Wednesday, April 10, 2024

The Energy News Digest for April 10, 2024

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Items of Note from the Northwest Public Power Association

The Early Bee Gets the Savings

NWPPA’s 84th Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, is coming May 12-15, 2024. If you haven’t reserved your place at the conference yet, this week is your last opportunity to secure the early-bird rate and save $75 on your registration.

Questions? Contact nwppa@nwppa.org.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Tensions at Home & Abroad Pose Growing Threat to U.S. Grid (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/tensions-at-home-and-abroad-pose-growing-threat-to-us-grid/

U.S. Power Use Forecast to Reach Record Highs in 2024 & 2025 (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-power-use-forecast-reach-record-highs-2024-2025-2024-04-09/

Biden Administration Sets First-Ever Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water (Associated Press)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-administration-imposes-first-ever-090501314.html

Pumped Hydropower: Pending Approval, Work Could Start This Year on a New, Controversial Energy Project near Klamath Falls (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/04/09/klamath-falls-oregon-pumped-water-energy-storage-project/

FCC to Cut Monthly Broadband Benefits Because of Funding Shortfall (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/business/4584065-fcc-to-cut-monthly-broadband-benefits-due-to-funding-shortfall/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Tensions at Home & Abroad Pose Growing Threat to U.S. Grid

2.      U.S. Power Use Forecast to Reach Record Highs in 2024 & 2025

3.      Arizona: After Blocking New Solar Projects, Mohave County Paves Way for Gas-Fired Power Plant

4.      Reconductoring Could Help Solve America’s Looming Grid Crisis

5.      California: Berkeley’s First-In-The-Nation Natural Gas Ban Is Dead. But Is the Battle Over?

6.      The Uncertain Future of Natural Gas in Washington State

7.      Former Ohio Utility Regulator, Charged in a Sweeping Bribery Scheme, Has Died – Suicide

8.      At Least 4 Dead in Explosion at Hydroelectric Plant in Italy’s Bologna

9.      Public Power Utilities Earn APPA’s Safety Award of Excellence

10.   Pumped Hydropower: Pending Approval, Work Could Start This Year on a New, Controversial Energy Project near Klamath Falls

11.   Alaska: Railbelt Electric Utilities Are Facing a Major Energy Crunch. Renewables May Be the Answer.

12.   Eco Wave Power to Conduct Wave Energy Feasibility Studies

13.   Washington: USDA Invests in Three Local Energy-Saving Projects

14.   Solar Capacity Additions Are Changing the Shape of Daily Electricity Supply in Texas

15.   Rooftop Heat Pump Technologies Can Save US Businesses $5 Billion Annually: DOE

16.   Time Ticks Down for Orca Calf Stranded in British Columbia Lagoon as Rescue Efforts Ramp Up

17.   Puget Sound Energy Facility Has Violated Air Permit Over a Dozen Times

18.   Samish Nation Has Cleaned 500 Tons of Ocean Trash Since 2014

19.   Biden Administration Sets First-Ever Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water

20.   Spring Snow Improves Moisture Outlook in Central Montana

21.   Broken Record: March Is 10th Straight Month to Be Hottest on Record, Scientists Say

22.   FCC to Cut Monthly Broadband Benefits Because of Funding Shortfall

23.   New Broadband Transparency Labels Roll Out Nationwide

24.   Washington: Microsoft Gets OK for 4th Building Near Pangborn Memorial Airport

25.   U.S. Court Upholds EPA Decision to Approve California Electric-Vehicle Rules

26.   Five Tips for Creating a Professional Email Signature

27.   Washington: Malaga Site Offered for Possible First Ever Fusion Power Plant

28.   Washington: Clallam PUD Makes Commissioner Selection

29.   Keep Lights on as Washington Transitions to Clean Power

30.   Guest Essay: A Liberal State Is Investing in Nuclear Energy as a Way to Fight Climate Change

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Alone again. Naturally

Hermetic • \herr-MET-tick\ • Adjective - 1: relating to or characterized by occultism or abstruseness: recondite 2a: airtight b: impervious to external influence c: recluse, solitary.

     Frank the Hermetic

     Lived thus not by his choice

     Garlic was his vice

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Tensions at Home & Abroad Pose Growing Threat to U.S. Grid (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/tensions-at-home-and-abroad-pose-growing-threat-to-us-grid/

2.      U.S. Power Use Forecast to Reach Record Highs in 2024 & 2025 (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-power-use-forecast-reach-record-highs-2024-2025-2024-04-09/

3.      Arizona: After Blocking New Solar Projects, Mohave County Paves Way for Gas-Fired Power Plant (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2024/04/10/in-rural-arizona-officials-ban-solar-but-approve-a-gas-power-plant/73206250007/

4.      Reconductoring Could Help Solve America’s Looming Grid Crisis (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2024/04/09/reconductoring-could-help-solve-americas-looming-grid-problems/

5.      California: Berkeley’s First-In-The-Nation Natural Gas Ban Is Dead. But Is the Battle Over? (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/09/berkeley-natural-gas-ban-lawsuit-repeal

6.      The Uncertain Future of Natural Gas in Washington State (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_297d6c46-f69c-11ee-93ab-f3947ebf1a46.html

7.      Former Ohio Utility Regulator, Charged in a Sweeping Bribery Scheme, Has Died – Suicide (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/former-ohio-utility-regulator-charged-223036509.html

