The Energy News Digest for September 29, 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.

NWPPA Announces Three Back-to-Back Conferences in January 2026

Kick off 2026 with three powerhouse events in one week! NWPPA is bringing together Wildfires: What Utilities Need to Know (Jan. 27), a new Data Center and Load Growth Summit (Jan. 28), and the Power Supply Conference (Jan. 29)—all at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel.

By stacking these events back-to-back, NWPPA is making it easier and more affordable for members to attend. Register for two of the events and receive 10% off, or attend all three and save 20%.

The week will also feature two evening networking receptions, plus lunch included at each event. And for those who want to start early, the Environmental Task Force will meet Jan. 26. Registration opens this fall, but mark your calendar now for this can’t-miss week of public power learning and connection.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Montana: NorthWestern Anticipates Spending $18 Million Annually on Operation & Maintenance for Avista’s Share of Colstrip Coal Plant (Montana Free Press)

https://montanafreepress.org/2025/09/19/additional-colstrip-shares-represent-a-significant-financial-obligation-for-northwestern/

Private Equity Sees Profits in Power Utilities as Electric Bills Rise & Big Tech Seeks More Energy (Associated Press)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/private-equity-sees-profits-power-040127661.html

Federal Tax Credits on Electric Vehicles Expire Tomorrow (Public News Service)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/federal-tax-credits-on-electric-vehicles-expire-tomorrow/ar-AA1NtVsR

Oregon: Irrigators, Tribes & Local Officials Push Back Against State Proposal to Curb Groundwater Crisis in Harney Basin (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09/29/harney-basin-curb-groundwater-crisis/

Guest Essay: Collaboration, Not Litigation, Can Support Both Salmon & Hydropower (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025/09/opinion-collaboration-not-litigation-can-support-both-salmon-and-hydropower.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Montana: NorthWestern Anticipates Spending $18 Million Annually on Operation & Maintenance for Avista’s Share of Colstrip Coal Plant

2.      Private Equity Sees Profits in Power Utilities as Electric Bills Rise & Big Tech Seeks More Energy

3.      Analysts See Possible Early Signs of Demand Growth in EIA’s Latest Update

4.      New Data Reveals Which U.S. States to Be Hit Hardest with Electricity Price Increases: ‘We’re Just Not Ready to Handle [This]’

5.      Wyoming, Utah & Idaho Push for Nuclear Energy Renaissance

6.      $375 Million Lawsuit Faults Portland General Electric, Property Manager in Portland Power Line Collapse That Killed 3

7.      Washington Utilities Hope New Laws, Concrete Blocks Will Curb Copper Thieves

8.      How To Make Electricity in the West Cheaper & More Reliable

9.      New Solar Farm Will Power More of Amazon’s Oregon Data Centers

10.   Oregon’s $100 Million Wave Energy Test Site Nears Operations as Federal Funding Concerns Loom

11.   A Tiny Tag Could Be a Big Solution for an Invasive Fish at Northwest Dams

12.   Oregon: Irrigators, Tribes & Local Officials Push Back Against State Proposal to Curb Groundwater Crisis in Harney Basin

13.   Energy Dept. Adds ‘Climate Change’ & ‘Emissions’ to Banned Words List

14.   Alaska’s BEAD Plan Includes Eye-Popping Per-Location Costs

15.   BEAD Cost Caps

16.   Sam Altman’s Artificial Intelligence Empire Will Devour as Much Power as New York City & San Diego Combined. Experts Say It’s ‘Scary’

17.   Washington Ranks Among Top States for Artificial Intelligence Use

18.   Federal Tax Credits on Electric Vehicles Expire Tomorrow

19.   Oregon: ‘Made My Heart Sink’ – Buyers of Electric Vehicles Discover They May Not Get $7,500 Tax Credit

20.   Electric Vehicle Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California

21.   WSDOT Doodles Make Drivers Laugh — And Pay Attention

22.   Guest Essay: Collaboration, Not Litigation, Can Support Both Salmon & Hydropower

Word of the Day – Origin Stories

Gesundheit /guh-ZOON-hite/ Interjection – Used to wish good health, especially to one who has just sneezed.

