Monday, December 9, 2024

The Energy News Digest for December 9, 2024

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Items of Note from the Northwest Public Power Association

NWPPA Presents: Wildfires – What Utilities Need to Know – January 28, 202, Portland, OR.

Join wildfire experts, policymakers, utility leaders, and emergency responders to gain insights and strategies for addressing the multifaceted challenges wildfires pose to utilities in the West.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Lava Ridge: Feds Approve Scaled-Down Idaho Wind Farm Near Historic Japanese American Incarceration Site (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/wind-farm-idaho-minidoka-352108ac9f98d73ebeab43c547e6492d

Five-Year U.S. Load Growth Forecast Surges 456%, to 128 GW: Grid Strategies (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/shocking-forecast-us-electricity-load-could-grow-128-gw-over-next-5-years-Grid-Strategies/734820/

Californians Pay Billions for Power Companies’ Wildfire Prevention Efforts. Are They Cost-Effective? (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/us-news/fires-pg-e-corp-california-wildfires-utilities-6d98d85bc44f35b5d23abe9605341363

Oregon Approves State’s Largest Solar Farm on 10,000 Acres of Farmland (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2024/12/oregon-approves-states-largest-solar-farm-on-10000-acres-of-farmland.html

Washington Carbon Auctions Resume After Surviving Election Challenge (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/carbon-auctions-resume-after-surviving-election-challenge

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.    Five-Year U.S. Load Growth Forecast Surges 456%, to 128 GW: Grid Strategies

2.    Californians Pay Billions for Power Companies’ Wildfire Prevention Efforts. Are They Cost-Effective?

3.    Bill Offering Wildfire Survivors Relief from Taxes & Fees Passes Congress

4.    WA State: Grant PUD Secures Land for Small Modular Nuclear Reactor & Renewable Energy Park

5.    Governor Proposes $20 Million for Nuclear Power, Big Tax Cut for Utah Seniors

6.    Portland General Electric CEO Blames Inflation, Infrastructure Investments for Proposed Rate Hikes in Response to Wyden

7.    Survey Asks People How They Use the Lower Snake River

8.    Feds Anticipate Stable Supply-Demand Natural Gas Balance This Winter, But Risks Could Emerge

9.    Flathead Electric Cooperative Receives $2.6 Million Grant to Mitigate Wildfire Risks

10. American Public Power Association’s DEED Program Awards $477,961 in New R&D Grants – Chelan, Clallam PUDs among Recipients

11. Lava Ridge: Feds Approve Scaled-Down Idaho Wind Farm Near Historic Japanese American Incarceration Site

12. Oregon Approves State’s Largest Solar Farm on 10,000 Acres of Farmland

13. California Popularized Solar, But It’s Behind Other States on Panels for Renters

14. French Fry Giant That Closed Connell Plant Lands Nearly $5 Million from WA Climate Act

15. This Tiny Town Is Oregon’s First ‘Dark Sky Community’

16. Ship Collisions Now No. 1 Cause of Whale Deaths Worldwide, UW Study Finds

17. What Are Pelicans Doing in the Columbia River?

18. Dworshak Looking at Status Quo on Flood Operation – Under New Terms, Canada Is Pledged to Store a Critical 3.6M Acre-Feet

19. $849 Million for Western Water Projects Announced by Biden Administration

20. Fiscal Year 2025 Aging Infrastructure Projects

21. Meeting Of Colorado River Users Wraps with Focus on Mexico & Tribes

22. Washington Carbon Auctions Resume After Surviving Election Challenge

23. Second-Warmest November on Record Means That 2024 Is Likely to Be Earth’s Hottest Year, Report Says

24. Incoming FCC Chairman Carr Takes Aim at Censorship, Infrastructure

25. Arizona: Gov. Hobbs Announces New State Initiative to Expand Broadband Internet Access

26. Frontier Agrees to Pay $288,000 Over Wisconsin Broadband Data Violations

27. Consumer Reports Survey Finds Electric Vehicle Reliability Improving but Lagging Gas Models

28. Oregon’s Rebate Program Will Add Hundreds of New Electric Vehicle Chargers in 2025

29. Exclusive: Trump May Cancel U.S. Postal Service Electric Mail Truck Contract, Sources Say

30. Federal Appeals Court Upholds Law Requiring Sale or Ban of TikTok in the U.S.

31. U.S. TikTok Content Creators Warn Followers to Find Them on Instagram, YouTube

32. Bluesky Promises to Shake Up Social Media. It Might Finally Succeed.

33. Mocha Mousse – Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year Is All About ‘Pleasure & Deliciousness’

34. WA State: Recount Confirms Challenger Mike Massey Wins Benton PUD Commissioner Pos. 3 Race by Seven Votes

35. Washington Natural Gas Initiative Backer Files Suit to Force State to Comply

36. President Biden Pushes Out Over $100 Billion in Clean Energy Grants as Term Winds Down

37. Guest Essay: Grant PUD – Columbia River Treaty – Only Paying for the Actual Benefits

38. Commentary: The Inflation Reduction Act Energy Tax Credits Are Boosting Boise’s Economy — And Our Energy Security

39. Guest Essay: Washington State Needs to Broaden Its Energy Strategy

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Osmophobia/oz-moe-FOE-bee-uh/ Noun – Intolerance of or hypersensitivity to smells, also: aversion to or dislike of odors.

