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☆ 700 passengers were left stranded and without toilets for 8 hours after a Eurostar train broke down
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hundreds of passengers traveling to Amsterdam were stuck on a Eurostar train in London for hours. AdvertisementSome 700 passengers were left stranded after a Eurostar train broke down 30 minutes after leaving London's St Pancras station on Thursday, reported the BBC. Ben Williams, a passenger on the train, told The Independent that four or five hours after the train broke down, passengers were each offered one free item of food. AdvertisementIt's not the first time passengers were left stranded after a train broke down. In August 2022, passengers were stranded in the undersea Eurotunnel for five hours after a Le Shuttle train broke down.

Persons: —, Ben Williams, Ashleigh Furlong, Furlong Organizations: Eurostar, Service, London's St Pancras, BBC, Independent, Politico, Business, Amtrak, Le Shuttle Locations: Amsterdam, London, London's St, England, France, St Pancras

☆ How Cape Town is learning to live with baboons
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Callum Sutherland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —On the outskirts of Cape Town an unusual resident can often be found rummaging through rubbish bins and around back yards. Baboon researcher Esme Beamish, from Cape Town University’s Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, explains that it makes sense for the monkeys to venture into the city in search of food. “Even if we had the perfect baboon proofing of urban areas, they would still be attracted.”Baboons overlooking Cape Town. Baboons raid a tourist's car on the outskirts of Cape Town. The initial plans suggest erecting fences at a number of sites along the top of Cape Peninsula, a natural habitat for the animals, and more fences have been proposed along the edge of suburbs in west Cape Town.

Persons: Esme Beamish, ”, Beamish, They’ve, Schalk van, Jenni Trethowan, ‘ Organizations: CNN, Cape Town University’s Institute for Communities, Wildlife Locations: Cape Town, Africa, Town’s, Cape, Cape Peninsula

☆ Remote mountain Kingdom of Bhutan is operating secret, state-owned Bitcoin mining facilities, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Forbes said it had identified the sites of four secret, state-owned Bitcoin mining facilities in Bhutan. El Salvador is the only other country known to operate state-owned Bitcoin mining facilities. AdvertisementThe Kingdom of Bhutan has secretly developed a series of bitcoin mining facilities, a Forbes investigation has revealed. Other images also show high-capacity power lines and transformers running from Bhutan's hydroelectric plants to the mining sites, Forbes reported. The Dochula Pass is a Bhutanese mountain pass located on the road from Thimphu to Punakha, near where one of the mining facilities has been discovered.

Persons: Forbes, —, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Organizations: Service, Forbes, Labs, Google, Education, VW Locations: Bhutan, El Salvador, Dochula, Trongsa, Thimphu, Punakha, India, Salvador

Peak electricity demand may increase by as much as 140 million kilowatts (12%) compared with winter 2022/23, the National Energy Administration (NEA) forecast on Oct. 31. Planners have been anxious to avoid a repeat of the fuel and power shortages that occurred in the autumn and winter of 2021/22. Chartbook: China electricity generationIn the first ten months of 2023, domestic coal production increased by 144 million tonnes (11%) and imports by 154 million tonnes (67%) compared with the prior year. The NEA said power generators’ inventories should be maintained at 200 million tonnes, up from 170 million tonnes a year ago. In the same period, domestic gas production increased by 8 million tonnes (6%), while liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports rose by 6 million tonnes (12%) and pipeline imports increased by 2 million tonnes (5%).

Persons: Tingshu Wang, John Kemp, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, National Energy Administration, Planners, NEA, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Yanqing district, Beijing, China, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, Chartbook, Guangdong, Hainan

☆ I'm an American spending Thanksgiving as a combat nurse under fire on the frontline in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Rebekah Maciorowski, 28, traveled to Ukraine in March 2022 to volunteer as a combat nurse. She will spend Thanksgiving on the frontline and plans on staying in Ukraine until the war is won. Rebekah Maciorowski | @bekamaciorowskiThere is no standardized testing when it comes to supplies, which has been a huge problem for me. 53rd Mechanized BrigadeThere was an anonymous gentleman who wrote a check for $2,000 for tactical medical supplies. And because I'm not a 501(c) organization, he gave it to this other organization and wrote them a handwritten letter explaining these are for medical supplies for Rebekah Maciorowski.

