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Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
New Atmospheric River Will Make PNW ‘The Wettest Place in
the World Over the Next Six Days’ (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/pacific-northwest-weather/atmospheric-river-11/4173711
U.S. Public Power and Electric Cooperatives Outlook 2026
(Fitch Ratings)
Without Completed 2025 Reports, Federal Fishery Managers Use
Last Year’s Data to Set Alaska Harvests (Alaska Beacon)
California: Gloomy Weather in Sacramento Raises Energy Bills
for Solar Panel Users (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-gloomy-weather-solar-panel-energy-bills/69693115
Reporters At McClatchy-Owned Newspapers in the Pacific
Northwest Raise Alarm About Company’s Use of Artificial Intelligence Use (The
Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
U.S. Public Power and Electric Cooperatives
Outlook 2026
2.
California: Diablo Canyon Clears Hurdle to Stay
Open Until at Least 2030
3.
Betting Big on a Nuclear Waste-Fueled Future:
What Wyoming Shuns, Idaho Is Embracing
4.
Shocked by Your Electric Bill? Three Reasons
Costs Are Rising
5.
U.S. Energy Secretary Predicts That Electricity
Prices Will Stop Rising ‘Very Soon’
6.
WA State: Report – Transmission System
Limitations Will Limit Clean Energy Growth
7.
WA State: Tri-Cities Residents Bristle at New
Lines Needed for Growing Energy Needs
8.
Lawsuit Argues Bonneville Power Administration’s
Energy Market Move Violates Federal, Environmental Laws
9.
The Washington Legislature Is Warned That
Climate Goals & Affordable Power Bills Are at Risk from Data Centers
10.
Eight Idaho Utility Projects Selected for New
Wildfire Resilience Program
11.
Mississippi: Jackson Police Say Elderly Man Died
Attempting to Steal Copper Wire from Utility Pole
12.
California: Gloomy Weather in Sacramento Raises
Energy Bills for Solar Panel Users
13.
NW Natural Alternative Fuel Projects Face
Uncertain Future as Partners Falter
14.
Solar Power & Farming Can Co-Exist on the
Same Land. Just Ask Cameron Krebs’ Sheep
15.
Bureau of Land Management Approves Parcels for
Geothermal Leasing in Southern Idaho
16.
Bill to Expand Weatherization Programs Passes
Through U.S. House Committee
17.
Without Completed 2025 Reports, Federal Fishery
Managers Use Last Year’s Data to Set Alaska Harvests
18.
Hundreds of Dead Salmon Still ‘Chock-Full’ of
Eggs Found in Abbotsford, B.C., Creek
19.
Orcas & Dolphins Caught on Video
Collaborating to Hunt Salmon
20.
Newborn Whale Calf Brings Hope & Cautious
Joy to Puget Sound
21.
As Cost of Grocery Bags Rises to 12 Cents, WSU
Study Finds Bag Fee Is Creating More Plastic Waste Even as Number of Bags
Plummets
22.
Environmental Groups Say Permitting Bill Passed
by U.S. House Guts Clean Water Protections
23.
Is the Pacific Northwest Ready for a Wave of
Climate Migration?
24.
Time’s 2025 Person of the Year: The Architects
of Artificial Intelligence
25.
Reporters At McClatchy-Owned Newspapers in the
Pacific Northwest Raise Alarm About Company’s Use of Artificial Intelligence
Use
26.
Why News Organizations Are Suing Artificial
Intelligence Companies, And What They Hope to Win
27.
A Wind Burst Forming Over Remote Ocean May
Affect Global Weather in 2026
28.
Federal Judge Orders FEMA to Restore Billions in
Canceled Disaster Mitigation Funding
29.
President Trump Threatens Funding for States
Over Artificial Intelligence Regulations
30.
U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA) Introduces Bill to
Expand Tax Incentives for Nuclear Development
31.
New Atmospheric River Will Make PNW ‘The Wettest
Place in the World Over the Next Six Days’
32.
