Monday, July 10, 2023

The Energy News Digest for July 10, 2023

The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association. 

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

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Programming Note from The Energy News Digest

The editor for The Energy News Digest will be offline, communing with nature over the next week. He will return, chock full of energy, July 24.

HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Pacific Northwest Electricity Demand Is Projected to Increase 25% in the Next Decade (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/07/09/electricity-demand-oregon/

America Faces a Power Disconnection Crisis amid Rising Heat: In 31 States, Utilities Can Shut Off Electricity for Nonpayment in a Heat Wave (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/america-faces-a-power-disconnection-crisis-amid-rising-heat-in-31-states-utilities-can-shut-off-electricity-for-nonpayment-in-a-heat-wave/

Statewide Drought Advisory Issued for Washington. Here’s What That Means (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/weather/weather-blog/drought-advisory-issued-washington/281-6bde3293-5af0-4c2e-add0-84c67bdad937

Big Batteries by a School? Project Stirs Concerns as WA Seeks Clean Energy (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/big-batteries-by-a-school-project-stirs-concerns-as-wa-seeks-clean-energy/

Twitter Traffic Is ‘Tanking’ as Meta’s Threads Hits 100 Million Users (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/10/twitter-traffic-is-nosediving-as-metas-threads-hits-100-million-users.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Pacific Northwest Electricity Demand Is Projected to Increase 25% in the Next Decade

2.      America Faces a Power Disconnection Crisis amid Rising Heat: In 31 States, Utilities Can Shut Off Electricity for Nonpayment in a Heat Wave

3.      Can WA State Utilities Turn Off Your Electricity in a Heat Wave? New Law Says They Can’t

4.      California Utility Pays $22 Million to Settle Federal Claims Over 2016 Wildfire

5.      Not All of California’s Electricity Prices Are High

6.      PacifiCorp Begins Feasibility Study on Reservoir Projects in Southern Idaho, Northern Utah

7.      Bonneville Power Administration Volunteers Aid Typhoon Mawar Restoration Efforts in Guam

8.      EEI, IBEW and NECA observe National Lineworkers Appreciation Day

9.      Big Batteries by a School? Project Stirs Concerns as WA Seeks Clean Energy

10.   The Largest Wind Farm in the Country Could Be Built in Idaho — But Not Without Controversy

11.   Wyoming: As the Demand for Coal Wanes, Carbon County Sets Its Sights on a Renewable Energy Project

12.   Spinach & Sheep Are Showing Us That Solar Farms Aren’t Solely for Green Energy

13.   Solar Development Maps: Where Is There Less Conflict?

14.   WA State: Franklin PUD Provides Tips for Saving Energy During Heat Wave

15.   Energy Adviser: Utilities Band Together for Efficiency

16.   UW Study: Marine Heat Waves Can Endanger Healthy Seabird Populations

17.   Sockeye Salmon Limits Raised in Hanford Reach Area

18.   Why Are We Still Mismanaging Beavers in the Pacific Northwest?

19.   Asian Clams’ Spread in Columbia River Warns of Worse Invaders

20.   Hundreds in Seoul Protest Japan’s Plans to Release Treated Wastewater from Fukushima Nuclear Plant

21.   Statewide Drought Advisory Issued for Washington. Here’s What That Means

22.   Pacific NW Drinking Water Concerns Could Get Worse as the Climate Changes

23.   Washington State Senator Calls for Cap-And-Trade Changes

24.   An Iowa Meteorologist Started Talking About Climate Change on Newscasts. Then Came the Harassment

25.   WA State: CenturyLink Fined Nearly $1 Million for Disconnecting Service During Pandemic

26.   Utah: Bountiful Plan to Build City-Owned Fiber Optic Network Due This Fall

27.   When Power Is Cheap, Crypto Moves In. The Fallout in Rural WA Is Complex

28.   Microsoft Data Center Partners with Wholesale Energy Firm for Renewable Resources

29.   Why the Electric Vehicle Boom Could Put a Major Strain on the U.S. Power Grid

30.   ‘It’s What Listeners Like’: AM Radio Purveyors on the Palouse Hope Automakers Heed Call to Keep Their Medium Alive

31.   Twitter Traffic Is ‘Tanking’ as Meta’s Threads Hits 100 Million Users

32.   Twitter Threatens Legal Action Against Meta Over Its New Rival App Threads

33.   Canadian News Is Starting to Vanish from Instagram. Google Is Next. Here’s How to Find CBC as That Happens

34.   Hot Trend: States Banning Utilities from Charging You for Their Lobbying

35.   37 Million Americans on Alert for Dangerous Heat

36.   Fire Season on Track to Match ‘Some of the Most Devastating Wildfire Years’ in Washington

37.   Being Frank: Tell the Truth, Trust the Science About Orca Recovery

38.   Editorial: WA State Council in Charge of Tri-Cities Wind Project Responds to Legislators’ Concerns

ACTING!!! - WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Histrionic /hiss-tree-AWE-nick/ Adjective – 1: deliberately affected: overly dramatic or emotional: theatrical 2: of or relating to actors, acting, or the theater

