Wednesday, November 18, 2020

The Energy News Digest for November 18, 2020

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Historic Klamath River Deal Revives Plan for Largest US Dam Demolition (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/dams-fish-salmon-oregon-environment-71045373e7063bfff75fc43d15885639

Pacific Gas & Electric, Confronting Wildfire Risk, Names New CEO for California’s Largest Utility (Sacramento Municipal Utility District

https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article247259359.html

U.S. Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Advances FERC Nominees (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/senate-energy-and-natural-resources-committee-advances-ferc-nominees

Utah Lawmakers Push to Block Cities from Banning Natural Gas (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2020/11/18/utah-lawmakers-push-block/

B.C. Conservationist Urges Washington State to Remove Enloe Dam on Similkameen River (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/enloe-dam-removal-mark-angelo-1.5806039

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Historic Klamath River Deal Revives Plan for Largest US Dam Demolition

2.      California, Oregon, Tribes Join Plan to Restore Klamath River

3.      Plan Revived for Dam Removal on Klamath River in Oregon, California

4.      New MOA on Klamath Dams Results in Further Divided Views & Questions Authority

5.      Op-Ed: A Victory for Salmon, Two Tribes & the Klamath River

6.      Pacific Gas & Electric, Confronting Wildfire Risk, Names New CEO for California’s Largest Utility

7.      B.C. Conservationist Urges Washington State to Remove Enloe Dam on Similkameen River

8.      Utah Lawmakers Push to Block Cities from Banning Natural Gas

9.      Op/Ed: When Will Electricity Companies Finally Quit Natural Gas?

10.   Canada: Is Small-Scale Nuclear Energy an Option for the Northwest Territories

11.   Forest Service Seeks Input on Vegetation Management of Lake Tahoe Power Line Corridors

12.   DSW, CRSP MC Explore Combined Transmission Rate

13.   FY 20 Annual Report Depicts Bonneville Power Administration’s ‘Resilience, Responsiveness & Results’ in an Uncertain Year

14.   Tennessee Valley Authority: Review of Federal Utility’s CEO Pay to Continue Into 2021

15.   Scorecard Shows Lack of Transparency, High Fixed Charges at Tennessee’s Electric Co-Ops

16.   Chelan PUD Develops Energy Conservation Program for Struggling Households

17.   WA State: Snohomish PUD to Host Drive-Thru Holiday Lighting Exchange on Nov. 20

18.   Energy Is Among Least Expensive Ingredients on the Thanksgiving Menu

19.   Bonneville Power Administration Conserved Thousands of Acres for Fish & Wildlife in Fiscal Year 2020

20.   Op/Ed – Kurt Miller: Salmon May Need Dams to Survive

21.   Portland Clean Energy Fund Offers Its First Climate Action Grants

22.   Broadband Power Users Explode, Making Data Caps More Profitable for ISPs

23.   Update: Hacker Demands $200K Ransom from Tri-Cities Port to Unlock Computer Data

24.   Chances for A La Niña Winter in the Pacific Northwest A ‘Sure Bet,’ Meteorologists Say

25.   U.S. Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Advances FERC Nominees

26.   New FERC Chair Danly Cancels Chatterjee Electric Vehicle Roundtable, Nixes Media Briefings

27.   Glick Vows to Prioritize Transmission, Reassess Capacity Markets If Named FERC Chair

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU

Vernal • \VERN-null\ • Adjective - 1: of, relating to, or occurring in the spring <vernal equinox> <vernal sunshine> 2: fresh or new like the spring; also: youthful

A baby’s first smile

Heartwarming, vernal surprise

And no, it’s not gas

DAM, DAM, DAM – I’VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO YOUR FACE

1.      Historic Klamath River Deal Revives Plan for Largest US Dam Demolition (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/dams-fish-salmon-oregon-environment-71045373e7063bfff75fc43d15885639

2.      California, Oregon, Tribes Join Plan to Restore Klamath River (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/california-oregon-tribes-join-plan-to-restore-klamath-river/

3.      Plan Revived for Dam Removal on Klamath River in Oregon, California (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/17/klamath-river-dam-removal-oregon-california/

4.      New MOA on Klamath Dams Results in Further Divided Views & Questions Authority (Klamath Falls News, OR)

https://www.klamathfallsnews.org/news/new-moa-on-klamath-dams-results-in-further-divided-views-and-questions-authority

5.      Op-Ed: A Victory for Salmon, Two Tribes & the Klamath River (Los Angeles Times, CA)

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-11-17/klamath-river-basin-dams-pacificorps-gavin-newsom-yurok-karuk-salmon-warren-buffett

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

6.      Pacific Gas & Electric, Confronting Wildfire Risk, Names New CEO for California’s Largest Utility (Sacramento Municipal Utility District

https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article247259359.html

7.      B.C. Conservationist Urges Washington State to Remove Enloe Dam on Similkameen River (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/enloe-dam-removal-mark-angelo-1.5806039

8.      Utah Lawmakers Push to Block Cities from Banning Natural Gas (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2020/11/18/utah-lawmakers-push-block/