Persons: Rebekah Maciorowski, —, didn't, there's, tourniquets, @bekamaciorowski, I've, they'll, I'd, she's, I'm, we're Organizations: Service, Ukrainian, Health, Marines, Rockets, 53rd Mechanized Brigade Locations: Ukraine, Denver , Colorado, Donbas, Donetsk, Luhansk Oblast, Guyana, Mexico, Ecuador

☆ Ukraine says Russian troops focusing on Bakhmut in the east
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The officials said Ukraine's troops had also achieved some success after crossing to the east bank of the Dnipro River in southern Kherson region. Russia has concentrated on Ukraine's eastern regions after failing to move on Kyiv in the early days after the February 2022 invasion. Volodymyr Fityo, a spokesperson for Ukrainian ground forces, said Russian troops focused attacks on Klishchiivka, a nearby village on heights retaken by Ukrainian forces in September. Russian accounts said Moscow's forces had beaten back more than 30 Ukrainian attacks in and around Bakhmut in the past week. Two drivers were killed when Russian forces shelled a private transport company parking lot in Kherson, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Persons: Volodymyr Fityo, Fityo, Serhiy Zgurets, Zgurets, Maksym Morozov, Espreso, Andriy Kovaliov, Oleksandr Prokudin, Serhiy Lysak, Dan Peleschuk, Yuliia, Ron Popeski, Stephen Coates Organizations: Kherson Regional, Administration, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, Russian Defence Ministry, Reuters, Interior Ministry, Thomson Locations: Kherson, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Dnipro, Russia, Kyiv, Donetsk, Ukrainian, Russian, Klishchiivka, Kupiansk, Ukraine's, Avdiivka, Kherson region, Dnipropetrovsk, Nikopol

☆ PG&E Wins Approval to Bury More Than 1,200 Miles of Power Lines
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Katherine Blunt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Workers preparing in September to bury electrical wire underground at a high-risk wildfire area in California. Photo: Preston Gannaway for The Wall Street JournalCalifornia regulators on Thursday gave PG&E approval to bury hundreds of miles of power lines to reduce wildfire risk in coming years, but the amount fell short of the company’s full request. The California Public Utilities Commission voted to allow company to bury 1,230 miles of power lines between 2023 and 2026 in a process known as undergrounding. The company, whose power lines have ignited numerous deadly fires in recent years, had requested permission to bury roughly 2,000 miles over that period to essentially eliminate fire risk on those circuits.

Persons: Preston Gannaway Organizations: Wall Street Journal, California Public Utilities Commission Locations: California, Wall Street Journal California

All three candidates vying to win the Feb. 14 election in Southeast Asia's largest economy have said they will prioritise cleaning up the power sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To do that, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto and former provincial governor Ganjar Pranowo, running neck-and-neck in recent surveys, would consider ending state-run Perusahaan Listrik Negara's (PLN) monopoly in order to allow renewable power producers to sell directly to customers. Former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, trailing in opinion polls, has called for improved leadership for the power sector but has not proposed breaking up PLN's monopoly. Proponents argue that opening the sector would accelerate adoption of renewables, as independent power producers will be incentivised to offer green power to companies pledging carbon neutrality. Agam, from the climate consultancy, said delaying renewable power to companies could mean lost investment.

Persons: Prabowo Subianto, Dita Alangkara, Ganjar Pranowo, Anies Baswedan, Agam Subarkah, Alexander Sonny Keraf, PLN, Prabowo, Eddy Soeparno, Soeparno, Gayatri Suroyo, Ananda Teresia, Stefanno Sulaiman, Stanley Widianto, Tony Munroe, Miral Organizations: Indonesia's Defense, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Defence, Former Jakarta, Cendekia, POWER WHEELING Ganjar, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights JAKARTA, Southeast Asia's

☆ South Florida storm dumps more than a foot of rain
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Rich Mckay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 16 (Reuters) - A fierce storm packing hurricane-force wind gusts dumped more than a foot (30.5 cm) of rain on parts of South Florida on Thursday, flooding homes and streets, downing power lines and trees and leaving tens of thousands of homes and business without power. The storm, which started on Wednesday, dropped almost 14 inches of rain from Key Largo to Fort Lauderdale while wind gusts topped out at 86 mph (136 kph), the U.S. National Service said on Thursday. "The worst is over for South Florida, but they'll still see two to four inches today before it's over," David Roth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said on Thursday. The system will also bring two to four inches of precipitation to Central Florida, he said, before the storm moves north to the Carolinas in the evening and into Friday. The severity and frequency of major storms affecting the U.S. in recent years is linked to global warming.

