Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Energy News Digest for September 22, 2020

Thanks to the Northwest Public Power Association, The Energy News Digest is in your inbox.

The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring you breaking news throughout the week.

Comments or Questions? Contact the Energy News Digest editor.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Utah Lawmakers Seek Details on Planned Nuclear Plant in Idaho (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/9/19/21438026/news-nuclear-plant-in-idaho-lawmakers-seek-details-on-planned-nuscale-uamps

‘No More Wind.’ WA State Utility Questions Efficacy of Wind Farms for Power Generation (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/article245808810.html

Montana Coal Production Down 21% from Last Year (KPVI-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)

https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/montana-coal-production-down-21-from-last-year/article_268909e9-dff0-51d6-8b23-817332ceccb6.html

Fish in Oregon Hatcheries Die, Released Early as Fires Rage (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon/articles/2020-09-17/fish-in-oregon-hatcheries-die-released-early-as-fires-rage

Water Shortages in U.S. West Likelier Than Previously Thought (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/be04e1fa0008d0dbcd537148dd7f2ab0

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

1.      Utah Lawmakers Seek Details on Planned Nuclear Plant in Idaho

2.      Editorial: City Council Should Remain Committed to Small Modular Reactor Project

3.      Montana Coal Production Down 21% from Last Year

4.      GE Throws in the Towel on Coal-Fired Power

5.      Tree on Power Line Apparent Start for Washington State Fire

6.      California Is Burning: Here’s What It Means for Utilities

7.      Lewis County PUD Proposes 3.8 Percent Rate Increase to Balance 2020-21 Budget

8.      Cascade Natural Gas Rates May See Short-Term Decrease, Boost in 2021

9.      Bullying, Spying & Harassment Revealed in Montana Public Service Commission Documents

10.   Two Workers Struck by Electricity at Las Vegas Convention Center Expansion Site

11.   FERC Investigates Risk of Foreign Adversary-Supplied Bulk Power Equipment, With Focus on Huawei, ZTE

12.   ‘No More Wind.’ WA State Utility Questions Efficacy of Wind Farms for Power Generation

13.   FERC Approves Final Rule Enabling DERs to Compete in Regional Electric Markets

14.   Fish in Oregon Hatcheries Die, Released Early as Fires Rage

15.   Pikeminnow Program Extended on Columbia, Snake Rivers

16.   Open-Ocean Fish Farm Proposed Off San Diego Coast Could Be First in Federal Waters

17.   Researchers Attach Cameras to Pacific Northwest Orcas, Revealing a Marvelous Underwater World

18.   Pend Oreille PUD Receives Results of CNS Fiber Feasibility Study

19.   The U.S. Needs a Broadband Reboot

20.   Water Shortages in U.S. West Likelier Than Previously Thought

21.   Oregon Democrats Won't Try to Pass Cap & Trade in '21: Report

22.   Norway to Build $3 Billion ‘Longship’ Carbon Dioxide Capture Project

23.   Founder of GM Electric Truck Partner Quits Amid Allegations

24.   Puget Sound Energy Rolls Out First of Several Public EV Charging Stations

WORD OF THE DAY

Provocateur • \pro-vock-uh-TER\ • Noun - One who incites or stimulates another to action

After a five minute reprieve, the six year old provocateur kicking the federal marshal’s seat in economy class learned the meaning of a fully reclined airliner seat…spending the remaining three hours and 55 minutes immobilized under the back of a seat, whose magazine bin contained old “Skymall” catalogs, crumpled peanut snack bags, and what appeared to be slightly used air travel “discomfort” bags.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Utah Lawmakers Seek Details on Planned Nuclear Plant in Idaho (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/9/19/21438026/news-nuclear-plant-in-idaho-lawmakers-seek-details-on-planned-nuscale-uamps

2.      Editorial: City Council Should Remain Committed to Small Modular Reactor Project (Idaho Falls Post-Register, ID)

https://www.postregister.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-city-council-should-remain-committed-to-smr-project/article_c803c516-47f4-509a-ba00-552823c8affd.html

3.      Montana Coal Production Down 21% from Last Year (KPVI-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)

https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/montana-coal-production-down-21-from-last-year/article_268909e9-dff0-51d6-8b23-817332ceccb6.html

4.      GE Throws in the Towel on Coal-Fired Power (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/ge-throws-in-the-towel-on-coal-fired-power/

5.      Tree on Power Line Apparent Start for Washington State Fire (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2020-09-20/tree-on-power-line-apparent-start-for-washington-state-fire

6.      California Is Burning: Here’s What It Means for Utilities (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2020/09/17/california-is-burning-heres-what-it-means-for-utilities/#6b00944c6bb5

