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Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
U.S. House Poised to Vote on a Bill to End the Record-Long
Government Shutdown (NBC News)
Solar Storms: Power Grid Warning Issued for 11 States
(Newsweek)
https://www.newsweek.com/power-grid-warning-issued-11-states-geomagnetic-storm-11030249
U.S. States Could Lose $21 Billion of Broadband Grants After
Trump Overhaul (Ars Technica)
Seattle E-Bike Maker Rad Power Bikes Warns of Closure,
Putting 64 Jobs at Risk (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/local/rad-power-bike-closure/4155756
Fish Populations Are Struggling Amid Persistent Drought in
Southeast Idaho (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
Solar Storms: Power Grid Warning Issued for 11
States
2.
Full Blackout Hits the Dominican Republic as
Crews Scramble to Restore Power
3.
U.S. Energy Secretary Reveals Nuclear Power
Plants as Top Focus for Major Federal Loan Initiative
4.
Rising Electricity Demand Drives Urgent Need for
Diverse, Resilient Energy, IEA Says
5.
Sixteen Entities, Including Public Power, Commit
to Binding Operations for Western Resource Adequacy Program
6.
Energy Information Administration Publishes
November Short-Term Energy Outlook
7.
Why Your Heating Bill Could Soar This Winter
8.
Distributed Energy Resources Are Transforming
the Electric Grid
9.
Energy Expert Quickly Debunks Myth About
‘Exploding’ Solar Panels: ‘Don’t Let Misconceptions Hold You Back’
10.
Fish Populations Are Struggling Amid Persistent
Drought in Southeast Idaho
11.
Guardians of the Salish Sea, Orcas Face an
Uncertain Future
12.
Nuclear Waste Finally Being Moved After Over 80
Years at Eastern WA Site
13.
Colorado River: States Miss Their Deadline on a
Deal, But They’re Still Talking
14.
U.S. States Could Lose $21 Billion of Broadband
Grants After Trump Overhaul
15.
Ookla: Can Satellite Broadband Bridge the
Urban/Rural Divide?
16.
Seattle E-Bike Maker Rad Power Bikes Warns of
Closure, Putting 64 Jobs at Risk
17.
Ford CEO Says Taking Apart Tesla & Chinese
Electric Vehicles Was ‘Shocking’ & Pushed Him to Shake Up the Automaker
18.
We Analyzed 47,000 ChatGPT Conversations –
Here’s What People Really Use It For
19.
U.S. Tsunami Warning System, Reeling from
Funding & Staffing Cuts, Is Dealt Another Blow
20.
U.S. House Poised to Vote on a Bill to End the
Record-Long Government Shutdown
21.
Visa & Mastercard Reach Swipe Fee Settlement
with Merchants
22.
Map Shows 18 States Where Northern Lights Could
Be Visible on Wednesday Night
23.
Editorial: New Electricity Transmission Routes
Raise Questions
Word of the Day
Immutable \ih-MYOO-tuh-bul\ Adjective – Not capable of or susceptible to change.
The invisible hand drew back and paused. The immutable force of the marketplace had been battling a slow start in its contest against the dialectic of Marxist theology. Suddenly, the hand moved forward and flung the 16-pound ball down the alley…picking up the 7-10 spare. “YOU WIN!” Exclaimed the Keynesian scorekeeper. “Yeah, but in the long run you’ll all be dead,” chortled the ghost of Thomas Malthus.
Energy & Utility Issues
1.
Solar Storms: Power Grid Warning Issued for 11
States (Newsweek)
https://www.newsweek.com/power-grid-warning-issued-11-states-geomagnetic-storm-11030249
2.
Full Blackout Hits the Dominican Republic as
Crews Scramble to Restore Power (Associated Press)
3.
U.S. Energy Secretary Reveals Nuclear Power
Plants as Top Focus for Major Federal Loan Initiative (Energy Reporters)
4.