     Fear the lowly skunk

     The nose knows about bad smells

     Osmophobia

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Five-Year U.S. Load Growth Forecast Surges 456%, to 128 GW: Grid Strategies (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/shocking-forecast-us-electricity-load-could-grow-128-gw-over-next-5-years-Grid-Strategies/734820/

2.      Californians Pay Billions for Power Companies’ Wildfire Prevention Efforts. Are They Cost-Effective? (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/us-news/fires-pg-e-corp-california-wildfires-utilities-6d98d85bc44f35b5d23abe9605341363

3.      Bill Offering Wildfire Survivors Relief from Taxes & Fees Passes Congress (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/12/05/bill-offering-wildfire-survivors-relief-from-taxes-and-fees-passes-congress/

4.      WA State: Grant PUD Secures Land for Small Modular Nuclear Reactor & Renewable Energy Park (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/grant-pud-secures-land-in-marlin-for-small-modular-nuclear-reactor-and-renewable-energy-park/article_ff4b8f2c-b34a-11ef-82e4-4f0eaf2eea33.html

5.      Governor Proposes $20 Million for Nuclear Power, Big Tax Cut for Utah Seniors (KJZZ-TV, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://kjzz.com/news/local/gov-cox-proposes-20-million-for-nuclear-power-big-tax-cut-for-utah-seniors

6.      Portland General Electric CEO Blames Inflation, Infrastructure Investments for Proposed Rate Hikes in Response to Wyden (AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/pge-ceo-blames-inflation-infrastructure-003358498.html

7.      Survey Asks People How They Use the Lower Snake River (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/dec/05/survey-asks-people-how-they-use-the-lower-snake-ri/

8.      Feds Anticipate Stable Supply-Demand Natural Gas Balance This Winter, But Risks Could Emerge (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/46365-eia-anticipates-stable-supply-demand-balance-this-winter-but-risks-could-emerge/

9.      Flathead Electric Cooperative Receives $2.6 Million Grant to Mitigate Wildfire Risks (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)

https://www.kpax.com/news/local-news/flathead-county/flathead-electric-cooperative-receives-2-6m-grant-to-mitigate-wildfire-risks

10.   American Public Power Association’s DEED Program Awards $477,961 in New R&D Grants – Chelan, Clallam PUDs among Recipients (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/appas-deed-program-awards-477961-new-rd-grants

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   Lava Ridge: Feds Approve Scaled-Down Idaho Wind Farm Near Historic Japanese American Incarceration Site (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/wind-farm-idaho-minidoka-352108ac9f98d73ebeab43c547e6492d

12.   Oregon Approves State’s Largest Solar Farm on 10,000 Acres of Farmland (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2024/12/oregon-approves-states-largest-solar-farm-on-10000-acres-of-farmland.html

13.   California Popularized Solar, But It’s Behind Other States on Panels for Renters (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/investing/commodities/2024/12/06/california-popularized-solar-but-its-behind-other-states-on-panels-for-renters/

Conservation & Efficiency

14.   French Fry Giant That Closed Connell Plant Lands Nearly $5 Million from WA Climate Act (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/french-fry-giant-closed-connell-130000049.html

15.   This Tiny Town Is Oregon’s First ‘Dark Sky Community’ (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2024/12/this-tiny-town-is-oregons-first-dark-sky-community.html

Fish & Wildlife

16.   Ship Collisions Now No. 1 Cause of Whale Deaths Worldwide, UW Study Finds (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2024/12/ship-collisions-now-no-1-cause-of-whale-deaths-worldwide-uw-study-finds.html

17.   What Are Pelicans Doing in the Columbia River? (Columbia Insight)

https://columbiainsight.org/what-are-pelicans-doing-in-the-columbia-river/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

18.   Dworshak Looking at Status Quo on Flood Operation – Under New Terms, Canada Is Pledged to Store a Critical 3.6M Acre-Feet (Lewiston Morning Tribune, ID – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.lmtribune.com/local-news/dworshak-looking-at-status-quo-on-flood-operation-18236302

19.   $849 Million for Western Water Projects Announced by Biden Administration (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/849-million-for-western-water-projects-announced-by-biden-administration/

20.   Fiscal Year 2025 Aging Infrastructure Projects (Bureau of Reclamation)

https://www.usbr.gov/bil/docs/infrastructure/FY-2025-Aging-Infrastucture-Projects.pdf