Persons: they'll, David Roth, Roth, Rich McKay, Marguerita Choy Organizations: U.S . National Service, Dade, National Weather Service, Carolinas, Thomson Locations: South Florida, Largo, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Broward, Palm Beach, Central Florida, Atlanta

☆ South Florida drenched by hurricane-force rains
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

A fierce storm packing hurricane-force wind gusts dumped more than a foot of rain on parts of South Florida on Thursday, flooding homes and streets, downing power lines and trees and leaving tens of thousands of homes and business without power.

Locations: South Florida

But consumer advocacy groups complained, arguing PG&E could save ratepayers money and still reduce wildfire risk by putting a protective covering over the power lines instead of burying them. Commissioners decided to let PG&E bury 1,230 miles (1,979 kilometers) of power lines, which would be $1.7 billion cheaper than PG&E's proposal. For low-income customers who qualify for discounted rates, PG&E said typical monthly bills will increase by $21.50 next year, followed by a $3 per month increase in 2025 before decreasing by $5.50 per month in 2026. The turning point for PG&E came in 2018 when a windstorm knocked down one of its power lines in the Sierra Nevada foothills that started a wildfire. The company has pledged to bury 10,000 miles (16,093 kilometers) of power lines over the next decade.

Persons: ”, John Reynolds, Patti Poppe, undergrounding powerlines, Gavin Newsom, ratepayers, Darcie Houck, Cheryl Maynard Organizations: Pacific Gas & Electric, California Public Utilities Commission, Reform Network, E, Democratic Gov, & $ Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California, Sierra Nevada

☆ California regulator allows PG&E rate hike for wildfire mitigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The state's biggest utility, PG&E, serves more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. The APD set the 2023 revenue requirement at $13.52 billion, reflecting an 11% increase from 2022. According to the regulator, customers would see an increase of $32.62 on their bills, compared with PG&E's request of $38.73. One of the main wildfire mitigation efforts PG&E has been undertaking is undergrounding, or burying power lines. This lessens the need for public safety power shutoffs — a last resort during dry, windy conditions to reduce the risk of sparking a wildfire.

Persons: Seher, Shilpi Majumdar Organizations: California Public Utilities Commission, Pacific Gas, E, Thomson Locations: Northern, Central California, powerlines, Bengaluru

☆ Make America Build Again
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +37 min

America is the sixth-most-expensive place in the world to build subways and trolleys. The solutions will cost trillions of dollars and require a pace of building unseen in America since World War II. Perhaps the single most pressing question we face today is: How do we make America build again? "For this class of projects, federal environmental laws are more the exception." The prospect of overhauling our hard-won environmental laws might feel like sacrilege to anyone who cares about the Earth.

Persons: Anne, Marie Griger's, Griger, —, They're, Obama, I'm, we've, We've, I'd, It's, Matt Harrison Clough, Jamie Pleune, AECOM, Joe Biden's, There's, David Adelman, David Spence, Spence, James Coleman, NECA, Coleman, everyone's, Danielle Stokes, Nobody, Bill McKibben, Mother Jones, McKibben, Michael Gerrard, Columbia University —, they've, David Pettit, it's, Zachary Liscow, That's who's, Adam Rogers Organizations: RES Group, Environmental, Infrastructure Investment, Jobs, Land Management, Forest Service, University of Utah, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Brookings, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, White, University of Texas, Greenpeace, Natural Resources Defense Council, Act, NEPA, Berkeley, University of California, University of Southern, Southern Methodist University, Ecosystems Conservation, GOP, Biden, Motorola, Telecommunications, Conservatives, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, University of Richmond, UC Berkeley, USC, Star, Sabin, Climate, Columbia University, Natural Resources Defense, Republicans, Democrats, Management, Budget, Yale Law School Locations: Panama, Colorado, . California, Los Angeles, San Francisco, China, America, Washington, , Wyoming, Nantucket, New England, San Francisco ., University of Southern California, California, New York, Florida, Southern California, Las Vegas