8.      At Least 4 Dead in Explosion at Hydroelectric Plant in Italy’s Bologna (The Independent, UK)

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/italy-hydroelectric-plant-explosion-bologna-death-b2526128.html

9.      Public Power Utilities Earn APPA’s Safety Award of Excellence (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/public-power-utilities-earn-appas-safety-award-excellence

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

10.   Pumped Hydropower: Pending Approval, Work Could Start This Year on a New, Controversial Energy Project near Klamath Falls (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/04/09/klamath-falls-oregon-pumped-water-energy-storage-project/

11.   Alaska: Railbelt Electric Utilities Are Facing a Major Energy Crunch. Renewables May Be the Answer. (KTOO Radio, Juneau, AK)

https://www.ktoo.org/2024/04/09/railbelt-electric-utilities-are-facing-a-major-energy-crunch-renewables-may-be-the-answer/

12.   Eco Wave Power to Conduct Wave Energy Feasibility Studies (Hydro Review)

https://www.hydroreview.com/hydro-industry-news/oceantidalstream-power/eco-wave-power-to-conduct-wave-energy-feasibility-studies/#gref

13.   Washington: USDA Invests in Three Local Energy-Saving Projects (The Journal of the San Juan Islands, Friday Harbor, WA)

https://www.sanjuanjournal.com/news/usda-invests-in-three-local-energy-saving-projects/

14.   Solar Capacity Additions Are Changing the Shape of Daily Electricity Supply in Texas (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61783

Conservation & Efficiency

15.   Rooftop Heat Pump Technologies Can Save US Businesses $5 Billion Annually: DOE (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/rooftop-heat-pump-technologies-energy-doe-emissions-sustainability/712577/

Fish & Wildlife

16.   Time Ticks Down for Orca Calf Stranded in British Columbia Lagoon as Rescue Efforts Ramp Up (CTV News, Vancouver, BC)

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/time-ticks-down-for-orca-calf-stranded-in-b-c-lagoon-as-rescue-efforts-ramp-up-but-no-set-date-1.6841106

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

17.   Puget Sound Energy Facility Has Violated Air Permit Over a Dozen Times (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/climate-lab/puget-sound-energy-facility-has-violated-air-permit-over-a-dozen-times/

18.   Samish Nation Has Cleaned 500 Tons of Ocean Trash Since 2014 (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2024/04/10/ocean-debris-native-americans-seattle-washington

Water, Water, Anywhere?

19.   Biden Administration Sets First-Ever Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water (Associated Press)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-administration-imposes-first-ever-090501314.html

20.   Spring Snow Improves Moisture Outlook in Central Montana (Lewistown News-Argus, MT)

https://www.lewistownnews.com/news/spring-snow-improves-moisture-outlook-in-central-montana/article_d0454f84-f5ee-11ee-9d29-1bffe86056f3.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

21.   Broken Record: March Is 10th Straight Month to Be Hottest on Record, Scientists Say (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-heat-record-hot-march-copernicus-33621288477a660d176ac3ff4a06e5c1

London Calling –Telecommunications

22.   FCC to Cut Monthly Broadband Benefits Because of Funding Shortfall (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/business/4584065-fcc-to-cut-monthly-broadband-benefits-due-to-funding-shortfall/

23.   New Broadband Transparency Labels Roll Out Nationwide (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/new-broadband-transparency-labels-roll-out-nationwide/

Beam Me Up, Scotty - The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

24.   Washington: Microsoft Gets OK for 4th Building Near Pangborn Memorial Airport (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/apr/09/microsoft-gets-ok-for-4th-building-near-pangborn-memorial-airport/

I Sing the Car Electric

25.   U.S. Court Upholds EPA Decision to Approve California Electric-Vehicle Rules (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/us-court-upholds-epa-decision-approve-california-electric-vehicle-rules-2024-04-09/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

26.   Five Tips for Creating a Professional Email Signature (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2024/04/07/tips-for-creating-a-professional-email-signature/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

27.   Washington: Malaga Site Offered for Possible First Ever Fusion Power Plant (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/potential-fusion-power-plant-malaga/

Management & Governance

28.   Washington: Clallam PUD Makes Commissioner Selection (Sequim Gazette, WA)

https://www.sequimgazette.com/news/clallam-pud-makes-commissioner-selection/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

29.   Keep Lights on as Washington Transitions to Clean Power (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/keep-lights-on-as-washington-transitions-to-clean-power/

30.   Guest Essay: A Liberal State Is Investing in Nuclear Energy as a Way to Fight Climate Change (Cardinal News)

https://cardinalnews.org/2024/04/09/a-liberal-state-is-investing-in-nuclear-energy-as-a-way-to-fight-climate-change/

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

Terrance the Octopus Came to Live with a Family. Then She Laid Dozens of Eggs

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/09/1243710100/terrance-octopus-two-spot-tiktok-eggs-family-pet

Help Name Washington's Newest Apple

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/contest-name-washingtons-newest-apple/293-c9efc7b2-6de7-46e2-9923-6a648a01e9c6

Teachers Find Fossils of Extinct Hippo-Like Mammals on the Oregon Coast

https://kfor.com/news/teachers-find-fossils-of-extinct-hippo-like-mammals-on-the-oregon-coast/

Tumbleweed Takeover at Nevada National Security Site

https://www.energy.gov/em/articles/tumbleweed-takeover-nevada-national-security-site

Song of the Day

The Beatles - Octopus's Garden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdpIWZd9JmA

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.