Monday, August 10, 2020

The Energy News Digest for August 10, 2020


Thanks to the Northwest Public Power Association, The Energy News Digest is back in your inbox. The news digest will be issued weekly, on Mondays & Tuesdays. Twitter & Facebook feeds will bring you breaking news throughout the week.

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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

ConEd, Eversource Blasted By New York, Connecticut Officials After ‘Wholly Inadequate’ Storm Response (Utility Dive)

The Energy 202: Power Shut-Offs Loom for Many Americans as Coronavirus Emergency Orders Expire (Washington, Post)

Washington State Regulators Approve New Rules for Smart Meters to Protect Customer Information (Daily Energy Insider)

Upcoming La Nina Winter: Cooler & Wetter than Normal (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

Sources: As Big Ten & Pac-12 Season Cancellation Reports Swirl, Washington Cancels Mandatory Workouts (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.        ConEd, Eversource Blasted By New York, Connecticut Officials After ‘Wholly Inadequate’ Storm Response
2.        The Energy 202: Power Shut-Offs Loom for Many Americans as Coronavirus Emergency Orders Expire
3.        Washington State Regulators Approve New Rules for Smart Meters to Protect Customer Information
4.        Washington State: Snohomish County PUD Embraces ‘Smart’ Meters Despite Concerns
5.        Pacific Gas & Electric to Run Emergency Exercise to Prepare for California Wildfire Season
6.        Decline in Hydropower Hampered by Drought Will Impact California Utility Costs
7.        Wyoming: Landowner Group Files Appeal Over State’s Decision on New Coal Mine
8.        U.S. Senators Heinrich, McSally Introduce Legislation to Provide Electricity to Navajo Households
9.        South Carolina: Santee Cooper Gives Its Fired Lawyer a Golden Parachute
10.     U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette to Visit Hanford & PNNL This Week
11.     Invenergy Reaches Financial Close on Oregon Solar – The Prineville & Millican Solar Energy Centers will generate 100MW of power
12.     California: Draft Environmental Impact Report Available for Wind-Energy Project in Eastern Shasta County
13.     Court Decision Put Arizona’s Clean-Energy Regulations in Serious Doubt
14.     NorthWestern Energy Customers in Montana Can Now Choose Energy from Renewable Resources
15.     Utility-Scale Battery Storage Capacity Continued Its Upward Trend in 2018
16.     Inside Clean Energy: What’s a Virtual Power Plant? Bay Area Consumers Will Soon Find Out
17.     Idaho: First Sockeye of 2020 Arrives at the Sawtooth Basin, Run Likely Larger Than Last Year
18.     You’ll Choke at Idaho’s Ranking in New U.S. Air Study. Take a Deep Breath, Expert Says.
19.     Upcoming La Nina Winter: Cooler & Wetter than Normal
20.     Colorado: This Giant Climate Hot Spot Is Robbing the West of Its Water
21.     Why Sprawl Could Be the Next Big Climate Change Battle
22.     Does Your State Want to Cut Carbon Emissions? These Old Laws Could Be Standing in the Way.
23.     Tucson to Use Pandemic Money to Boost Wi-Fi Connectivity
24.     Rural Co-Ops Join High-Speed Internet Race as Coronavirus Fuels Demand
25.     Telemedicine Shines During Pandemic – Will the Glow Fade?
26.     Pioneer Utility Resources Acquires WordSouth
27.     Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks This Week: How You Can Catch Some ‘Shooting Stars’
28.     As COVID Talk Dominates, Fed Lawmakers Consider Energy Measures
29.     Sources: As Big Ten & Pac-12 Season Cancellation Reports Swirl, Washington Cancels Mandatory Workouts

WORD OF THE DAY

Maladroit • \mal-uh-DROYT\ • Adjective - Lacking skill, cleverness, or resourcefulness in handling situations: inept