Rising Electricity Demand Drives Urgent Need for
Diverse, Resilient Energy, IEA Says (Euronews)
5.
Sixteen Entities, Including Public Power, Commit
to Binding Operations for Western Resource Adequacy Program (American Public
Power Association)
6.
Energy Information Administration Publishes November
Short-Term Energy Outlook (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/releases/press579.php
7.
Why Your Heating Bill Could Soar This Winter (KGW-TV,
Portland, OR)
Renewable Energy & Self Storage
8.
Distributed Energy Resources Are Transforming
the Electric Grid (Pew Charitable Trusts)
9.
Energy Expert Quickly Debunks Myth About ‘Exploding’
Solar Panels: ‘Don’t Let Misconceptions Hold You Back’ (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/energy-expert-quickly-debunks-myth-070000632.html
Fish & Wildlife
10.
Fish Populations Are Struggling Amid Persistent
Drought in Southeast Idaho (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)
11.
Guardians of the Salish Sea, Orcas Face an
Uncertain Future (Courthouse News Service)
https://courthousenews.com/guardians-of-the-salish-sea-orcas-face-an-uncertain-future/
Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three
12.
Nuclear Waste Finally Being Moved After Over 80
Years at Eastern WA Site (Bellingham Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/containers-radioactive-waste-finally-move-195819424.html
Water, Water, Anywhere?
13.
Colorado River: States Miss Their Deadline on a Deal,
But They’re Still Talking (Utah News Dispatch)
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/11/11/colorado-river-states-miss-deadline/
London Calling –Telecommunications
14.
U.S. States Could Lose $21 Billion of Broadband
Grants After Trump Overhaul (Ars Technica)
15.
Ookla: Can Satellite Broadband Bridge the
Urban/Rural Divide? (Telecompetitor)
https://www.telecompetitor.com/ookla-can-satellite-broadband-bridge-the-urban-rural-divide/
I Sing the Car Electric
16.
Seattle E-Bike Maker Rad Power Bikes Warns of
Closure, Putting 64 Jobs at Risk (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/local/rad-power-bike-closure/4155756
17.
Ford CEO Says Taking Apart Tesla & Chinese Electric
Vehicles Was ‘Shocking’ & Pushed Him to Shake Up the Automaker (Yahoo! News)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-ceo-says-taking-apart-120101649.html
Public Relations, Marketing & Media
18.
We Analyzed 47,000 ChatGPT Conversations – Here’s
What People Really Use It For (Washington Post – Via MSN News)
Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
19.
U.S. Tsunami Warning System, Reeling from
Funding & Staffing Cuts, Is Dealt Another Blow (NBC News)
Politics, Governance, and Management
20.
U.S. House Poised to Vote on a Bill to End the Record-Long
Government Shutdown (NBC News)
Other Things to Know About Today
21.
Visa & Mastercard Reach Swipe Fee Settlement
with Merchants (National Public Radio)
22.
Map Shows 18 States Where Northern Lights Could
Be Visible on Wednesday Night (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi
23.
Editorial: New Electricity Transmission Routes
Raise Questions (Bend Bulletin, OR)
https://bendbulletin.com/2025/11/12/editorial-new-electricity-transmission-routes-raise-concerns/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
A Happy Circumstance: Bob Ross Paintings
Sell for More Than $600K to Help Public TV Stations
Upcoming Kahlo Auction Could Fetch Up to $60 Million. Mexican
Art Historians Explain Why
https://apnews.com/article/frida-kahlo-auction-sothebys-mexico-c00de82e494469834eed6324cff4f989
Cross Country National Championships Held in Iowa Snowstorm
The Gilded Cross on Germany’s Highest Peak Has Too Many
Stickers – Now It’s Being Restored
https://apnews.com/article/germany-zugspitze-stickers-peak-cross-cf877af862dd1e43a7150bf191c8bb40
Song of the Day
Audra McDonald - Climb Every Mountain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-gcr4dT_jo
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.
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
