Monday, November 2, 2020

The Energy News Digest for November 2, 2020

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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. Possible Paywall restrictions are noted in the media attribution. Now, go play.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

U.S. Senate Democrats Call on Power, Water, Telecom Giants to Halt All Utility Shutoffs (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/10/30/power-water-internet-shutoffs-congress/

Deal Falls Through to Sell Puget Sound Energy’s Stake in Montana’s Colstrip Coal Plant (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/oct/30/deal-falls-through-to-sell-puget-sound-energys-sta/

California: Pacific Gas & Electric Should Be Fined $166 Million for Botched Power Shut-Offs, Watchdog Agency Says (Los Angeles Times, CA)

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-10-30/pge-fine-recommended-power-outages

Arizona Officials Rule Utilities Must Be Carbon-Free by 2050 (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/electric-utilities-arizona-utilities-385406624077453506bea9486e6ef5fb

An $11 Trillion Global Hydrogen Energy Boom Is Coming. Here’s What Could Trigger It (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/01/how-salt-caverns-may-trigger-11-trillion-hydrogen-energy-boom-.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      U.S. Senate Democrats Call on Power, Water, Telecom Giants to Halt All Utility Shutoffs

2.      Deal Falls Through to Sell Puget Sound Energy’s Stake in Montana’s Colstrip Coal Plant

3.      Montana; NorthWestern Abandons Colstrip Bid; Utility Blames State of Washington & PSC

4.      California: Pacific Gas & Electric Should Be Fined $166 Million for Botched Power Shut-Offs, Watchdog Agency Says

5.      Two Nevada Towns Among Those Betting on ‘New Nuclear’

6.      British Columbia: When Did BC Hydro Really Know About Peace River Dam Stability Issues? Utilities Watchdog Wants to Know

7.      Avista Files Rate Proposals in Washington State That Would Not Impact Customer Bills

8.      Ohio Utility at Center of $60 Million Bribery Case Fires CEO

9.      EIA Forecasts More Residential Natural Gas Consumption This Winter Than Last

10.   Western Regional Transmission Organization – Lowering Electricity Bills in Colorado

11.   An $11 Trillion Global Hydrogen Energy Boom Is Coming. Here’s What Could Trigger It

12.   Analysis: Utah Cities Pursue 100% Net-Renewable Electricity

13.   United Kingdom’s Bid to Power Every Home Via Offshore Windfarms by 2030 at Risk

14.   Idaho’s Sockeye Salmon Run Falters Again; Experts Perplexed

15.   Washington State Salmon Management Challenged by Anglers

16.   New Research Reveals Flawed Approach to Salmon Recovery Programs - With Major Implications for Dams Debate

17.   Op/Ed: Pacific Northwest States’ Action on Columbia Basin Salmon Offer a Needed Lifeline

18.   Will Oregon See Sea Otters Again?

19.   WA State: Intended Lawsuit Over Puyallup River Artificial Turf Pollution Grows

20.   WA State: Pilchuck River Is Five Degrees Too Warm & Threatening Salmon Runs

21.   British Columbia: Three Workers Dismissed by Metro Vancouver After Fatal Incident at Cleveland Dam

22.   Long-Running Pecos River Snarl Captivates U.S. Supreme Court Again

23.   Arizona Officials Rule Utilities Must Be Carbon-Free by 2050

24.   Energy Regulator FERC Finds Itself Cornered Over Climate Change

25.   More Than 20 Million Americans to Relocate Amid Rise in Telework

26.   Rural Broadband Is an $80 Billion Problem

27.   Q&A – How LocalTel Helped Workers, Students Make the Switch to Working from Home

28.   WA State: Microsoft Buys Land Near East Wenatchee for Potential Development

29.   Baby Shark Becomes YouTube’s Most-Watched Video of All Time

30.   Asteroid Samples Tucked into Capsule for Return to Earth

31.   U.S. Supreme Court – Justice Barrett’s Confirmation & How It May Affect the Energy Industry

WORD OF THE DAY

hubris /HYOO-briss/ Noun – Exaggerated pride or self-confidence.

Hubris: he who the gods would destroy, they would first make proud.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      U.S. Senate Democrats Call on Power, Water, Telecom Giants to Halt All Utility Shutoffs (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/10/30/power-water-internet-shutoffs-congress/

2.      Deal Falls Through to Sell Puget Sound Energy’s Stake in Montana’s Colstrip Coal Plant (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/oct/30/deal-falls-through-to-sell-puget-sound-energys-sta/

3.      Montana; NorthWestern Abandons Colstrip Bid; Utility Blames State of Washington & PSC (Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MT)

https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/northwestern-abandons-colstrip-bid-utility-blames-state-of-washington-and-psc/article_80d5e290-01a5-504c-8e3b-321069772a66.html

4.      California: Pacific Gas & Electric Should Be Fined $166 Million for Botched Power Shut-Offs, Watchdog Agency Says (Los Angeles Times, CA)

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2020-10-30/pge-fine-recommended-power-outages

5.      Two Nevada Towns Among Those Betting on ‘New Nuclear’ (Nevada Current)

https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2020/10/29/two-nevada-towns-among-those-betting-on-new-nuclear/

6.      British Columbia: When Did BC Hydro Really Know About Peace River Dam Stability Issues? Utilities Watchdog Wants to Know (The Narwhal, BC)

https://thenarwhal.ca/bc-hydro-site-c-slope-instability-bcuc/

7.      Avista Files Rate Proposals in Washington State That Would Not Impact Customer Bills (Global Newswire)

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/10/30/2118041/0/en/Avista-files-rate-proposals-in-Washington-that-would-not-impact-customer-bills.html

