April 2 NEC Energy News
¶ “Russia Says It Won’t Cut Off Gas Supplies Yet In Ruble Payment Row” • Russia has said it will not cut off gas exports to Europe yet in a standoff over its demand to be paid in rubles. Russian president Vladimir Putin signed a decree stating buyers must pay in rubles through Russian bank accounts. The contracts call for payment in dollars or euros. [BBC]
¶ “Russian Soldier Was Killed By ‘Radiation From Damaged Chernobyl Nuclear Plant'” • A Russian soldier died of radiation from the damaged Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine after his unit camped in a toxic forest, reports say. His unit dug trenches into radioactive mud and their trucks kicked up radioactive dust as they drove along dirt roads. [The Mirror]
¶ “Russia Accuses Ukraine Of Attacking Oil Depot” • An oil depot was set on fire in a Russian city near Ukraine in what Russia said as an attack by two Ukrainian helicopters. A video on Twitter showed a blaze near apartment blocks in Belgorod, 40 km (25 miles) from the border. Ukraine’s top security official denied his country’s forces were behind the attack. [BBC]
¶ “New Yorkers And Wildlife Are Finding Solace In The City’s Parks” • New York City’s wildlife is thriving, and that’s thanks to devoted scientists and activists who have spent decades on work bolstering robust wildlife habitats in the city’s five boroughs. New York is densely populated, but much of it’s 30,000 acres of parkland is teeming with wildlife. [CNN]
¶ “Noxious weed prickly acacia to be turned into ‘green coal’ by renewable energy company in outback Queensland” • Prickly acacia, originally from Africa, has been a multi-million-dollar problem across outback Queensland for decades, infesting prime grazing land, killing native grasslands and degrading soil health. Now it could become an energy source. [ABC]
¶ “Portugal To Speed Up Switch To Renewable Power In Wake Of Ukraine War” • Portugal aims to accelerate its energy transition to have renewable sources supply 80% of its electricity output by 2026, the government said. That is four years earlier than had been planned. The transition is being accelerated in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [Reuters]
¶ “California Snowpack Is Critically Low, Signaling Another Year Of Devastating Drought” • Snowpack in the California Sierra this winter is just 38% of normal, California water officials said, in the latest sign the state’s drought is growing more devastating by the month. Heavy snows in December were followed by months of basically no snow at all. [CNN]
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