Monday, October 9, 2023

The Energy News Digest for October 9, 2023

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

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ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE NORTHWEST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION

90-Day Plan for Key Account Management CertificationOctober 24-25, 2023, in Bend, Ore.

In this course, you will discover how to effectively leverage your utility’s resources to create value for your most impactful customers.

HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

‘A Wakeup Call for All of Us’: 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Felt Across Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/43-magnitude-earthquake-poulsbo/281-f0afda04-87de-42f1-b32b-2605eb2e7de4

Peak Hourly U.S. Electricity Demand in July Was the Second Highest Since 2016 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60602

As Biden Negotiates Future of Lower Snake River Dams, Northwest Tribes Push for Removal (Spokane Public Radio, WA)

https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/regional-news/2023-10-07/as-biden-negotiates-future-of-lower-snake-river-dams-northwest-tribes-push-for-removal

Regulators Cast More Clouds Over California Solar Market (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)

https://www.kpbs.org/news/environment/2023/10/09/regulators-cast-more-clouds-over-california-solar-market

China Is Top Cyber Threat to U.S. Utilities, Other Critical Infrastructure: CISA (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/cisa-china-threats-critical-infrastructure/695975/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Peak Hourly U.S. Electricity Demand in July Was the Second Highest Since 2016

2.      As Biden Negotiates Future of Lower Snake River Dams, Northwest Tribes Push for Removal

3.      U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA) Chides Biden Administration on Columbia River Salmon Memo

4.      Massive Dam Removal Project Spurs Hope in the Klamath Basin

5.      Wyoming: A Look Inside Cheyenne’s New Hydroelectric Facility

6.      Environmental Groups Ask Oregon & Washington Utilities to Leave Powerful Gas Lobby

7.      New Deal Would Mean Lower Natural Gas Bills for Puget Sound Energy Customers

8.      Oregon: Rising Costs – Columbia River PUD Customer Rates Increasing

9.      More Washington Residents Eligible for Energy Assistance

10.   This Utility’s Undergrounding Plan Is Causing Sticker Shock

11.   Nuclear Industry Needs More State Money, Officials Warn

12.   Salt River Project Shifts from Traditional Integrated Resource Plan to ‘Holistic’ Power Planning

13.   Western Power Pool Outlines Concept for West-Wide Transmission Planning Group

14.   Bonneville Power Administration Makes 40th Straight Treasury Payment, Aided by Financial Policies

15.   Regulators Cast More Clouds Over California Solar Market

16.   U.S. Solar Farms Are Aging. Is It Time to Begin Repowering?

17.   Huge New Wind Turbines Face Backlash

18.   Vermont Utility Plans to End Outages by Giving Customers Batteries

19.   A New Window of Recognition for Bonneville Power Administration & Partners on an Emerging Technology

20.   The Unknown Switch That You Should Change Twice a Year on Your Ceiling Fan

21.   Crabbing in Crisis: A Look into Economic, Environmental Factors Disrupting the Global Seafood Industry

22.   Alaska Fishermen Will Be Allowed to Harvest Lucrative Red King Crab in the Bering Sea

23.   Local Efforts Helping to Restore Region’s Salmon Habitats

24.   Oregon Demands $28 Million for Massive Fish Kill & Water Violations at Winchester Dam

25.   Washington State’s Efforts to Trade Timber Revenue for Carbon Credits

26.   Modesto & Turlock Irrigation Districts Contend with the Violent Swings of Climate Change

27.   Pacific Power Customers Will Receive Climate Credit on Bills

28.   GOP Senator: Washington Ecology Keeps Cap-And-Trade Secrets

29.   Amazon Deploys Test Internet Satellites to Compete with SpaceX

30.   China Is Top Cyber Threat to U.S. Utilities, Other Critical Infrastructure: CISA

31.   Critics Say Crypto Mines Spew Pollution, Not Wealth, into Rural Communities

32.   Google Tests System to Cut Data Center Power Use During Grid Problems

33.   Former Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler Plans to Run for WA Lands Commissioner

34.   Alaskans Get a $1,312 Oil Dividend Check This Year. The Political Cost of the Benefit Is High

35.   ‘A Wakeup Call for All of Us’: 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Felt Across Western Washington

36.   The Jet Stream is Strengthening as Autumn Weather Settles in to the Pacific Northwest

37.   Historic 1962 Columbus Day Windstorm Was the Strongest in U.S. History; Another Could Occur

38.   Push to Replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day Continues in Congress

39.   Guest Essay: Government Regulation Is Making Power More Expensive. Benton PUD (WA) Offers a Better Way

40.   Guest Essay: IBEW Electrical Union Backs Keeping Snake River Dams

41.   Guest Essay: Big Wires Act Needs Our Leaders’s Support

WORD OF THE DAY

Viand \VIE-und\ Noun - 1: an item of food; especially: a choice or tasty dish; 2: provisions, food.