8.      Ohio Utility at Center of $60 Million Bribery Case Fires CEO (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Ohio-utility-at-center-of-60-million-bribery-15688054.php

9.      EIA Forecasts More Residential Natural Gas Consumption This Winter Than Last (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=45716

10.   Western Regional Transmission Organization – Lowering Electricity Bills in Colorado (Mountain Town News, Arvada, CO)

https://mountaintownnews.net/2020/11/02/vibrant-clean-energy-study/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   An $11 Trillion Global Hydrogen Energy Boom Is Coming. Here’s What Could Trigger It (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/01/how-salt-caverns-may-trigger-11-trillion-hydrogen-energy-boom-.html

12.   Analysis: Utah Cities Pursue 100% Net-Renewable Electricity (Utah Policy)

https://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/25337-analysis-utah-cities-pursue-100-net-renewable-electricity

13.   United Kingdom’s Bid to Power Every Home Via Offshore Windfarms by 2030 at Risk (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/01/uks-bid-to-power-every-home-via-offshore-windfarms-by-2030-at-risk

FISH & WILDLIFE

14.   Idaho’s Sockeye Salmon Run Falters Again; Experts Perplexed (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/idaho/articles/2020-10-29/idahos-sockeye-salmon-run-falters-again-experts-perplexed

15.   Washington State Salmon Management Challenged by Anglers (KOMO-News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/wash-state-salmon-management-challenged-by-anglers

16.   New Research Reveals Flawed Approach to Salmon Recovery Programs - With Major Implications for Dams Debate (Northwest RiverPartners)

https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/11/new-research-reveals-flawed-approach-to.html

17.   Op/Ed: Pacific Northwest States’ Action on Columbia Basin Salmon Offer a Needed Lifeline (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2020/11/opinion-northwest-states-action-on-columbia-basin-salmon-offer-a-needed-lifeline.html

18.   Will Oregon See Sea Otters Again? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/02/will-oregon-see-sea-otters-again/

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

19.   WA State: Intended Lawsuit Over Puyallup River Artificial Turf Pollution Grows (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/2272833/puyallup-river-turf-lawsuit/

20.   WA State: Pilchuck River Is Five Degrees Too Warm & Threatening Salmon Runs (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/pilchuck-river-is-5-degrees-too-warm-and-threatening-salmon-runs/281-3a1a744a-3c89-481f-8f76-b880514c7161

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

21.   British Columbia: Three Workers Dismissed by Metro Vancouver After Fatal Incident at Cleveland Dam (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

https://www.timescolonist.com/three-workers-dismissed-by-metro-vancouver-after-fatal-incident-at-cleveland-dam-1.24230746

22.   Long-Running Pecos River Snarl Captivates U.S. Supreme Court Again (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/long-running-pecos-river-snarl-captivates-high-court-again/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

23.   Arizona Officials Rule Utilities Must Be Carbon-Free by 2050 (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/electric-utilities-arizona-utilities-385406624077453506bea9486e6ef5fb

24.   Energy Regulator FERC Finds Itself Cornered Over Climate Change (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andystone/2020/11/01/energy-regulator-ferc-finds-itself-cornered-over-climate-change/?sh=1504c6061793

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

25.   More Than 20 Million Americans to Relocate Amid Rise in Telework (Bloomberg News)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/nov/01/more-than-20-million-americans-to-relocate-amid-ri/

26.   Rural Broadband Is an $80 Billion Problem (Farm & Dairy)

https://www.farmanddairy.com/news/rural-broadband-is-an-80-billion-problem/636030.html

27.   Q&A – How LocalTel Helped Workers, Students Make the Switch to Working from Home (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/local/q-a-how-localtel-helped-workers-students-make-the-switch-to-working-from-home/article_cd3d8340-17c8-11eb-8158-2f7b70db50d4.html

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

28.   WA State: Microsoft Buys Land Near East Wenatchee for Potential Development (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/local/microsoft-buys-land-near-east-wenatchee-for-potential-development/article_4a82cb3a-1ad5-11eb-88f4-6bb251233b34.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

29.   Baby Shark Becomes YouTube’s Most-Watched Video of All Time (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-54783116

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

30.   Asteroid Samples Tucked into Capsule for Return to Earth (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Asteroid-samples-tucked-into-capsule-for-return-15685773.php

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

31.   U.S. Supreme Court – Justice Barrett’s Confirmation & How It May Affect the Energy Industry (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/justice-barretts-confirmation-and-how-it-may-affect-the-energy-industry/588151/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

What a Fluke: Dutch Whale Tail Sculpture Catches Metro Train

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/world_news/what-a-fluke-dutch-whale-tail-sculpture-catches-metro-train/article_625c901f-24a5-55a6-b873-e01d4a4eae60.html

Missing Thurston County Cat Reunited with Family After Being Found in Alaska

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/cat-south-sound-reunited-with-family-after-trip-alaska/CSXOWAJ2GNGM5OKFANHUTUGFVM/

Paws Over the Pacific: 600 Pets Arrive at Seattle’s Boeing Field in Large Rescue Flight Operation

https://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattlenews/article/paws-over-the-pacific-600-rescued-pets-seattle-15686424.php

Artist Adds ‘Star Wars’ to Discarded Paintings He Finds in Thrift Stores

https://mymodernmet.com/altered-thrift-store-paintings/

SONG OF THE DAY

Steve Miller Band – Jet Airliner’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPbWPxE2mDA