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NWPPA’s Annual Conference & Membership Meeting
Join us as we raise a glass to 85 years of public power excellence at our Annual Conference and Membership Meeting in Santa Rosa, California. Mark your calendars for May 19-22, 2025, as utility executives and policymakers convene in Sonoma County to celebrate this historic milestone and shape our industry’s future.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
New Wave of
Smaller, Cheaper Nuclear Reactors Sends U.S. States Racing to Attract the
Industry (Associated Press)
Canadians Remain
Ready for United States’ Return to Columbia River Treaty Negotiations (My
Nelson News, BC)
Grant County PUD To
Impose Load-Growth Limits for Data Center Customers (NCW Life, East Wenatchee,
WA)
In New England,
Canadian Hydropower Has Slowed to an Ominous Trickle (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/hydropower/canadian-hydroelectric-new-england-cutoff
U.S. Supreme Court
Seems Likely to OK $8 Billion Phone & Internet Subsidy for Rural,
Low-Income Areas (Associated Press)
News Highlights (See
Stories Below)
1. New
Wave of Smaller, Cheaper Nuclear Reactors Sends U.S. States Racing to Attract
the Industry
2. Idaho:
Oklo Reveals 75-MW Reactor Design, Eyes Late 2027 Commercial Deployment
3. Canadians
Remain Ready for United States’ Return to Columbia River Treaty Negotiations
4. Pause
In Columbia River Treaty Talks Stokes Worry for Flood Control in Vancouver
5. In
New England, Canadian Hydropower Has Slowed to an Ominous Trickle
6. Are
We Ready for an Underwater Power Line in the Columbia River?
7. Plan
For Subsea Cable to Send Canada’s Clean Power to the United Kingdom
8. WA
State: West End Clallam County Power Line Targeted for Upgrades Amid Ongoing
Outages
9. U.S.
Energy Infrastructure Gets a D+ From American Society of Civil Engineers
10. Revolving
Federal Fund Proposed to Assist Energy Needs of Southwest States
11. Public
Power Lineworkers Earn Trophies at National Lineworkers Rodeo
12. California:
Shasta County’s Fight to Stop Controversial Wind Energy Project Scores a Win
13. California:
Proposed Solar Farm in Sacramento County Sparks Debate Over Environment; Moves
Forward
14. BLM
Rushes Review of Oregon Lithium Project Following Trump’s Executive Order
15. WA
State: Tidal Power – OPALCO Files a
Draft License Application with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
16. Oregon:
Energy Conservation Could Offset Large Expected Increase in Demand, EWEB Says
17. Thousands
Line Oregon’s Sandy River for Rare Seven-Hour Smelt Fishery
18. Smelt
Poachers Caught with Over a Ton of Fish During One-Day Season
19. 950
Adult Steelhead Pass Round Butte Dam in Historic 2024–25 Run
20. King
County Scientists Discover Method to Help Salmon Survive Polluted Stormwater
21. EPA
Offers Industrial Polluters a Way to Avoid Rules on Mercury, Arsenic &
Other Toxic Chemicals – Send an Email
22. British
Columbia Faces April 1 Deadline to Repeal Carbon Tax — But Will the Bill Pass
in Time?
23. Climate
Commitment Act Ag Exemption Bill Moves Through Washington Senate
24. U.S.
Supreme Court Seems Likely to OK $8 Billion Phone & Internet Subsidy for
Rural, Low-Income Areas
25. Elon
Musk’s Starlink Is Likely to Get a Boost from the Trump Administration
26. Grant
County PUD To Impose Load-Growth Limits for Data Center Customers
27. Meta,
Micron Projects Will Guzzle Idaho Electricity, Lawmakers Say. Who’s Going to
Pay?
28. Panelists
Warn of ‘Choke Points’ in America’s Nuclear Energy Future
29. Westport
City Council Approves SEALink Networks’ Cable Landing Station in Washington
State
30. We
Asked Five Artificial Intelligence Helpers to Write Tough Emails. One Was a
Clear Winner.
31. X
Is Sold. But Musk Is Still in Control.