     See Shatner, William

     Defined as histrionic

     Hear him howl, “Kahn! Kahn!”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Pacific Northwest Electricity Demand Is Projected to Increase 25% in the Next Decade (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/07/09/electricity-demand-oregon/

2.      America Faces a Power Disconnection Crisis amid Rising Heat: In 31 States, Utilities Can Shut Off Electricity for Nonpayment in a Heat Wave (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/america-faces-a-power-disconnection-crisis-amid-rising-heat-in-31-states-utilities-can-shut-off-electricity-for-nonpayment-in-a-heat-wave/

3.      Can WA State Utilities Turn Off Your Electricity in a Heat Wave? New Law Says They Can’t

https://www.theolympian.com/news/weather-news/article277028218.html

4.      California Utility Pays $22 Million to Settle Federal Claims Over 2016 Wildfire (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/southern-california-edison-wildfire-settlement-047b45ff24cf3923f39d26f4dcc661f0?utm_medium=email

5.      Not All of California’s Electricity Prices Are High (Energy Institute at HAAS)

https://energyathaas.wordpress.com/2023/07/10/not-all-of-californias-electricity-prices-are-high/

6.      PacifiCorp Begins Feasibility Study on Reservoir Projects in Southern Idaho, Northern Utah (Energy Central)

https://energycentral.com/news/pacificorp-begins-feasibility-study-reservoir-projects-southern-idaho-northern-utah

7.      Bonneville Power Administration Volunteers Aid Typhoon Mawar Restoration Efforts in Guam (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20230705-bpa-volunteers-aid-typhoon-mawar-restoration-efforts-in-guam

8.      EEI, IBEW and NECA observe National Lineworkers Appreciation Day (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/featured/40348-eei-ibew-and-neca-observe-national-lineworkers-appreciation-day/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

9.      Big Batteries by a School? Project Stirs Concerns as WA Seeks Clean Energy (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/big-batteries-by-a-school-project-stirs-concerns-as-wa-seeks-clean-energy/

10.   The Largest Wind Farm in the Country Could Be Built in Idaho — But Not Without Controversy (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.deseret.com/2023/7/9/23747139/lava-ridge-public-lands-renewable-energy-climate-crisis

11.   Wyoming: As the Demand for Coal Wanes, Carbon County Sets Its Sights on a Renewable Energy Project (Wyoming Public Media)

https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2023-07-07/as-the-demand-for-coal-wanes-carbon-county-sets-its-sights-on-a-renewable-energy-project

12.   Spinach & Sheep Are Showing Us That Solar Farms Aren’t Solely for Green Energy (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/spinach-and-sheep-are-showing-us-that-solar-farms-aren-t-solely-for-green-energy-1.6900467

13.   Solar Development Maps: Where Is There Less Conflict? (Northwest News Network)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/2023-07-07/solar-development-maps-where-is-there-less-conflict

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

14.   WA State: Franklin PUD Provides Tips for Saving Energy During Heat Wave (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

https://keprtv.com/news/local/franklin-pud-provides-tips-for-saving-energy-during-heat-wave

15.   Energy Adviser: Utilities Band Together for Efficiency (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/jul/08/energy-adviser-utilities-band-together-for-efficiency/

FISH & WILDLIFE

16.   UW Study: Marine Heat Waves Can Endanger Healthy Seabird Populations (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/uw-study-marine-heat-waves-can-endanger-healthy-sea-bird-populations/

17.   Sockeye Salmon Limits Raised in Hanford Reach Area (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.kxly.com/news/sockeye-salmon-limits-raised-in-hanford-reach-area/article_44ddb10a-1c52-11ee-ad70-2bccbbfd0e2c.html

18.   Why Are We Still Mismanaging Beavers in the Pacific Northwest? (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/jul/10/why-are-we-still-mismanaging-beavers-in-the-northwest/

19.   Asian Clams’ Spread in Columbia River Warns of Worse Invaders (Science Daily)

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230706124606.htm

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

20.   Hundreds in Seoul Protest Japan’s Plans to Release Treated Wastewater from Fukushima Nuclear Plant (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/seoul-fukushima-wastewater-plant-release-protest-1.6901118?cmp=rss