Bill had high hopes of penetrating the impenetrable levels of security at Hasbro headquarters to steal secrets of technological advances in the game “Monopoly.” Unfortunately, his maladroit handling of each gateway gave him a “go directly to jail” card from the company’s internal security. His giveaway? His Mattel name tag.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      ConEd, Eversource Blasted By New York, Connecticut Officials After ‘Wholly Inadequate’ Storm Response (Utility Dive)

2.      The Energy 202: Power Shut-Offs Loom for Many Americans as Coronavirus Emergency Orders Expire (Washington, Post)

3.      Washington State Regulators Approve New Rules for Smart Meters to Protect Customer Information (Daily Energy Insider)

4.      Washington State: Snohomish County PUD Embraces ‘Smart’ Meters Despite Concerns (Everett Herald, WA)

5.      Pacific Gas & Electric to Run Emergency Exercise to Prepare for California Wildfire Season (Daily Energy Insider)

6.      Decline in Hydropower Hampered by Drought Will Impact California Utility Costs (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

7.      Wyoming: Landowner Group Files Appeal Over State’s Decision on New Coal Mine (Casper Tribune, WY)

8.      U.S. Senators Heinrich, McSally Introduce Legislation to Provide Electricity to Navajo Households (Los Alamos Daily Post, NM)

9.      South Carolina: Santee Cooper Gives Its Fired Lawyer a Golden Parachute (Lexington Chronicle, Sc)

10.   U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette to Visit Hanford & PNNL This Week (Tri-City Herald, WA)

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   Invenergy Reaches Financial Close on Oregon Solar – The Prineville & Millican Solar Energy Centers will generate 100MW of power (reNEWS)

12.   California: Draft Environmental Impact Report Available for Wind-Energy Project in Eastern Shasta County (Redding Record Searchlight, CA)

13.   Court Decision Put Arizona’s Clean-Energy Regulations in Serious Doubt (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ)

14.   NorthWestern Energy Customers in Montana Can Now Choose Energy from Renewable Resources (KURL-TV, Billings. MT)

15.   Utility-Scale Battery Storage Capacity Continued Its Upward Trend in 2018 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

16.   Inside Clean Energy: What’s a Virtual Power Plant? Bay Area Consumers Will Soon Find Out (Inside Climate News)

FISH & WILDLIFE

17.   Idaho: First Sockeye of 2020 Arrives at the Sawtooth Basin, Run Likely Larger Than Last Year (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

18.   You’ll Choke at Idaho’s Ranking in New U.S. Air Study. Take a Deep Breath, Expert Says. (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

19.   Upcoming La Nina Winter: Cooler & Wetter than Normal (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

20.   Colorado: This Giant Climate Hot Spot Is Robbing the West of Its Water (Washington, Post)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

21.   Why Sprawl Could Be the Next Big Climate Change Battle (National Public Radio)

22.   Does Your State Want to Cut Carbon Emissions? These Old Laws Could Be Standing in the Way. (Grist Online)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

23.   Tucson to Use Pandemic Money to Boost Wi-Fi Connectivity (Associated Press)

24.   Rural Co-Ops Join High-Speed Internet Race as Coronavirus Fuels Demand (Fox News)

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

25.   Telemedicine Shines During Pandemic – Will the Glow Fade? (Associated Press)

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

26.   Pioneer Utility Resources Acquires WordSouth (Fort Payne Times-Journal, AL)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

27.   Annual Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks This Week: How You Can Catch Some ‘Shooting Stars’ (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

28.   As COVID Talk Dominates, Fed Lawmakers Consider Energy Measures (Politico)

SICKNESS ON THE SIDELINES

29.   Sources: As Big Ten & Pac-12 Season Cancellation Reports Swirl, Washington Cancels Mandatory Workouts (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Long Distance Swimmer Gets Close-Up Look at Pod of Orcas in West Vancouver, BC

Eye Candy: More Than 50,000 Pink Flamingos Mass in France

‘Chief Mouser’ Palmerston Retires as UK’s Top Diplomatic Cat

Treasure-Hunter Finds 3,000-Year-Old Hoard in Scotland

SONG OF THE DAY

Rod Stewart – Get Back