Wednesday, July 2, 2025

The Energy News Digest for July 2, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits The Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Gusty Winds & Dry Lightning Heighten Fire Threat in Central & Eastern Washington (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/marine-push-western-washington-puget-sound-basin-cascades-bernoulli-effect-ellensburg-yakima-wenatchee-red-flag-warning-mt-rainier-national-weather-service

NOAA Fisheries Weighing Endangered Species Protection for Chinook Salmon (Saving Seafood)

https://www.savingseafood.org/news/management-regulation/noaa-fisheries-weighing-esa-protection-for-chinook-salmon/

Killer Heat & No Help: Loss of Federal Aid for Utility Bills Could Prove Deadly (Palm Springs Desert Sun, CA)

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2025/07/01/killer-heat-and-no-help-loss-of-federal-aid-could-prove-deadly/84320149007/

Smaller Nuclear Reactors Spark Renewed Interest in a Once-Shunned Energy Source (States Newsroom)

https://stateline.org/2025/07/01/smaller-nuclear-reactors-spark-renewed-interest-in-a-once-shunned-energy-source/

In a Big Bill That Hurts Clean Energy, Residential Solar Likely to Get Hit Fast (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/in-a-big-bill-that-hurts-clean-energy-20416533.php

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.    Killer Heat & No Help: Loss of Federal Aid for Utility Bills Could Prove Deadly

2.    Smaller Nuclear Reactors Spark Renewed Interest in a Once-Shunned Energy Source

3.    World’s First Nuclear Microreactor Test Bed Launches at Idaho National Laboratory

4.    President Trump Nominates Four to Tennessee Valley Authority Board After Firing Biden Picks

5.    Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ Phase Two Development Begins with Secured Financing

6.    Fire That Shut Heathrow Was Caused by a Preventable Technical Fault Known for Years, Report Finds

7.    How Has U.S. Energy Use Changed Since 1776?

8.    In a Big Bill That Hurts Clean Energy, Residential Solar Likely to Get Hit Fast

9.    Goldendale Microgrid Project Loses FEMA Grant Funding

10. Eastern Oregon Gets New Rules for Siting Solar Developments

11. In Georgia, Sheep on a Solar Farm Is Not a Baaad Idea

12. NOAA Fisheries Weighing Endangered Species Protection for Chinook Salmon

13. The State of Oregon Releases Draft Management Plan for Southern Resident Orcas

14. Puget Sound Energy-Led Partnership Powers Historic Salmon Comeback in Washington’s Baker River

15. East Fork Lewis River Project Aims to Restore Salmon Habitat Spoiled by Ridgefield Gravel Mine

16. Montana Libraries Lose Wi-Fi Hotspots Access Due to Funding Losses

17. Joseph Williams Selected as Interim Director of the Washington State Broadband Office

18. Community Hospital Association Applauds Supreme Court Decision Upholding Universal Service Fund, Ensuring Vital Broadband Access for Rural Healthcare

19. U.S. Senate Strikes Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Ban from GOP Bill After Uproar from the States

20. Poll: American Voters Don't Want Data Centers Built in Their Communities

21. No, Artificial Intelligence Isn't Having 'Hallucinations.’ Turns Out, It's Worse Than That

22. Tesla Sales Plunge Again as Anti-Musk Boycott Shows Staying Power – Rivals Pounce on the Weakness

23. Washington State to Buy New Hybrid Electric Ferries from Florida Shipyard

24. Artificial Intelligence Notetakers Are Changing Meetings, But Not Everyone Is on Board

25. The US Plans to Begin Breeding Billions of Flies to Fight a Pest. Here Is How It Will Work

26. Republicans Tee Up U.S. House Vote on Trump Bill, Outcome Uncertain

27. What’s in the Latest Version of Trump’s Big Bill That Passed the U.S. Senate

28. Gusty Winds & Dry Lightning Heighten Fire Threat in Central & Eastern Washington

29. Burn Bans in Effect Across Oregon During Dry Conditions, High Temperatures

30. Warming & Then Much Cooler for July 4

31. Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty to Killing Four University of Idaho Students

32. Microsoft to Lay Off 9,000 Employees

33. Guest Essay: Energy Secretary Wright ‘Passionately’ Ignorant About Pacific Northwest Hydropower

34. Guest Essay: Spokane River Flows Are Falling Fast & Native Fish Are Paying the Price

Word of the Day -The Horrible Haiku Edition

Galumph /gull-LUMF/ Verb - To move in a loud and clumsy way.