9.      Op/Ed: When Will Electricity Companies Finally Quit Natural Gas? (NY Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/12/opinion/solar-wind-natural-gas-climate-change.html

10.   Canada: Is Small-Scale Nuclear Energy an Option for the Northwest Territories (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/small-scale-energy-nwt-1.5803972?cmp=rss

11.   Forest Service Seeks Input on Vegetation Management of Lake Tahoe Power Line Corridors (Carson City Now, NV)

https://carsonnow.org/story/11/17/2020/forest-service-seeks-input-vegetation-management-lake-tahoe-power-line-corridors

12.   DSW, CRSP MC Explore Combined Transmission Rate (Western Area Power Administration)

https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsFeatures/2020/Pages/DSW,-CRSP-MC-explore-combined-rate.aspx

13.   FY 20 Annual Report Depicts Bonneville Power Administration’s ‘Resilience, Responsiveness & Results’ in an Uncertain Year (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Resilience-Responsiveness-and-Results-in-an-uncertain-year.aspx

14.   Tennessee Valley Authority: Review of Federal Utility’s CEO Pay to Continue Into 2021 (Associated Press)

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article247175949.html

15.   Scorecard Shows Lack of Transparency, High Fixed Charges at Tennessee’s Electric Co-Ops (Appalachian Voices, Boone, NC)

https://appvoices.org/2020/11/17/scorecard-shows-lack-of-transparency-high-fixed-charges-at-tenns-electric-co-ops/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

16.   Chelan PUD Develops Energy Conservation Program for Struggling Households (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://www.kpq.com/chelan-pud-develops-energy-conservation-program-for-struggling-households/

17.   WA State: Snohomish PUD to Host Drive-Thru Holiday Lighting Exchange on Nov. 20 (My Edmonds News, WA)

https://myedmondsnews.com/2020/11/pud-to-host-drive-thru-holiday-lighting-exchange-on-nov-20/

18.   Energy Is Among Least Expensive Ingredients on the Thanksgiving Menu (Lodi Enterprise, CA)

https://www.hngnews.com/lodi_enterprise/news/regional/article_feb07b90-3e14-5be7-b070-0dcf2d7adb93.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

19.   Bonneville Power Administration Conserved Thousands of Acres for Fish & Wildlife in Fiscal Year 2020 (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-conserved-thousands-of-acres-for-fish-and-wildlife-in-fiscal-year-2020.aspx

20.   Op/Ed – Kurt Miller: Salmon May Need Dams to Survive (Wenatchee World, WA)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/opinion/opinion-kurt-miller-salmon-may-need-dams-to-survive/article_cdac20c2-02b3-11eb-890b-1ba25b9c4f4f.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

21.   Portland Clean Energy Fund Offers Its First Climate Action Grants (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2020/11/17/sauvie-island-portland-oregon-clean-energy-fund/

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

22.   Broadband Power Users Explode, Making Data Caps More Profitable for Isps (Ars Technica)

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/11/broadband-power-users-explode-making-data-caps-more-profitable-for-isps/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

23.   Update: Hacker Demands $200K Ransom from Tri-Cities Port to Unlock Computer Data (Tri-City Herald, WA)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/crime/article247251569.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

24.   Chances for A La Niña Winter in the Pacific Northwest A ‘Sure Bet,’ Meteorologists Say (KING-TV – Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/weather/chances-for-a-la-nina-winter-in-pacific-northwest-high-washington-state/281-3c3c3db5-69c0-4541-9cfc-5df0d682e729

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

25.   U.S. Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Advances FERC Nominees (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/senate-energy-and-natural-resources-committee-advances-ferc-nominees

26.   New FERC Chair Danly Cancels Chatterjee Electric Vehicle Roundtable, Nixes Media Briefings (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-ferc-chair-danly-cancels-chatterjee-electric-vehicle-roundtable-nixes/589239/

27.   Glick Vows to Prioritize Transmission, Reassess Capacity Markets If Named FERC Chair (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/glick-vows-to-prioritize-transmission-reassess-capacity-markets-if-named-f/589252/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Dolly Parton Learned She Funded the Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine When the Rest of Us Did

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/18/entertainment/dolly-parton-moderna-covid-vaccine-reaction-trnd/index.html

Mickey & Minnie Mouse Celebrate 92nd Birthday

https://wsiltv.com/2020/11/18/mickey-and-minnie-mouse-celebrate-92nd-birthday/

While the Crowds Are Away, Disneyland’s Cats Will Play

https://www.sfgate.com/disneyland/article/While-the-crowds-are-away-Disneyland-s-cats-15726421.php

25-Foot-Tall Dinosaur Balloon Sculpture Breaks Guinness Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2020/11/17/25-foot-tall-dinosaur-balloon-sculpture-breaks-Guinness-record/8491605650745/

SONG OF THE DAY

Cliff Edwards (Ukulele Ike) – When You Wish Upon A Star

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teT5Tzmbz38

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in the news digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Possible Paywall restrictions are noted in the media attribution.

Comments or Questions? Contact the Energy News Digest editor.