When English speakers hear “achoo,” they usually respond with either “gesundheit” or “God bless you.” Gesundheit was borrowed in the early 20th century from German, where it literally means “health”; it was formed from gesund (“healthy”) and -heit (“-hood”). Wishing a person good health when they sneeze is historically believed to forestall the illness that a sneeze often portends. Gesundheit was once also used as a toast when drinking (much like its English counterpart, “to your health”), but this use is now largely obsolete.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Montana: NorthWestern Anticipates Spending $18 Million Annually on Operation & Maintenance for Avista’s Share of Colstrip Coal Plant (Montana Free Press)

https://montanafreepress.org/2025/09/19/additional-colstrip-shares-represent-a-significant-financial-obligation-for-northwestern/

2.      Private Equity Sees Profits in Power Utilities as Electric Bills Rise & Big Tech Seeks More Energy (Associated Press)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/private-equity-sees-profits-power-040127661.html

3.      Analysts See Possible Early Signs of Demand Growth in EIA’s Latest Update (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/demand-growth-data-center-eia-rates/760956/

4.      New Data Reveals Which U.S. States to Be Hit Hardest with Electricity Price Increases: ‘We’re Just Not Ready to Handle [This]’ (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/data-reveals-us-states-hit-003500319.html

5.      Wyoming, Utah & Idaho Push for Nuclear Energy Renaissance (Wyofile)

https://wyofile.com/wyoming-utah-and-idaho-push-for-nuclear-energy-renaissance/

6.      $375 Million Lawsuit Faults Portland General Electric, Property Manager in Portland Power Line Collapse That Killed 3 (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/09/375m-suit-faults-pge-property-manager-in-portland-power-line-collapse-that-killed-3.html

7.      Washington Utilities Hope New Laws, Concrete Blocks Will Curb Copper Thieves (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/utilities-new-laws-concrete-curb-copper-thieves/281-6a8375a8-7c02-4caa-af2c-8eb82ee63e46

8.      How To Make Electricity in the West Cheaper & More Reliable (High Country News)

https://www.hcn.org/articles/how-to-make-electricity-in-the-west-cheaper-and-more-reliable/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9.      New Solar Farm Will Power More of Amazon’s Oregon Data Centers (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2025/09/new-solar-farm-will-power-more-of-amazons-oregon-data-centers.html

10.   Oregon’s $100 Million Wave Energy Test Site Nears Operations as Federal Funding Concerns Loom (The Registry)

https://news.theregistryps.com/oregons-100mm-wave-energy-test-site-nears-operations-as-federal-funding-concerns-loom/

Fish & Wildlife

11.   A Tiny Tag Could Be a Big Solution for an Invasive Fish at Northwest Dams (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2025-09-24/a-tiny-tag-could-be-a-big-solution-for-an-invasive-fish-at-northwest-dams

Water, Water, Anywhere?

12.   Oregon: Irrigators, Tribes & Local Officials Push Back Against State Proposal to Curb Groundwater Crisis in Harney Basin (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/09/29/harney-basin-curb-groundwater-crisis/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

13.   Energy Dept. Adds ‘Climate Change’ & ‘Emissions’ to Banned Words List (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/28/energy-department-climate-change-emissions-banned-words-00583649

London Calling –Telecommunications

14.   Alaska’s BEAD Plan Includes Eye-Popping Per-Location Costs (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/alaskas-bead-plan-includes-eye-popping-per-location-costs/

15.   BEAD Cost Caps (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2025/09/29/bead-cost-caps/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

16.   Sam Altman’s Artificial Intelligence Empire Will Devour as Much Power as New York City & San Diego Combined. Experts Say It’s ‘Scary’ (Fortune Magazine – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/sam-altman-ai-empire-devour-182519972.html

17.   Washington Ranks Among Top States for Artificial Intelligence Use (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/09/22/washington-ai-usage-anthropic-report-claude

I Sing the Car Electric

18.   Federal Tax Credits on Electric Vehicles Expire Tomorrow (Public News Service)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/federal-tax-credits-on-electric-vehicles-expire-tomorrow/ar-AA1NtVsR

19.   Oregon: ‘Made My Heart Sink’ – Buyers of Electric Vehicles Discover They May Not Get $7,500 Tax Credit (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2025/09/made-my-heart-sink-oregonians-who-bought-electric-vehicles-discover-they-may-not-get-7500-tax-credit.html

20.   Electric Vehicle Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California (KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://fox40.com/news/california-connection/ev-chargers-outnumber-gas-nozzles-in-california/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

21.   WSDOT Doodles Make Drivers Laugh — And Pay Attention (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/09/26/traffic-jam-wsdot-social-media-strategy-road-safety-seattle

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

22.   Guest Essay: Collaboration, Not Litigation, Can Support Both Salmon & Hydropower (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025/09/opinion-collaboration-not-litigation-can-support-both-salmon-and-hydropower.html

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Anger in Egypt After Pharaoh’s Gold Bracelet Stolen from a Cairo Museum Is Melted Down

https://apnews.com/article/egypt-antiquities-museum-pharaoh-bracelet-stolen-13e6958fe0be0765a6ee77446025d7b7

‘Very Mean Squirrel’ Seeking Food Has Sent at Least 2 People to the ER in a California City

https://apnews.com/article/aggressive-squirrel-hurt-people-43efad83aa78de39affc1b3cd3c93afe

Japanese Man Breaks Speed Record for Running on All Fours

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/09/24/japan-Guinness-World-Records-running-all-fours/1411758736682/

Rare Orange Lobster Dubbed ‘Jean-Clawd’ Returned to Long Island Sound

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/09/25/Long-Island-New-York-orange-lobster/6051758813614/

Song of the Day

The Alan Parsons Project – Pyramania

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWTJmrPa5TQ

Links & Paywall Advisory

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

The Energy News Digest for September 17, 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.

