Wednesday, September 9, 2020

The Energy News Digest for September 9, 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

Raging Wildfires Destroy Washington Town, Roar Through California, Oregon (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-wildfires/raging-wildfires-destroy-washington-town-roar-through-california-oregon-idUSKBN25Z2ZO

Blackouts Tied to Wildfires Are Spreading Beyond California (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-08/fire-related-power-cuts-spread-outside-california-for-first-time

California Governor: ‘No Patience for Climate Change Deniers’ Amid Historic Wildfires (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/09/08/newsom-no-patience-for-climate-deniers-amid-historic-heat-fires-1316014

Injured Worker Says Leaders of Skookumchuck Wind Power Project Fostered Culture of Recklessness (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/news/injured-worker-says-leaders-of-skookumchuck-project-fostered-culture-of-recklessness/article_22b9da78-ed4c-11ea-8e3b-1fe5f6e43235.html

Nevada Officials Raise Concerns About Proposed Utah Pipeline to Tap into More Colorado River Water (Nevada Independent)

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-officials-raise-concerns-about-proposed-utah-pipeline-to-tap-into-more-colorado-river-water

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.        Raging Wildfires Destroy Washington Town, Roar Through California, Oregon

2.        Blackouts Tied to Wildfires Are Spreading Beyond California

3.        Live Updates: California Wildfire Explodes in Size; Hundreds of Homes Lost in Oregon

4.        Power Outages Continue to Affect Tens of Thousands Across Oregon Wednesday as Wildfires, Evacuations Grow

5.        Pacific Gas & Electric ‘s Humboldt Power Plant is Successfully Operating in ‘Island’ Mode, Saving Thousands from Public Safety Power Shutoffs

6.        Pacific Gas & Electric Trying a New Tactic in Power Cuts to Prevent Wildfires

7.        Hazard Mapping System: Fire & Smoke

8.        Public Comment Hearing for Sale of Puget Sound Energy’s Coal-Fired Power Plant

9.        Virus Relief Helps Bring Electricity to Navajo Nation Homes

10.     Can a Multi-State Energy Grid Avert Power Outages in California?

11.     Idaho: Electrical Circuit Breakers Stolen from 43 Businesses in Twin Falls & Ada Counties

12.     Injured Worker Says Leaders of Skookumchuck Wind Power Project Fostered Culture of Recklessness

13.     Once Hot, Solar Energy Development Fizzled Before Montana Supreme Court Ruling

14.     California Offshore Winds Show Promise as Power Source

15.     City of Unalaska Inks Power Purchase Agreement for Geothermal Power

16.     Oregon Communities Using Municipal Waste to Create Their Own Clean Energy Futures

17.     Orca That Carried Dead Calf for 17 Days Gives Birth to Healthy New Baby

18.     British Columbia Fisherman Fined $8K for Throwing Explosive at Sea Lions

19.     Nevada Officials Raise Concerns About Proposed Utah Pipeline to Tap into More Colorado River Water

20.     California Governor: ‘No Patience for Climate Change Deniers’ Amid Historic Wildfires

21.     Wildfires One Sign of the ‘New Washington’ Created by Climate Change, Inslee Says

22.     Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Warns the Human Toll of Wildfires Will Be ‘Extremely Difficult’ to Bear

23.     Western Governors Take a Stance on Broadband

24.     The 5G Lie: The Network of the Future Is Still Slow

25.     FCC: Ajit Pai Touted False Broadband Data Despite Clear Signs It Wasn’t Accurate

26.     Yes, a Solar Minimum Is Coming. No, It’s Not Going to Mess Up the World

27.     NRECA Supports Bill to Keep Families Connected to Broadband Amid Pandemic

28.     Op/Ed: Congress Must Address the Coming Utility Bill Crisis

WORD OF THE DAY

Halyard • \HAL-yerd\ • Noun - A rope used to raise or lower something such as a sail or flag.

Benny’s shoulders were screaming in. The self-proclaimed captain of the tramp steamer, the “Greasy Getaway” had ordered him to spell out the opening lines of “Moby Dick” using the signal flags for the rest of the rusty flotilla of ships. The squeaking of the tackle as the halyard was pulled up and down was almost as excruciating as the aches in Ben’s shoulders.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Raging Wildfires Destroy Washington Town, Roar Through California, Oregon (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-wildfires/raging-wildfires-destroy-washington-town-roar-through-california-oregon-idUSKBN25Z2ZO

2.      Blackouts Tied to Wildfires Are Spreading Beyond California (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-08/fire-related-power-cuts-spread-outside-california-for-first-time

3.      Live Updates: California Wildfire Explodes in Size; Hundreds of Homes Lost in Oregon (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/us/fires-oregon-california-live-updates.html

4.      Power Outages Continue to Affect Tens of Thousands Across Oregon Wednesday as Wildfires, Evacuations Grow (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/09/power-outages-continue-to-affect-tens-of-thousands-across-oregon-wednesday-as-wildfires-evacuations-grow.html

5.      Pacific Gas & Electric ‘s Humboldt Power Plant is Successfully Operating in ‘Island’ Mode, Saving Thousands from Public Safety Power Shutoffs (Lost Coast Outpost, Eureka, CA)

https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2020/sep/8/pges-humboldt-power-plant-successfully-operating-i/

 

6.      Pacific Gas & Electric Trying a New Tactic in Power Cuts to Prevent Wildfires (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/PG-E-trying-a-new-tactic-in-power-cuts-to-prevent-15550676.php