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arson was the cause of a massive weekend fire that charred and indefinitely closed a vital section of a Los Angeles freeway, causing major traffic headaches for hundreds of thousands of commuters, California authorities said. Los Angeles residents were urged to avoid travel to the area Monday and to work from home if possible. Ertugrul Taciroglu, chair of the civil and environmental engineering department at the University of California, Los Angeles, said part of the challenge is how expensive real estate has become. The city and county of Los Angeles in 2020 agreed to provide housing for almost 7,000 people living under freeways and near exit and entrance ramps. Associated Press writer Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, “, ” Newsom, Crews shored, Joe Biden, Karen Bass, ” Bass, Newsom, ”, it’s, Shailen Bhatt, we’re, ” Bhatt, Blair Besten, Kristin Crowley, Daniel Berlant, They’ve, Mainak, ” D’Attaray, Ertugrul Taciroglu, ___ Watson, Christopher Weber, McMurray Organizations: ANGELES, Gov, ” LA, Associated Press, Business, Flames, California Fire, Apex Development, Inc, University of California, Transportation Locations: Los Angeles, California, LA, Long Beach, Angelenos, ”, Angeles, Philadelphia, downtown, She’s, —, San Diego, Chicago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles motorists should expect traffic snarls during the Monday commute as crews assess how much damage was caused by a raging fire over the weekend that closed a major elevated interstate near downtown, officials said. Commuters were urged to work from home or take public transportation into downtown Los Angeles. Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon and directed the state Department of Transportation to request assistance from the federal government. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she had also talked with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg about any additional resources that may be needed. California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin said storage yards under highways are common statewide and across the country.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, ” Newsom, Kristin Crowley, Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Transportation Pete Buttigieg, ”, Transportation Toks, Bass Organizations: ANGELES, Gov, Patrol, Flames, Department of Transportation, Los Angeles Mayor, U.S, Transportation, Sunday Locations: Los Angeles, Alameda Street, Santa Fe, California

“It was really beautiful native forest,” said JC Watson, the manager of the Koolau Mountains Watershed Partnership, which helps take care of the land. Hawaii’s native plants evolved without encountering regular fires and fire is not part of their natural life cycle. There are cultural losses when native forest burns. They'll devise a restoration plan that will include invasive species control and planting native species. “There has been a huge uptick in the last 10 years, largely in Waianae range, which is the western and drier portion of the island,” Gon said.

Persons: ”, JC Watson, “ It’s, ” Watson, Sam ’ Ohu Gon III, Kristen Oleyte, Velasco, Watson, Gon, “ It’ll, “ It's, — Organizations: Conservancy, Wildlife, U.S ., Fish, Wildlife Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Firefighters Locations: HONOLULU, Hawaii, Oahu, Lahaina, U.S, Honolulu, Central Oahu

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles motorists should expect traffic snarls indefinitely as crews assess how much damage was caused by a raging fire that closed a major elevated interstate near downtown, officials said Sunday. Commuters were urged to work from home or take public transportation into downtown Los Angeles. Newsom declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon and directed the state Department of Transportation to request assistance from the federal government. California Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin said storage yards under highways are common statewide and across the country. At least 16 homeless people living underneath the highway were evacuated and brought to shelters, Mayor Karen Bass said.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, ” Newsom, Kristin M, Crowley, Newsom, ”, Transportation Toks, Karen Bass, Bass Organizations: ANGELES, Gov, Patrol, Flames, Fire, Department of Transportation, Sunday, Transportation Locations: Los Angeles, Alameda Street, Santa Fe, California

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A major highway near downtown Los Angeles was closed in both directions Saturday after a fire rampaged through storage lots underneath it. The California Department of Transportations sent personnel to inspect the highway, with detours established to ease snarled highway traffic. Interstate 10, which runs east-west, was closed near downtown Los Angeles for at least 24 hours into Sunday, authorities said. The fire department said the blaze burned through trailers, wood pallets and other things in storage lots on both sides of the highway, though firefighters successfully safeguarded three nearby commercial buildings. Political Cartoons View All 1240 ImagesFire department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said there were no injuries reported from the fire, which was mostly extinguished by late morning.