Programming Note

The Energy News Digest will be on hiatus the week of September 22. It will return sunburned, rested, and relaxed on September 29.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Fed Cuts Interest Rates by 0.25% & Sets Stage for More Cuts (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/fed-cuts-interest-rates-by-0-25-and-sets-stage-for-more-cuts/

Just How Deadly Could a Parasite Be to Yukon River Chinook Salmon? U.S. Biologists Are Trying to Find Out (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-river-chinook-salmon-disease-1.7632939?cmp=rss

Eighty Percent of the Inland Pacific Northwest is in Extreme Drought (KREM-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/idaho/extreme-drought-inland-northwest-north-idaho/293-3f0c3ae5-5d07-4e2c-bf3c-83c25846749f

With Nuclear Projects Coming to Utah, Gov. Cox Hopes for Rural Jobs – That’s No Easy Task (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/17/nuclear-projects-coming-to-utah-rural-jobs/

Pacific Northwest Continues to Lead on Energy Efficiency: Northwest Power and Conservation Council (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/pacific-northwest-continues-lead-energy-efficiency-northwest-power-and-conservation-council

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      With Nuclear Projects Coming to Utah, Gov. Cox Hopes for Rural Jobs – That’s No Easy Task

2.      Press Release: California Amends Law to Join Its Neighbors in a Large Western-Based Energy Market

3.      Request to PacifiCorp to Accelerate Clean Energy Developments Could Save Ratepayers Millions

4.      The Solar Industry Threw a Party in Vegas – It Actually Wasn’t Sad

5.      Pacific Northwest Continues to Lead on Energy Efficiency: Northwest Power and Conservation Council

6.      NW Power & Conservation Council Staff Will Analyze the Potential for Emerging Technologies in Energy Efficiency for Ninth Plan

7.      Republicans Take Aim at DOE’s Appliance Efficiency Program

8.      Are Your LED Bulbs Dying Early? We Found the Cause

9.      Just How Deadly Could a Parasite Be to Yukon River Chinook Salmon? U.S. Biologists Are Trying to Find Out

10.   Gov. Dunleavy Administration Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Decide the Future of Subsistence Fishing in Alaska

11.   Grant & Chelan PUDs' Trap-and-Transport Pilot Project Bolsters Okanagan Sockeye During Drought Years

12.   Eighty Percent of the Inland Pacific Northwest is in Extreme Drought

13.   WA State: CCA Compliance Could Cost Spokane Over $210 Million to Renovate Waste-to-Energy Plant

14.   Broadband Expansion across Idaho: How New Grants Will Revolutionize Connectivity for Travelers Across the State

15.   It’s ‘Do or Die’ for Electric Vehicle Maker Rivian as It Breaks Ground on a $5 Billion Plant

16.   Alaska Attorney General Argues Chugach Electric Round Up for Charity Program Raises Free Speech Concerns

17.   FEMA Is Vital for Disaster Recovery but Needs Crucial Reforms, Co-op Leaders Say

18.   Montana: Gov. Gianforte Names Members of Energy Task Force

19.   Fed Cuts Interest Rates by 0.25% & Sets Stage for More Cuts

Word of the Day – Horrible Haiku Edition

Redolent \RED-duh-lunt\ Adjective - 1: exuding fragrance: aromatic 2a: full of a specified fragrance: scented b: evocative, suggestive.

     “Little Trees”; Axe Spray

     Old cars and teen angst on show

     Redolent device

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      With Nuclear Projects Coming to Utah, Gov. Cox Hopes for Rural Jobs – That’s No Easy Task (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/17/nuclear-projects-coming-to-utah-rural-jobs/

2.      Press Release: California Amends Law to Join Its Neighbors in a Large Western-Based Energy Market (NW Energy Coalition)

https://nwenergy.org/news/press-release-california-amends-law-to-join-its-neighbors-in-a-large-western-based-energy-market/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

3.      Request to PacifiCorp to Accelerate Clean Energy Developments Could Save Ratepayers Millions (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/09/16/clean-energy-request-to-pacificorp-could-save-ratepayers-money/