More Rain for Cascades, High Winds for Columbia
Basin This Week
33.
La Niña Is Here for the Rest of Winter, Federal
Forecasters Announce
34.
Oregon Grows More Christmas Trees Than Other
States. Climate Researchers Want to Keep It That Way
35.
Guest Essay: GOP Senators – Lower Snake Dam
Breaching Studies Ignore Reality
36.
Guest Essay: Good News for Area Power Plant, But
Trouble Remains for Region’s Power Grid
37.
Guest Essay: BPA Administrator – Expanding
Affordable, Reliable Service in the Tri-Cities
Word of the Day
Bohemian \bo-HEE-mee-un\ Noun - 1a: a native or inhabitant of Bohemia b: the group of Czech dialects used in Bohemia 2a: vagabond, wanderer; especially: gypsy b: a person (as a writer or an artist) living an unconventional life usually in a colony with others.
Barnabas thought he was living life to the Bohemian fullest: rooming with four guys; drinking Jägermeister each night with wild abandon; blogging incoherently about anything and everything that popped into his febrile mind; rolling out of bed, bleary-eyed the following morning to raise the dough for rent and Top Ramen. His distraught mother put it more succinctly: “My son? He’s living like a bum.”
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
U.S. Public Power and Electric Cooperatives
Outlook 2026 (Fitch Ratings)
2.
California: Diablo Canyon Clears Hurdle to Stay
Open Until at Least 2030 (Santa Barbara Independent, CA)
https://www.independent.com/2025/12/12/diablo-canyon-clears-hurdle-to-stay-open-until-at-least-2030/
3.
Betting Big on a Nuclear Waste-Fueled Future:
What Wyoming Shuns, Idaho Is Embracing (Cowboy State Daily)
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/12/10/idaho-lab-bets-big-on-a-nuclear-waste-fueled-future/
4.
Shocked by Your Electric Bill? Three Reasons
Costs Are Rising (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/shocked-by-your-electric-bill-3-reasons-costs-are-rising/
5.
U.S. Energy Secretary Predicts That Electricity
Prices Will Stop Rising ‘Very Soon’ (The Hill, Washington, DC)
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5648658-energy-secretary-predicts-lower-prices/
6.
WA State: Report – Transmission System
Limitations Will Limit Clean Energy Growth (Tri-Cities Journal of Business, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/transmission-system-limitations
7.
WA State: Tri-Cities Residents Bristle at New
Lines Needed for Growing Energy Needs (Tri-Cities Journal of Business, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/bpa-transmission-line-over-richland
8.
Lawsuit Argues Bonneville Power Administration’s
Energy Market Move Violates Federal, Environmental Laws (Tri-Cities Journal of
Business, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/bpa-lawsuit-opening-statements
9.
The Washington Legislature Is Warned That
Climate Goals & Affordable Power Bills Are at Risk from Data Centers (The
Inlander, Spokane, WA)
10.
Eight Idaho Utility Projects Selected for New
Wildfire Resilience Program (Idaho Capital Sun)
11.
Mississippi: Jackson Police Say Elderly Man Died
Attempting to Steal Copper Wire from Utility Pole (WLBT-TV, Jackson, Miss.)
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
12.
California: Gloomy Weather in Sacramento Raises
Energy Bills for Solar Panel Users (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-gloomy-weather-solar-panel-energy-bills/69693115
13.
NW Natural Alternative Fuel Projects Face
Uncertain Future as Partners Falter (States Newsroom)
14.
Solar Power & Farming Can Co-Exist on the Same
Land. Just Ask Cameron Krebs’ Sheep (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/dec/15/solar-power-and-farming-can-co-exist-on-the-same-l/
15.
Bureau of Land Management Approves Parcels for Geothermal
Leasing in Southern Idaho (News Release: Bureau of Land Management)
https://www.blm.gov/announcement/blm-approves-parcels-geothermal-leasing-southern-idaho
Conservation
& Efficiency
16.