Alberto was ready for the “Big One.” Instead of buying into a survivalist shelter scheme, he built a private concrete bunker deep beneath his house. Stocked with the most outstanding canned viands he could find, he was secure in the knowledge that the coming apocalypse would pass him by. It was only when it was too late that he discovered his fatal flaw: he forgot to supply his shelter with a can opener.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Peak Hourly U.S. Electricity Demand in July Was the Second Highest Since 2016 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60602

2.      As Biden Negotiates Future of Lower Snake River Dams, Northwest Tribes Push for Removal (Spokane Public Radio, WA)

https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/regional-news/2023-10-07/as-biden-negotiates-future-of-lower-snake-river-dams-northwest-tribes-push-for-removal

3.      U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA) Chides Biden Administration on Columbia River Salmon Memo (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_4bd69648-63c4-11ee-8dd9-3b20cbd89d7e.html

4.      Massive Dam Removal Project Spurs Hope in the Klamath Basin (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/10/06/massive-dam-removal-project-spurs-hope-in-the-klamath-basin/

5.      Wyoming: A Look Inside Cheyenne’s New Hydroelectric Facility (Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Cheyenne, WY)

https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/a-look-inside-cheyenne-s-new-hydroelectric-facility/article_6b4a5218-6544-11ee-9355-9fe567465f4c.html

6.      Environmental Groups Ask Oregon & Washington Utilities to Leave Powerful Gas Lobby (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/10/05/environmental-groups-ask-oregon-and-washington-utilities-to-leave-powerful-gas-lobby/

7.      New Deal Would Mean Lower Natural Gas Bills for Puget Sound Energy Customers (KGMI-Radio Bellingham, WA)

https://kgmi.com/news/007700-new-deal-would-mean-lower-bills-for-pse-customers/

8.      Oregon: Rising Costs – Columbia River PUD Customer Rates Increasing (The Chief, St Helens, OR)

https://www.thechiefnews.com/news/rising-costs-pud-customer-rates-increasing/article_5934352c-63cc-11ee-9f4d-672dcc5e4d82.html

9.      More Washington Residents Eligible for Energy Assistance (Spokane Public Radio, WA)

https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/regional-news/2023-10-04/more-washington-residents-eligible-for-energy-assistance

10.   This Utility’s Undergrounding Plan Is Causing Sticker Shock (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-climate/2023/10/05/pg-es-undergrounding-plan-is-causing-sticker-shock-00120290

11.   Nuclear Industry Needs More State Money, Officials Warn (Financial Post)

https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/nuclear-industry-needs-more-state-money-officials-warn

12.   Salt River Project Shifts from Traditional Integrated Resource Plan to ‘Holistic’ Power Planning (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/srp-shifts-from-traditional-irp-to-holistic-power-planning/

13.   Western Power Pool Outlines Concept for West-Wide Transmission Planning Group (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/western-power-pool-outlines-concept-for-west-wide-transmission-planning-gro/695684/

14.   Bonneville Power Administration Makes 40th Straight Treasury Payment, Aided by Financial Policies (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20231005-bpa-makes-40th-straight-treasury-payment-aided-by-financial-policies

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

15.   Regulators Cast More Clouds Over California Solar Market (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)

https://www.kpbs.org/news/environment/2023/10/09/regulators-cast-more-clouds-over-california-solar-market

16.   U.S. Solar Farms Are Aging. Is It Time to Begin Repowering? (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/us-solar-farms-are-aging-is-it-time-to-begin-repowering/690978/

17.   Huge New Wind Turbines Face Backlash (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/huge-new-wind-turbines-face-backlash/

18.   Vermont Utility Plans to End Outages by Giving Customers Batteries (NY Times – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/09/business/energy-environment/green-mountain-home-batteries.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

19.   A New Window of Recognition for Bonneville Power Administration & Partners on an Emerging Technology (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20231006-a-new-window-of-recognition-for-bpa-and-partners-on-an-emerging-technolo

20.   The Unknown Switch That You Should Change Twice a Year on Your Ceiling Fan (KSAZ-TV, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/the-unknown-switch-that-you-should-change-twice-a-year-on-your-ceiling-fan

FISH & WILDLIFE

21.   Crabbing in Crisis: A Look into Economic, Environmental Factors Disrupting the Global Seafood Industry (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/crabbing-crisis-economic-environmental-factors-disrupting-global-seafood-industry/281-8f41eda3-3bf3-4c8e-be41-2d45f91282e8