4.      The Solar Industry Threw a Party in Vegas – It Actually Wasn’t Sad (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/re-2025-conference-clean-energy-industry-outlook

Conservation & Efficiency

5.      Pacific Northwest Continues to Lead on Energy Efficiency: Northwest Power and Conservation Council (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/pacific-northwest-continues-lead-energy-efficiency-northwest-power-and-conservation-council

6.      NW Power & Conservation Council Staff Will Analyze the Potential for Emerging Technologies in Energy Efficiency for Ninth Plan (NW Power & Conservation Council)

https://www.nwcouncil.org/news/2025/08/29/ninth-plan-emerging-technologies-energy-efficiency/

7.      Republicans Take Aim at DOE’s Appliance Efficiency Program (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/republicans-doe-appliance-efficiency-program-hearing/759829/

8.      Are Your LED Bulbs Dying Early? We Found the Cause (C|Net News)

https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/are-your-led-bulbs-dying-early-we-found-out-the-cause/

Fish & Wildlife

9.      Just How Deadly Could a Parasite Be to Yukon River Chinook Salmon? U.S. Biologists Are Trying to Find Out (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-river-chinook-salmon-disease-1.7632939?cmp=rss

10.   Gov. Dunleavy Administration Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Decide the Future of Subsistence Fishing in Alaska (Alaska Beacon)

https://alaskabeacon.com/2025/09/16/dunleavy-administration-asks-us-supreme-court-to-decide-the-future-of-subsistence-fishing-in-alaska/

11.   Grant & Chelan PUDs' Trap-and-Transport Pilot Project Bolsters Okanagan Sockeye During Drought Years (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/grant-and-chelan-puds-trap-and-transport-pilot-project-bolsters-okanagan-sockeye-during-drought-years/article_4fd9d579-fdfb-4564-8e09-4c5e4ffbb284.html

Water, Water, Anywhere?

12.   Eighty Percent of the Inland Pacific Northwest is in Extreme Drought (KREM-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/idaho/extreme-drought-inland-northwest-north-idaho/293-3f0c3ae5-5d07-4e2c-bf3c-83c25846749f

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

13.   WA State: CCA Compliance Could Cost Spokane Over $210 Million to Renovate Waste-to-Energy Plant (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_ac79345c-bf93-476e-9a44-915968688bb8.html

London Calling –Telecommunications

14.   Broadband Expansion across Idaho: How New Grants Will Revolutionize Connectivity for Travelers Across the State (Travel & Tour World)

https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/broadband-expansion-across-idaho-how-new-grants-will-revolutionize-connectivity-for-travelers-across-the-state/

I Sing the Car Electric

15.   It’s ‘Do or Die’ for Electric Vehicle Maker Rivian as It Breaks Ground on a $5 Billion Plant (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/rivian-electric-vehicles-georgia-plant-tesla-a4678f82d9ed276af0a4b0c1050de573

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

16.   Alaska Attorney General Argues Chugach Electric Round Up for Charity Program Raises Free Speech Concerns (Anchorage Daily News, AK – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2025/09/15/alaska-attorney-general-argues-chugach-electric-charity-program-raises-free-speech-concerns/

Politics, Governance, and Management

17.   FEMA Is Vital for Disaster Recovery but Needs Crucial Reforms, Co-op Leaders Say (National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association)

https://www.electric.coop/fema-is-vital-for-disaster-recovery-but-needs-crucial-reforms-co-op-leaders-say

18.   Montana: Gov. Gianforte Names Members of Energy Task Force (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/gov-gianforte-names-members-of-energy-task-force/

Other Things to Know About Today

19.   Fed Cuts Interest Rates by 0.25% & Sets Stage for More Cuts (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/fed-cuts-interest-rates-by-0-25-and-sets-stage-for-more-cuts/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Robert Redford, Oscar-Winning Director, Actor & Indie Patriarch, Dies at 89

https://apnews.com/article/robert-redford-dies-be240607d3f2f3374c00a3bdc79154e4

Beloved California Octopus Showered with Love & Farewells as She Spends Final Days Caring for Eggs

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/ghost-octopus-1.7634631

Stunt Performer Pulls a Car While on Fire to Break World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/09/17/austria-Guinness-World-Records-car-pull-full-body-burn/5071758111646/

Cheating scandal nearly sinks World Stone Skimming Championships

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/09/16/scotland-World-Stone-Skimming-Championships-cheating-scandal/9281758034803/

Songs of the Day – The Robert Redford Edition

Scott Joplin – The Entertainer (The Sting Soundtrack)

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

John Barry – Out of Africa Overture (Movie Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pptXIK-NNM

B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head (Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sySlY1XKlhM

Barbara Streisand – The Way We Were (Movie Soundtrack)

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

Links & Paywall Advisory

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