21.   Meeting Of Colorado River Users Wraps with Focus on Mexico & Tribes (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/meeting-of-colorado-river-users-wraps-with-focus-on-mexico-and-colorado-river-tribes/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

22.   Washington Carbon Auctions Resume After Surviving Election Challenge (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/carbon-auctions-resume-after-surviving-election-challenge

23.   Second-Warmest November on Record Means That 2024 Is Likely to Be Earth’s Hottest Year, Report Says (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-november-hottest-year-record-d1f41a2c7341c006f051ad321915d89c

London Calling –Telecommunications

24.   Incoming FCC Chairman Carr Takes Aim at Censorship, Infrastructure (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/incoming-fcc-chairman-carr-takes-aim-at-censorship-infrastructure/

25.   Arizona: Gov. Hobbs Announces New State Initiative to Expand Broadband Internet Access (KJZZ-Radio, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.kjzz.org/politics/2024-12-05/hobbs-announces-new-state-initiative-to-expand-broadband-internet-access

26.   Frontier Agrees to Pay $288,000 Over Wisconsin Broadband Data Violations (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/frontier-agrees-to-pay-288-000-over-broadband-data-violations/

I Sing the Car Electric

27.   Consumer Reports Survey Finds Electric Vehicle Reliability Improving but Lagging Gas Models (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/electric-vehicle-plugin-reliability-consumer-reports-d249508a9cda5b9b4087335474c0449e

28.   Oregon’s Rebate Program Will Add Hundreds of New Electric Vehicle Chargers in 2025 (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/news/oregon/odots-rebate-program-will-add-hundreds-of-new-electric-vehicle-chargers-in-2025/

29.   Exclusive: Trump May Cancel U.S. Postal Service Electric Mail Truck Contract, Sources Say (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/trump-may-cancel-us-postal-service-electric-mail-truck-contract-sources-say-2024-12-06/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

30.   Federal Appeals Court Upholds Law Requiring Sale or Ban of TikTok in the U.S. (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-court-ruling-china-6bfd505295ad44126df0544fc083d6a6

31.   U.S. TikTok Content Creators Warn Followers to Find Them on Instagram, YouTube (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-tiktok-content-creators-warn-followers-find-them-instagram-youtube-2024-12-07/

32.   Bluesky Promises to Shake Up Social Media. It Might Finally Succeed. (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bluesky-promises-to-shake-up-social-media-it-might-finally-succeed-140059137.html

33.   Mocha Mousse – Pantone’s 2025 Color of the Year Is All About ‘Pleasure & Deliciousness’ (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/pantones-2025-color-pleasure-deliciousness-183639844.html

Politics, Management, and Governance

34.   WA State: Recount Confirms Challenger Mike Massey Wins Benton PUD Commissioner Pos. 3 Race by Seven Votes (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/recount-confirms-mike-massey-wins-benton-pud-commissioner-pos-3-race-by-7-votes/article_6a89cb78-b36e-11ef-bd47-a3d2aa7c13e3.html

35.   Washington Natural Gas Initiative Backer Files Suit to Force State to Comply (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_7cca35a6-b428-11ef-993c-0fb0ba786642.html

36.   President Biden Pushes Out Over $100 Billion in Clean Energy Grants as Term Winds Down (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/biden-pushes-out-over-100-billion-clean-energy-grants-term-winds-down-2024-12-03/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

37.   Guest Essay: Grant PUD – Columbia River Treaty – Only Paying for the Actual Benefits (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2024/dec/09/column-columbia-river-treaty-only-paying-for-the-actual-benefits/

38.   Commentary: The Inflation Reduction Act Energy Tax Credits Are Boosting Boise’s Economy — And Our Energy Security (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/12/04/ira-energy-tax-credits-are-boosting-boises-economy-and-our-energy-security/

39.   Guest Essay: Washington State Needs to Broaden Its Energy Strategy (Federal Way Mirror, WA)

https://www.federalwaymirror.com/opinion/washington-state-needs-to-broaden-its-energy-strategy-brunell/

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

Woman ‘Too Busy’ to Return One-Day SUV Rental from Texas – Keeps It for Weeks, WA Cops Say

https://www.yahoo.com/news/woman-too-busy-return-one-171032842.html

Japan’s Famous Sake Joins UNESCO’s Cultural Heritage List

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/japans-famous-sake-joins-unescos-cultural-heritage-list-116466880

Britain’s Famous Sycamore Gap Tree Is Gone. Two Men Accused of Cutting It Down Are Going on Trial

https://apnews.com/article/sycamore-gap-tree-trial-23f66f89dc00605f44acd38670e71025

Lost Dog Found More Than 400 Miles from Home After 3 Weeks

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/12/03/lost-pug-Bruno-400-miles-Sacramento-Bend/7171733244140/

Song of the Day

Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Playing for Change Foundation x Young Musicians Unite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONS-itFKSSI

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.

Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.