22.   Alaska Fishermen Will Be Allowed to Harvest Lucrative Red King Crab in the Bering Sea (ABC News)

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/alaska-fishermen-allowed-harvest-lucrative-red-king-crab-103796108

23.   Local Efforts Helping to Restore Region’s Salmon Habitats (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/issaquah-salmon-days-regions-fish-population-shows-signs-of-a-rebound

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

24.   Oregon Demands $28 Million for Massive Fish Kill & Water Violations at Winchester Dam (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/oregon-demands-28-million-for-massive-fish-kill-and-water-violations-at-winchester-dam/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

25.   Washington State’s Efforts to Trade Timber Revenue for Carbon Credits (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)

https://www.knkx.org/environment/2023-10-04/trees-natures-original-climate-solution-washingtons-state-forests-carbon-sinks

26.   Modesto & Turlock Irrigation Districts Contend with the Violent Swings of Climate Change (Modesto Bee, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.modbee.com/news/business/agriculture/article280167599.html

27.   Pacific Power Customers Will Receive Climate Credit on Bills (KFFX-TV, Kennewick, WA)

https://www.fox41yakima.com/pacific-power-customers-will-receive-climate-credit-on-bills/

28.   GOP Senator: Washington Ecology Keeps Cap-And-Trade Secrets (Capital Press)

https://www.capitalpress.com/state/washington/gop-senator-washington-ecology-keeps-cap-and-trade-secrets/article_d6f56770-6484-11ee-9ac5-cfd9a0a00381.html

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

29.   Amazon Deploys Test Internet Satellites to Compete with SpaceX (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/10/06/amazon-launches-test-satellites-for-its-planned-internet-service-to-compete-with-spacex/

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

30.   China Is Top Cyber Threat to U.S. Utilities, Other Critical Infrastructure: CISA (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/cisa-china-threats-critical-infrastructure/695975/

31.   Critics Say Crypto Mines Spew Pollution, Not Wealth, into Rural Communities (The Daily Yonder)

https://dailyyonder.com/critics-say-crypto-mines-spew-pollution-not-wealth-into-rural-communities/2023/10/09/

32.   Google Tests System to Cut Data Center Power Use During Grid Problems (Data Center Dynamics)

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/google-tests-system-to-cut-data-center-power-use-during-grid-problems/

MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE

33.   Former Republican Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler Plans to Run for WA Lands Commissioner (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/former-republican-congresswoman-jaime-herrera-beutler-plans-to-run-for-wa-lands-commissioner/

34.   Alaskans Get a $1,312 Oil Dividend Check This Year. The Political Cost of the Benefit Is High (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/alaska-oil-wealth-fund-dividend-c512839da89902b06f39e87866733cf8

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

35.   ‘A Wakeup Call for All of Us’: 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Felt Across Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/43-magnitude-earthquake-poulsbo/281-f0afda04-87de-42f1-b32b-2605eb2e7de4

36.   The Jet Stream is Strengthening as Autumn Weather Settles in to the Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-jet-stream-is-strengthening-as.html

37.   Historic 1962 Columbus Day Windstorm Was the Strongest in U.S. History; Another Could Occur (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3934484/1962-wind-storm-strongest-us-history-another-could-occur/

38.   Push to Replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day Continues in Congress (KUOW News, Seattle, WA)

https://kuow.org/stories/push-to-replace-columbus-day-with-indigenous-peoples-day-continues-in-congress

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

39.   Guest Essay: Government Regulation Is Making Power More Expensive. Benton PUD (WA) Offers a Better Way (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article280116504.html

40.   Guest Essay: IBEW Electrical Union Backs Keeping Snake River Dams (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/ibew-electrical-union-backs-keeping-snake-river-dams/

41.   Guest Essay: Big Wires Act Needs Our Leaders’s Support (Billings Gazette, MT – Paywall Advisory)

https://billingsgazette.com/opinion/column/big-wires-act-needs-our-leaderss-support/article_9e3acf4e-645a-11ee-8cf4-07b6963ad7b1.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Illinois Teacher’s 53-Year Career Earns World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/09/Guinness-World-Records-longest-career-social-studies-teacher/6561696873227/

Chicago Marathon Runner Stops to Rescue Kitten, Finds Forever Home along the Route

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/09/Chicago-Marathon-kitten-rescue/1211696867911/

Teenager’s Playing Card Structure Breaks Guinness World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/06/india-Guinness-World-Records-largest-playing-card-structure/1421696613412/

Customs Officials Seize Giraffe Poop from Traveler at Minnesota Airport

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/10/05/Customs-Border-Protection-giraffte-poop-Minnesota/1311696528107/

SONG OF THE DAY

Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon, James Taylor – What a Wonderful World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYjZjfSsEk8

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

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 access some paywall sites.