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

21.   Statewide Drought Advisory Issued for Washington. Here’s What That Means (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/weather/weather-blog/drought-advisory-issued-washington/281-6bde3293-5af0-4c2e-add0-84c67bdad937

22.   Pacific NW Drinking Water Concerns Could Get Worse as the Climate Changes (KUOW News, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/nw-drinking-water-concerns-could-get-worse-as-the-climate-changes

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

23.   Washington State Senator Calls for Cap-And-Trade Changes (Capital Press)

https://www.capitalpress.com/climate_changed/washington-senator-calls-for-cap-and-trade-changes/article_6ec21676-1b64-11ee-9449-5b68ea9cda4b.html

24.   An Iowa Meteorologist Started Talking About Climate Change on Newscasts. Then Came the Harassment (Associated Press)

https://news.yahoo.com/harassment-tv-meteorologists-reflects-broader-050521800.html

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

25.   WA State: CenturyLink Fined Nearly $1 Million for Disconnecting Service During Pandemic (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3906716/centurylink-fined-923000-for-disconnecting-service-during-pandemic/

26.   Utah: Bountiful Plan to Build City-Owned Fiber Optic Network Due This Fall (KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/bountiful-plan-to-build-city-owned-fiber-optic-network-due-this-fall

BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY

27.   When Power Is Cheap, Crypto Moves In. The Fallout in Rural WA Is Complex (KUOW News, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/small-town-surge-rural-washington

28.   Microsoft Data Center Partners with Wholesale Energy Firm for Renewable Resources (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/microsoft-data-center-partners-with-wholesale-energy-firm-for-renewable-resources/article_8ea5251a-1c12-11ee-99f8-330eb204c03a.html

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

29.   Why the Electric Vehicle Boom Could Put a Major Strain on the U.S. Power Grid (CNBC)

https://www-cnbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/07/01/why-the-ev-boom-could-put-a-major-strain-on-our-power-grid.html

30.   ‘It’s What Listeners Like’: AM Radio Purveyors on the Palouse Hope Automakers Heed Call to Keep Their Medium Alive (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/jul/09/its-what-listeners-like-am-radio-purveyors-on-the-/

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

31.   Twitter Traffic Is ‘Tanking’ as Meta’s Threads Hits 100 Million Users (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/10/twitter-traffic-is-nosediving-as-metas-threads-hits-100-million-users.html

32.   Twitter Threatens Legal Action Against Meta Over Its New Rival App Threads (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3906608/twitter-threatens-legal-action-against-meta-over-its-new-rival-app-threads/

33.   Canadian News Is Starting to Vanish from Instagram. Google Is Next. Here’s How to Find CBC as That Happens (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/editorsblog/cbc-online-news-act-1.6897060

MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE

34.   Hot Trend: States Banning Utilities from Charging You for Their Lobbying (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/utilities/hot-trend-states-banning-utilities-from-charging-you-for-their-lobbying

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

35.   37 Million Americans on Alert for Dangerous Heat (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/gma/37-million-americans-alert-dangerous-143800556.html?.tsrc=1013

36.   Fire Season on Track to Match ‘Some of the Most Devastating Wildfire Years’ in Washington (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/fire-season-on-track-to-match-devastating-wildfire-seasons-in-washington

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

37.   Being Frank: Tell the Truth, Trust the Science About Orca Recovery (Northwest Treaty Tribes)

https://nwtreatytribes.org/being-frank-tell-the-truth-trust-the-science-about-orca-recovery/

38.   Editorial: WA State Council in Charge of Tri-Cities Wind Project Responds to Legislators’ Concerns (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article276827916.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

A Solar Storm on Thursday Is Expected to Make the Northern Lights Visible in 17 States

https://apnews.com/article/auroras-northern-lights-solar-storm-58f8d99d746bed1c656170a4a38d6362

Danish Artist to Troll Northwest with Giant Public Sculptures, Backed in Part by Allen Foundation

https://www.geekwire.com/2023/danish-artist-to-troll-northwest-with-giant-public-sculptures-backed-in-part-by-allen-foundation/

Checked Out 119 Years Ago, This Overdue Volume May Be One for the Record Books

https://www.oregonlive.com/books/2023/07/checked-out-119-years-ago-this-overdue-volume-may-be-one-for-the-record-books.html

‘My Poor Chicken’: Manitoba Hen’s ‘Ginormous’ Egg Weighs More Than Twice as Much as Average

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/hen-lays-giant-egg-1.6900653

SONG OF THE DAY

Ferde Grofe – Grand Canyon Suite – Cloudburst

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXsReLbCr28

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. I try to choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription. Individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regular clearing of your browser’s history and cookie files may help in accessing some paywall sites.

Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.