     Dancing the foxtrot

     Elephants in the attic

     High-end galumphing

https://joelshorriblehaiku.blogspot.com/

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Killer Heat & No Help: Loss of Federal Aid for Utility Bills Could Prove Deadly (Palm Springs Desert Sun, CA)

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2025/07/01/killer-heat-and-no-help-loss-of-federal-aid-could-prove-deadly/84320149007/

2.      Smaller Nuclear Reactors Spark Renewed Interest in a Once-Shunned Energy Source (States Newsroom)

https://stateline.org/2025/07/01/smaller-nuclear-reactors-spark-renewed-interest-in-a-once-shunned-energy-source/

3.      World’s First Nuclear Microreactor Test Bed Launches at Idaho National Laboratory (Interesting Engineering)

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/dome-microreactor-testing-westinghouse-radiant

4.      President Trump Nominates Four to Tennessee Valley Authority Board After Firing Biden Picks (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-valley-authority-tva-board-trump-nominees-e41de7e928884dc4dac8ab4f51027a3b

5.      Southwest Power Pool’s Markets+ Phase Two Development Begins with Secured Financing (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/spps-markets-phase-two-development-begins-with-secured-financing

6.      Fire That Shut Heathrow Was Caused by a Preventable Technical Fault Known for Years, Report Finds (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/article/fire-that-shut-heathrow-was-caused-by-a-20411374.php

7.      How Has U.S. Energy Use Changed Since 1776? (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65644

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

8.      In a Big Bill That Hurts Clean Energy, Residential Solar Likely to Get Hit Fast (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/in-a-big-bill-that-hurts-clean-energy-20416533.php

9.      Goldendale Microgrid Project Loses FEMA Grant Funding (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/2025/07/01/goldendale-microgrid-project-loses-fema-grant-funding/

10.   Eastern Oregon Gets New Rules for Siting Solar Developments (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

https://eastoregonian.com/2025/07/02/breaking-eastern-oregon-gets-new-rules-for-siting-solar-developments/

11.   In Georgia, Sheep on a Solar Farm Is Not a Baaad Idea (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/food-and-agriculture/in-georgia-sheep-on-a-solar-farm-is-not-a-baaad-idea/

Fish & Wildlife

12.   NOAA Fisheries Weighing Endangered Species Protection for Chinook Salmon (Saving Seafood)

https://www.savingseafood.org/news/management-regulation/noaa-fisheries-weighing-esa-protection-for-chinook-salmon/

13.   The State of Oregon Releases Draft Management Plan for Southern Resident Orcas (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/01/southern-resident-orca-oregon/

14.   Puget Sound Energy-Led Partnership Powers Historic Salmon Comeback in Washington’s Baker River (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/featured/48802-puget-sound-energy-led-partnership-powers-historic-salmon-comeback-in-washingtons-baker-river/

15.   East Fork Lewis River Project Aims to Restore Salmon Habitat Spoiled by Ridgefield Gravel Mine (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/01/clark-county-east-fork-lewis-river-project-salmon-habitat-restoration-ridgefield-gravel-pit-mine/

London Calling –Telecommunications

16.   Montana Libraries Lose Wi-Fi Hotspots Access Due to Funding Losses (KFBB-TV, Great Falls, MT)

https://www.montanarightnow.com/bozeman/montana-libraries-lose-wi-fi-hotspots-access-due-to-funding-losses/article_3d77deb8-e880-4ff5-9142-72db2c5d9196.html

17.   Joseph Williams Selected as Interim Director of the Washington State Broadband Office (Washington State Department of Commerce)

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOC/bulletins/3e77391

18.   Community Hospital Association Applauds Supreme Court Decision Upholding Universal Service Fund, Ensuring Vital Broadband Access for Rural Healthcare (West Virginia News)

https://www.wvnews.com/news/around_the_web/partners/pr_newswire/industry/health_care_hospitals/community-hospital-association-applauds-supreme-court-decision-upholding-universal-service-fund-ensuring-vital-broadband-access/article_3e5e1a0b-387e-54a7-baf3-7d0ba33e8c20.html