Bill to Expand Weatherization Programs Passes
Through U.S. House Committee (Utility Dive)
Fish
& Wildlife
17.
Without Completed 2025 Reports, Federal Fishery
Managers Use Last Year’s Data to Set Alaska Harvests (Alaska Beacon)
18.
Hundreds of Dead Salmon Still ‘Chock-Full’ of
Eggs Found in Abbotsford, B.C., Creek (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
19.
Orcas & Dolphins Caught on Video
Collaborating to Hunt Salmon (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
20.
Newborn Whale Calf Brings Hope & Cautious
Joy to Puget Sound (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
Environmental
Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three
21.
As Cost of Grocery Bags Rises to 12 Cents, WSU
Study Finds Bag Fee Is Creating More Plastic Waste Even as Number of Bags
Plummets (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/dec/11/as-cost-of-grocery-bags-rises-to-12-cents-wsu-stud/
Water,
Water, Anywhere?
22.
Environmental Groups Say Permitting Bill Passed by
U.S. House Guts Clean Water Protections (Washington State Standard)
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5648658-energy-secretary-predicts-lower-prices/
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
23.
Is the Pacific Northwest Ready for a Wave of
Climate Migration? (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kuow.org/stories/is-the-pacific-northwest-ready-for-a-wave-of-climate-migration
The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
24.
Time’s 2025 Person of the Year: The Architects
of Artificial Intelligence (Yahoo! News)
Public
Relations, Marketing & Media
25.
Reporters At McClatchy-Owned Newspapers in the Pacific
Northwest Raise Alarm About Company’s Use of Artificial Intelligence Use (The
Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
26.
Why News Organizations Are Suing Artificial
Intelligence Companies, And What They Hope to Win (National Public Radio)
Barrel
O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
27.
A Wind Burst Forming Over Remote Ocean May
Affect Global Weather in 2026 (Washington Post – Via MSN)
Politics,
Governance, and Management
28.
Federal Judge Orders FEMA to Restore Billions in
Canceled Disaster Mitigation Funding (Associated Press)
29.
President Trump Threatens Funding for States
Over Artificial Intelligence Regulations (Reuters)
https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-says-he-will-sign-order-curbing-state-ai-laws-2025-12-11/
30.
U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA) Introduces Bill to
Expand Tax Incentives for Nuclear Development (Daily Energy Insider)
Other
Things to Know About Today
31.
New Atmospheric River Will Make PNW ‘The Wettest
Place in the World Over the Next Six Days’ (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/pacific-northwest-weather/atmospheric-river-11/4173711
32.
More Rain for Cascades, High Winds for Columbia
Basin This Week (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
33.
La Niña Is Here for the Rest of Winter, Federal
Forecasters Announce (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/la-ni-rest-winter-federal-140126779.html
34.
Oregon Grows More Christmas Trees Than Other
States. Climate Researchers Want to Keep It That Way (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
35.
Guest Essay: GOP Senators – Lower Snake Dam
Breaching Studies Ignore Reality (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)
36.
Guest Essay: Good News for Area Power Plant, But
Trouble Remains for Region’s Power Grid (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
37.
Guest Essay: BPA Administrator – Expanding Affordable,
Reliable Service in the Tri-Cities (Tri-Cities Journal of Business, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/hairston-2025
Diversions – Kultural Klassics
Honey Flavor Reaches New Depths With... Spotted Lanternfly
Droppings
Archaeologists in France Dig Up a Jar Packed with Tens of
Thousands of 1,800-Year-Old Roman Coins
Nonna Was Right! Italian Cuisine Wins a Place on UNESCO’s
Cultural Heritage List
Swiss Yodeling Joins World Cultural Heritage List
https://courthousenews.com/swiss-yodeling-joins-world-cultural-heritage-list/
Song of the Day
Epic Christmas Music – Star Wars: Imperial March x Carol of
the Bells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66M8NwkRmew
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
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