7.      Lewis County PUD Proposes 3.8 Percent Rate Increase to Balance 2020-21 Budget (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://www.chronline.com/news/lewis-county-pud-proposes-3-8-percent-rate-increase-to-balance-2020-21-budget/article_b5135468-f9fd-11ea-9467-afbe710b91ba.html

8.      Cascade Natural Gas Rates May See Short-Term Decrease, Boost in 2021 (Longview Daily News, WA)

https://tdn.com/news/local/cascade-natural-gas-rates-may-see-short-term-decrease-boost-in-2021/article_5413d43c-8086-501f-8350-2e0672249cf3.html

9.      Bullying, Spying & Harassment Revealed in Montana Public Service Commission Documents (Montana Standard)

https://mtstandard.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/bullying-spying-and-harassment-revealed-in-montana-psc-documents/article_28918174-84e8-51ba-94bf-124bb9256174.html

10.   Two Workers Struck by Electricity at Las Vegas Convention Center Expansion Site (KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV)

https://news3lv.com/news/local/two-workers-electrocuted-at-las-vegas-convention-center-expansion-site

11.   FERC Investigates Risk of Foreign Adversary-Supplied Bulk Power Equipment, With Focus on Huawei, ZTE (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-investigates-risk-of-foreign-adversary-supplied-bulk-power-equipment/585562/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

12.   ‘No More Wind.’ WA State Utility Questions Efficacy of Wind Farms for Power Generation (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/article245808810.html

13.   FERC Approves Final Rule Enabling DERs to Compete in Regional Electric Markets (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/27222-ferc-approves-final-rule-enabling-ders-to-compete-in-regional-electric-markets/?amp

FISH & WILDLIFE

14.   Fish in Oregon Hatcheries Die, Released Early as Fires Rage (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon/articles/2020-09-17/fish-in-oregon-hatcheries-die-released-early-as-fires-rage

15.   Pikeminnow Program Extended on Columbia, Snake Rivers (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/sep/18/pikeminnow-program-extended-on-columbia-snake-rivers/

16.   Open-Ocean Fish Farm Proposed Off San Diego Coast Could Be First in Federal Waters (Los Angeles Times, CA)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-09-20/open-ocean-fish-farm-proposed-off-san-diego-coast-could-be-first-in-federal-waters

17.   Researchers Attach Cameras to Pacific Northwest Orcas, Revealing a Marvelous Underwater World (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/researchers-attach-cameras-to-pacific-northwest-orcas-revealing-a-marvelous-underwater-world/

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

18.   Pend Oreille PUD Receives Results of CNS Fiber Feasibility Study (Pend Oreille PUD, Newport, WA)

https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2020/09/pend-oreille-pud-receives-results-of.html

19.   The U.S. Needs a Broadband Reboot (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/517299-the-us-needs-a-broadband-reboot

“CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE” – WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

20.   Water Shortages in U.S. West Likelier Than Previously Thought (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/be04e1fa0008d0dbcd537148dd7f2ab0

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

21.   Oregon Democrats Won't Try to Pass Cap & Trade in '21: Report (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2020/09/18/cap-and-trade-in-oregon-2021.html

22.   Norway to Build $3 Billion ‘Longship’ Carbon Dioxide Capture Project (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nilsrokke/2020/09/21/norways-18-billion-ccs-proposal-is-great-news-for-the-climate/#7e29d9f0179e

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

23.   Founder of GM Electric Truck Partner Quits Amid Allegations (Victoria Times Colonist)

https://www.timescolonist.com/founder-of-gm-electric-truck-partner-quits-amid-allegations-1.24206551

24.   Puget Sound Energy Rolls Out First of Several Public EV Charging Stations (Thurston Talks, Olympia, WA)

https://www.thurstontalk.com/2020/09/17/pse-rolls-out-first-of-several-public-ev-charging-stations/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Thailand Officials Mail Litter Left in Parks Back to Litterers

https://thehill.com/homenews/news/517371-thailand-officials-mail-litter-left-in-parks-back-to-litterers

As Demand Outstrips US Toilet Paper Supply, Imports Roll In

https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2020/0918/As-demand-outstrips-US-toilet-paper-supply-imports-roll-in?icid=rss

Inslee Brings Maggot-Infested Apples to Washington State Wildfire Zone, Breaking State Law

https://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattlenews/article/Inslee-brings-maggot-infested-apples-to-wildfire-15574937.php

Illinois Man Has Kept Richard Nixon's Unfinished Sandwich for 60 Years

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2020/09/22/Illinois-man-has-kept-Richard-Nixons-unfinished-sandwich-for-60-years/7931600792813/

SONG OF THE DAY

The Osmonds – One Bad Apple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30Cxl5bVmVU