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

19.   U.S. Senate Strikes Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Ban from GOP Bill After Uproar from the States (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/congress-ai-provision-moratorium-states-20beeeb6967057be5fe64678f72f6ab0

20.   Poll: American Voters Don't Want Data Centers Built in Their Communities (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/issues/energy/article_d5b56472-f767-4dbe-93ac-69ca663fa0c9.html

21.   No, Artificial Intelligence Isn't Having 'Hallucinations.’ Turns Out, It's Worse Than That (Huffington Post)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ai-hallucinations-whats-really-happening_l_68556bd5e4b0278e54ed3d14

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   Tesla Sales Plunge Again as Anti-Musk Boycott Shows Staying Power – Rivals Pounce on the Weakness (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-tesla-sales-model-y-boycott-doge-deliveries-976a467eca5a179db58cbe4318f54a52

23.   Washington State to Buy New Hybrid Electric Ferries from Florida Shipyard (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/07/01/washington-state-to-buy-new-hybrid-electric-ferries-from-florida-shipyard/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

24.   Artificial Intelligence Notetakers Are Changing Meetings, But Not Everyone Is on Board (TechSpot)

https://www.techspot.com/news/106785-ai-notetakers-changing-meetings-but-not-everyone-board.html

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

25.   The US Plans to Begin Breeding Billions of Flies to Fight a Pest. Here Is How It Will Work (Associated Press)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-plans-begin-breeding-billions-035153855.html

Politics, Governance, and Management

26.   Republicans Tee Up U.S. House Vote on Trump Bill, Outcome Uncertain (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/trump-tax-cut-plan-returns-us-house-republicans-divided-bill-2025-07-02/

27.   What’s in the Latest Version of Trump’s Big Bill That Passed the U.S. Senate (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/inside-trump-republican-spending-bill-provisions-details-06eb10bad4fd2a7ea2ac236e6535e61d

Other Things to Know About Today

28.   Gusty Winds & Dry Lightning Heighten Fire Threat in Central & Eastern Washington (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/marine-push-western-washington-puget-sound-basin-cascades-bernoulli-effect-ellensburg-yakima-wenatchee-red-flag-warning-mt-rainier-national-weather-service

29.   Burn Bans in Effect Across Oregon During Dry Conditions, High Temperatures (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/01/burn-bans-oregon-dry-conditions-high-temperatures/

30.   Warming & Then Much Cooler for July 4 (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/06/warming-and-then-much-cooler-for-july-4.html

31.   Bryan Kohberger Pleads Guilty to Killing Four University of Idaho Students (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/live/brian-kohberger-idaho-killings-updates

32.   Microsoft to Lay Off 9,000 Employees (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/microsoft-lay-off-9000-employees/MIDQH3JCCRDUBGW2ITWMPKHITE/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

33.   Guest Essay: Energy Secretary Wright ‘Passionately’ Ignorant About Pacific Northwest Hydropower (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/5379975-energy-secretary-wright-is-passionately-ignorant-about-northwest-hydropower/

34.   Guest Essay: Spokane River Flows Are Falling Fast & Native Fish Are Paying the Price (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/02/katelyn-scott-river-flows-are-falling-fast-and-nat/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

The T-Rex World Championship Races Were Quite Ferocious This Year

https://sports.yahoo.com/article/photos-t-rex-world-championship-200201536.html

21-Year-Old Rows Across Atlantic Ocean, Earning Three World Records

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/07/01/Guinness-World-Records-youngest-rowing-Atlantic-Ocean/6931751388748/

Music History Is Littered with Projects Planned, Anticipated, Even Completed – Then Scrapped

https://apnews.com/article/lost-albums-music-bruce-springsteen-27529fc84fcfddbb2f3c392984c06ef2

Artificial Intelligence-Powered Robots Face Off in China Soccer Tournament

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/07/02/ROBO-League-soccer-robots/3821751468167/

Song of the Day

Was Not Was - Walk the Dinosaur

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONzTeznN4Xc&list=RDONzTeznN4Xc&start_radio=1

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which can 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.