7.      Hazard Mapping System: Fire & Smoke (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)

https://data.statesmanjournal.com/fires/

8.      Public Comment Hearing for Sale of Puget Sound Energy’s Coal-Fired Power Plant (The Suburban Times, Lakewood, WA)

https://thesubtimes.com/2020/09/08/public-comment-hearing-for-sale-of-pses-coal-fired-power-plant/

9.      Virus Relief Helps Bring Electricity to Navajo Nation Homes (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/b9ffecee40ba92f8f8e695d3e319ccc6

10.   Can a Multi-State Energy Grid Avert Power Outages in California? (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/energy-green/story/2020-09-06/the-debate-over-california-joining-a-region-grid-comes-back

11.   Idaho: Electrical Circuit Breakers Stolen from 43 Businesses in Twin Falls & Ada Counties (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)

https://magicvalley.com/news/local/electrical-circuit-breakers-stolen-from-43-businesses-in-twin-falls-and-ada-counties/article_d28c8708-ea72-5779-a65d-46eb6f5dec8d.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

12.   Injured Worker Says Leaders of Skookumchuck Wind Power Project Fostered Culture of Recklessness (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/news/injured-worker-says-leaders-of-skookumchuck-project-fostered-culture-of-recklessness/article_22b9da78-ed4c-11ea-8e3b-1fe5f6e43235.html

13.   Once Hot, Solar Energy Development Fizzled Before Montana Supreme Court Ruling (Billings Gazette, MT)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/once-hot-solar-energy-development-fizzled-before-montana-supreme-court-ruling/article_90f74378-283b-58b8-b3ed-c276a84134ac.html

14.   California Offshore Winds Show Promise as Power Source (Science Daily)

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200908170537.htm

15.   City of Unalaska Inks Power Purchase Agreement for Geothermal Power (KUCB Radio, Unalaska, AK)

https://www.kucb.org/post/city-unalaska-inks-power-purchase-agreement-geothermal-power#stream/0

16.   Oregon Communities Using Municipal Waste to Create Their Own Clean Energy Futures (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2020/09/04/oregon-communities-using-municipal-waste-to-create.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

17.   Orca That Carried Dead Calf for 17 Days Gives Birth to Healthy New Baby (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/southern-resident-whales-new-calf-1.5714424?cmp=rss

18.   British Columbia Fisherman Fined $8K for Throwing Explosive at Sea Lions (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-fisher-fined-tossing-explosive-sealions-1.5716662?cmp=rss

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

19.   Nevada Officials Raise Concerns About Proposed Utah Pipeline to Tap into More Colorado River Water (Nevada Independent)

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/nevada-officials-raise-concerns-about-proposed-utah-pipeline-to-tap-into-more-colorado-river-water

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

20.   California Governor: ‘No Patience for Climate Change Deniers’ Amid Historic Wildfires (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/09/08/newsom-no-patience-for-climate-deniers-amid-historic-heat-fires-1316014

21.   Wildfires One Sign of the ‘New Washington’ Created by Climate Change, Inslee Says (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article245581815.html

22.   Oregon Gov. Kate Brown Warns the Human Toll of Wildfires Will Be ‘Extremely Difficult’ to Bear (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2020/09/oregon-gov-kate-brown-warns-the-human-toll-of-wildfires-will-be-extremely-difficult-to-bear.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

23.   Western Governors Take a Stance on Broadband (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2020/09/08/western-governors-take-a-stance-on-broadband/

24.   The 5G Lie: The Network of the Future Is Still Slow (Washington, Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/09/08/5g-speed/

25.   FCC: Ajit Pai Touted False Broadband Data Despite Clear Signs It Wasn’t Accurate (Ars Technica)

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/09/ajit-pai-touted-false-broadband-data-despite-clear-signs-it-wasnt-accurate/?amp=1

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

26.   Yes, a Solar Minimum Is Coming. No, It’s Not Going to Mess Up the World (Science Alert)

https://www.sciencealert.com/we-re-about-to-experience-solar-minimum-here-s-what-that-really-means

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

27.   NRECA Supports Bill to Keep Families Connected to Broadband Amid Pandemic (National Rural Electric Coop Association)

https://www.electric.coop/nreca-supports-bill-to-keep-families-connected-to-broadband-amid-covid-19-pandemic/

28.   Op/Ed: Congress Must Address the Coming Utility Bill Crisis (Inside Sources)

https://www.insidesources.com/congress-must-address-the-coming-utility-bill-crisis/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Kitten Found Dying with Mouth Rubber-Cemented Shut Finds Home with 6-Year-Old

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/sep/08/kitten-found-dying-with-mouth-rubber-cemented-shut/

State Fair to Go Box Lets You Bring Fair Food Home

https://cw33.com/morning-after/state-fair-to-go-box-lets-you-bring-fair-food-home/

Woman Votes Topless After Being Told Anti-Trump Shirt Violates New Hampshire Law

https://news.yahoo.com/woman-votes-topless-being-told-190440876.html

John Cage, of Course – Slow Music: Chord Change in Germany of 639-Year Organ Piece

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/world_news/slow-music-chord-change-in-germany-of-639-year-organ-piece/article_b8116cea-d223-5899-9a71-62765fa29b31.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Molly Hatchet – Flirtin’ with Disaster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K_-D5B7DIg

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