Year
20.   Everyday Weather Is Linked to Human-Caused Climate Change in New Study
21.   Ocean Cycles Thought to Drive Weather May Be a Myth
22.   Washington State Removes Online Map of Cannabis Businesses in Response to Recent Burglaries
23.   Recreational Marijuana Sales in Illinois Top Nearly $3.2 Million on First Day
24.   Exxon Mobil Australia Blasted for ‘Astoundingly Tone-Deaf’ Tweet amid Wildfires
25.   Smoke from Australia’s Horrific Wildfires, as Seen from Space
26.   Mailer Encourages Washington State Teachers to Stop Paying Their Union Dues & ‘Save Up to $1,200’
27.   Amazon Reminds Employees They Could Be Terminated for Speaking Publicly about the Company
28.   Where Republicans & Democrats Work Together to ‘Fix Congress’
29.   Heavy Snow for the Mountain Passes Friday Evening, & Into the Weekend
30.   Heavy Rain, Snow Increase Threat of Mudslides in Western Washington
31.   Travel Alert: Weekend Storm Could Bring Trouble on I-90, More Blowing Tumbleweeds in Tri-Cities
32.   No Vacancy: Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Dry Docks Busy in 2020 & Beyond
33.   Column: Boeing’s Board Shouldn’t Escape Blame in 737 Max Scandal
34.   Temporary Speed Limit Reduction Comes to SR 3 Near Belfair
35.   Don’t Abbreviate 2020 on Checks & Documents. It Could Leave You in the Lurch.

WORD OF THE DAY

Flummox • \FLUM-uks\ • Verb - Confuse

Groucho Marx had a unique talent to totally flummox his comic foils. As in this quote from Animal Crackers: “Well, Art is Art, isn’t it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east, and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce, they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Montana’s Colstrip Coal Power Plant Closing Two Units Built in 1970s (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

2.      Dena Diamond-Ott, Cowlitz PUD Commissioner, Kalama Business Owner Moving to Texas (Longview Daily News, WA)

3.      EnergyGPS Review of the Northwest Energy Coalition’s Lower Snake River Dams Power Replacement Study (Northwest RiverPartners)

4.      Link to EnergyGPS Review - PDF (Northwest RiverPartners)

5.      NW Natural Seeks $71 Million Rate Hike (Portland Business Journal, OR)

6.      Missouri River Power from Upstream Dams Increases in 2019 (Associated Press)

7.      Colorado: Tri-State Members Develop Alternative Generation Plans in Their Bid to Exit the Utility’s Service (Utility Dive)

8.      The Navajo, Circled by Coal, See Jobs Vanish as Carbon Dioxide Falls (E&E News)

9.      Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection Order Will Lead to Massive Rate Hike, Threat to Public Power: FERC Commissioner Glick (American Public Power Association)

FISH & WILDLIFE

10.   Alaska Bans Rockfish from Commercial & Personal Fishing (Associated Press)

11.   Puffins Seen Using Tools for the First Time (Gizmodo)

“CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE” – WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

12.   First Sierra Snowpack Survey a Positive for Thirsty California (Courthouse News Service)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

13.   Shepherds Flat, Oregon: Giant Wind Farm Nears Approval for New, Longer Blades (Portland Business Journal, OR)

14.   U.S. Electricity Generation from Renewables Surpassed Coal in April (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

15.   Portugal: The World’s Largest Floating Wind Farm Is Here (Gizmodo)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

16.   Grant PUD Sets 2020 Schedule for Fiber-Optic Lines (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

17.   Rural Communities Taking Action to Accelerate Broadband (Government Technology)

18.   Kirkland Firm Moves Closer to Buying Frontier Communications (Everett Herald, WA)

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

19.   Tesla 2019 Sales Hit Goals, Rise Over 50% from Previous Year (Associated Press)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

20.   Everyday Weather Is Linked to Human-Caused Climate Change in New Study (Washington Post)

21.   Ocean Cycles Thought to Drive Weather May Be a Myth (Courthouse News Service)

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

22.   Washington State Removes Online Map of Cannabis Businesses in Response to Recent Burglaries (Marijuana Business Daily)

23.   Recreational Marijuana Sales in Illinois Top Nearly $3.2 Million on First Day (USA Today)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

24.   Exxon Mobil Australia Blasted for ‘Astoundingly Tone-Deaf’ Tweet amid Wildfires (Yahoo News)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

25.   Smoke from Australia’s Horrific Wildfires, as Seen From Space (Gizmodo)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

26.   Mailer Encourages Washington State Teachers to Stop Paying Their Union Dues & ‘Save Up to $1,200’ (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

27.   Amazon Reminds Employees They Could Be Terminated for Speaking Publicly about the Company (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)

28.   Where Republicans & Democrats Work Together to ‘Fix Congress’ (Christian Science Monitor)

GENERAL NEWS

29.   Heavy Snow for the Mountain Passes Friday Evening, & Into the Weekend (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

30.   Heavy Rain, Snow Increase Threat of Mudslides in Western Washington (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

31.   Travel Alert: Weekend Storm Could Bring Trouble on I-90, More Blowing Tumbleweeds in Tri-Cities (Tri-City Herald, WA)

32.   No Vacancy: Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Dry Docks Busy in 2020 & Beyond (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton – Paywall Advisory)

33.   Column: Boeing’s Board Shouldn’t Escape Blame in 737 Max Scandal (Los Angeles Times, CA)

34.   Temporary Speed Limit Reduction Comes to SR 3 Near Belfair (Washington State Department of Transportation)

35.   Don’t Abbreviate 2020 on Checks & Documents. It Could Leave You in the Lurch. (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

A Family Thought They Were Just Baking a Pizza. Then They Found a Snake Inside Their Oven

Body Found in Idaho Cave More Than 40 Years Ago Identified as Outlaw Who Escaped Jail in 1916

Marriage-Proposal Fireworks Cause Panic, Theater Evacuation

‘On the Farm Again’ Woman Makes Hay Replica of Willie Nelson

SONG OF THE DAY

The Clash – I Fought the Law

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.