Persons: detours, hasn't, Margaret Stewart Organizations: ANGELES, California Department, Transportations Locations: Los Angeles

☆ The Tunnels of Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Marco Hernandez | Josh Holder | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

The Tunnels of Gaza How the subterranean maze below the Gaza Strip works. Gaza City Residential buildings Entrance in the basement About 65 ft underground Vent shaft Vent shaft Ammunition storage Tunnel network Gaza City Residential buildings Entrance in the basement About 65 ft underground Ammunition storage Tunnel network Gaza City Residential buildings Entrance in the basement About 65 ft underground Ammunition storage Tunnel network Gaza City Residential buildings Entrance in the basement About 65 ft underground Vent shaft Ammunition storage Tunnel networkThe Gaza Strip has all the harrowing pitfalls soldiers have learned to expect from urban warfare: high-rise ambushes, truncated lines of sight and, everywhere, vulnerable civilians with nowhere to hide. The Hamas militants who launched a bloody attack on Israel last month have built a maze of hidden tunnels some believe extend across most if not all of Gaza, the territory they control. The source material includes photographs taken inside the passageways by journalists, accounts from researchers who study the tunnels, and details of the network that emerged from Israeli forces when they invaded Gaza in 2014. Smuggling tunnels These tunnels have been documented in the Rafah area, where they are used to bring all types of goods and products into Gaza from Egypt.

Persons: Marco Hernandez, Benjamin Netanyahu, Wood, John W, Spencer, ”, Ahron Bregman, Bregman Organizations: Hamas, Livestock, U.S . Military, Institute, Modern Warfare, King's College London Locations: Gaza, Gaza City, Israel, Egypt, Rafah, Marco Hernandez Israeli

☆ World’s first whole eye and partial face transplant gives Arkansas man new hope
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Video Ad Feedback Arkansas man receives world's first whole eye surgery 03:32 - Source: CNN Your Health 16 videos Video Ad Feedback Arkansas man receives world's first whole eye surgery 03:32 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Taking more naps could change your brain size 02:35 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback This highly sought after skill could actually be bad for your health 02:29 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback These common walking mistakes can ruin a good thing 01:57 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Nearly 40% of dementia cases can be prevented with one small health change 02:13 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Want to live longer? Follow these tips from 'blue zones' 02:35 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback Here's why your allergies are getting worse and lasting longer 02:00 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback The murky science behind cold water immersion 03:11 Now playing - Source: CNN Video Ad Feedback He wanted to end his life at 15. After an accident at work led to the loss of his left eye and part of his face, Aaron was given a new window to his soul, as well as a partial face transplant. No medical team in the world had previously performed a successful human eye transplant in a living patient. Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez, director of the Face Transplant Program at NYU Langone Health, performs the whole-eye and partial face transplantation surgery.

Persons: James, Aaron James, Aaron, Meagan peered, ” Meagan, “, Eduardo Rodriguez, “ That’s, ” Aaron, Meagan, Allie, ”, ’ Meagan, ” Allie, ’ ”, NYU Langone Health —, Rodriguez, ” Rodriguez, it’s, ’ ” Aaron, José, Alain, ” Aaron James, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Oren Tepper, Tepper Organizations: CNN, NYU Langone Health, NYU, Health, Texas, American Academy of Ophthalmology, Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, CNN Health, Montefiore Health Locations: New Jersey, New York, Arkansas, Mississippi, Dallas, Dallas , Texas, Texas, Turkey

James is recovering well from the dual transplant last May and the donated eye looks remarkably healthy. Whatever happens next, James' surgery offers scientists an unprecedented window into how the human eye tries to heal. The hurdle is how to regrow the optic nerve, although animal studies are making strides, Goldberg added. James’ optic nerve clearly hasn't healed. Yet when light was flashed into the donated eye during an MRI, the scan recorded some sort of brain signaling.

Persons: Aaron James ’, James, ” James, there’s, ”, “ We’re, Eduardo Rodriguez, Rodriguez, James ’, Jeffrey Goldberg, Goldberg, ” Goldberg, Allie, “, Meagan James, Vaidehi Dedania, Steven Galetta, David Klassen, “ we’re Organizations: — Surgeons, NYU Langone Health, NYU, Associated Press, Stanford University, United Network, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Springs , Arkansas, U.S

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s intelligence agency took credit for a car bombing Wednesday that killed a member of the Russia-backed authority in the illegally annexed Luhansk region. He had survived a car bombing on Feb. 21, 2022, three days before Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It said that the killing was a warning that “traitors to Ukraine and collaborators with terrorist Russia in temporarily occupied territories … will receive just retribution! Russia-backed insurgents declared a separatist Luhansk People’s Republic in 2014 and fought Ukrainian forces relying on Moscow’s military and political support. The previous government was a staunch supporter of Ukraine, sending it arms worth 671 million euros ($717 million).

Persons: Mikhail Filiponenko, Filiponenko, Robert Fico, Fico, ___ Karel Janicek, Yuras Organizations: Local, Main Intelligence, Ministry of Defense, European Union Locations: KYIV, Ukraine, Russia, Luhansk, Luhansk People’s Republic, Donetsk, Bahatyr, Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Kherson, Beryslav, Prague, Tallinn, Estonia, russia, ukraine

☆ Maine votes to keep investor-owned electricity companies in charge of the energy grid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

It is not the first time that Mainers' push for a publicly owned energy grid has failed. In 1973, voters struck down the creation of a Maine Power Authority, which would have put the power supply in the state's hands. Janet Mills vetoed a bill from the state legislature to establish Pine Tree Power. In New York, the Long Island Power Authority has run the power grid of Long Island since 1986. Despite having a roughly 70-year-old public power grid, Nebraska still relies heavily on coal.

Persons: Janet Mills, Willy Ritch, Judy Long, Lucy Hochschartner Organizations: Carver, Voters, Maine Power Authority, Democratic Gov, Central Maine Power, Public, Maine Affordable Energy, Versant, CNBC, Pine, Power Authority, Cooperative, Hawaiian, Publicly, London Economic, Maine's Public Utilities Commission Locations: South Shore, Plymouth, Avangrid, Maine, . Nebraska, Los Angeles, Seattle, Kauai, New York, Long, Nebraska, Pine

In South Burlington, the school district leases the electric buses from Highland, which also supplies equipment to recharge them and pays the electricity bills. Those bills are lower than normal because of a deal that lets Green Mountain Power, the utility serving most of Vermont, draw power from the bus batteries when demand surges. They are part of a network that also includes batteries that homeowners install to provide backup power during blackouts. In total, Green Mountain Power has access to 50 megawatts of battery storage from school buses, home batteries and other sources, said Mari McClure, the utility’s chief executive. Over time, Ms. McClure said, enough electric school buses and home batteries may be connected to the grid to stop her utility from needing to buy electricity from out-of-state power plants.

Persons: Mari McClure, McClure Organizations: Power, Electric Power Research Institute Locations: South Burlington, Highland, Vermont

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Heidi Lange was among the first to rebuild after the deadliest wildfire in California history destroyed her home in 2018 along with much of the town of Paradise. Residents have received annual premiums that near or exceed $10,000 — leaving many to wonder how they're supposed to rebuild their hard-hit community when insurance is so shockingly high for houses in an area that is supposed to be among the most affordable in California. Seven of the 12 top home-insurers in California — including Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate — have paused or restricted new business in California, saying they can’t afford to take on new clients. Carl Johnsen, a retired drywall contractor, has lived in the same house since 1979, when he moved to Paradise. The Robinsons are paying $4,500 through the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan, and $750 with another insurer for supplemental liability coverage.

Persons: — Heidi Lange, “, ”, Ricardo Lara, Michael Soller, Rex Frazier, Carl Johnsen, Johnsen doesn’t, Gene Robinson, Robinson, Lara, Soller, Kathy Ehrhart, ” Lange Organizations: FRANCISCO, Fire, Farmers Insurance, State Farm, Allstate, California’s, Insurance Department, Paradise . Farmers Insurance, Farmers, “, Personal Insurance Federation of, Robinsons, FAIR Locations: California, Paradise, Personal Insurance Federation of California, Louisiana , Texas, Florida, Chicago

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