32. Trump
Admin Considers Killing Big Energy Projects in Dem States Including PNW
Hydrogen Hub
33. House
GOP Members Fight for Biden-Era Energy Spending, Including in Washington
34. Trump
Administration Cancels Clean Energy Grants as It Prioritizes Fossil Fuels
35. California
Suspends Environmental Laws to Speed Rebuilding of Utilities After L.A. Fires
36. As
Wildfire Season Approaches, Budget Woes & Federal Uncertainty Have Put
States’ Plans at Risk
37. WA
State: Property With 'Iconic' Politically-Charged Uncle Sam Billboard Near I-5
In Napavine on the Market for $2.5 Million
38. Guest
Essay: WA Governor Should Reconsider Pulling Fisheries Expert
39.
Guest Essay: A Death Sentence for Idaho’s Salmon
Word of the Day
Gibbous \JIB-buss\ Adjective - 1a: marked by convexity or swelling b: of the moon or a planet: seen with more than half but not the entire apparent disk illuminated 2: having a hump: humpbacked
“Young Frankenstein – 1974”
The scene opens. Gene Wilder, as Doctor Frankenstein, addresses his “googly-eyed” gibbous assistant Igor, played by Marty Feldman:
Dr. Frederick
Frankenstein: You know, I’m a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you
with that hump.
Igor: What hump?
Energy & Utility
Issues
1.
New Wave of Smaller, Cheaper Nuclear Reactors
Sends U.S. States Racing to Attract the Industry (Associated Press)
2.
Idaho: Oklo Reveals 75-MW Reactor Design, Eyes
Late 2027 Commercial Deployment (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/oklo-75-mw-reactor-design-smr-nuclear/743578/
3.
Canadians Remain Ready for United States’ Return
to Columbia River Treaty Negotiations (My Nelson News, BC)
4.
Pause In Columbia River Treaty Talks Stokes
Worry for Flood Control in Vancouver (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
5.
In New England, Canadian Hydropower Has Slowed to
an Ominous Trickle (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/hydropower/canadian-hydroelectric-new-england-cutoff
6.
Are We Ready for an Underwater Power Line in the
Columbia River? (Columbia Insight)
7.
Plan For Subsea Cable to Send Canada’s Clean
Power to the United Kingdom (The Times, UK)
8.
WA State: West End Clallam County Power Line
Targeted for Upgrades Amid Ongoing Outages (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
9.
U.S. Energy Infrastructure Gets a D+ From American
Society of Civil Engineers (Utility Dive)
10.
Revolving Federal Fund Proposed to Assist Energy
Needs of Southwest States (Daily Energy Insider)
11.
Public Power Lineworkers Earn Trophies at
National Lineworkers Rodeo (American Public Power Association)
Renewable Energy &
Self Storage
12.
California: Shasta County’s Fight to Stop
Controversial Wind Energy Project Scores a Win (Redding Record Searchlight, CA)
13.
California: Proposed Solar Farm in Sacramento
County Sparks Debate Over Environment; Moves Forward (KRCA-TV, Sacramento, CA)
https://www.kcra.com/article/proposed-solar-farm-wilton-sacramento-county/64303894
14.
BLM Rushes Review of Oregon Lithium Project
Following Trump’s Executive Order (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/03/26/blm-rushes-review-oregon-lithium-mine/
15.
WA State: Tidal Power – OPALCO Files a Draft License
Application with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Orcas Power & Light
Company, Friday Harbor, WA)
Conservation &
Efficiency
16.
Oregon: Energy Conservation Could Offset Large
Expected Increase in Demand, EWEB Says (KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR)
Fish & Wildlife
17.
Thousands Line Oregon’s Sandy River for Rare Seven-Hour
Smelt Fishery (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
18.
Smelt Poachers Caught with Over a Ton of Fish
During One-Day Season (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
19.
950 Adult Steelhead Pass Round Butte Dam in
Historic 2024–25 Run (Central Oregon Daily, Bend, OR)
20.
King County Scientists Discover Method to Help
Salmon Survive Polluted Stormwater (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/local/salmon-survive-polluted-stormwater/4068529
Environmental Afflatus –
Clean Up on Aisle Three
21.
EPA Offers Industrial Polluters a Way to Avoid
Rules on Mercury, Arsenic & Other Toxic Chemicals – Send an Email
(Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/trump-epa-clean-air-exemption-mercury-13f009f79fdc84443e428618d2a01bba
Climate Change
Sequestration Vault
22.
British Columbia Faces April 1 Deadline to Repeal
Carbon Tax — But Will the Bill Pass in Time? (Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation)
23.
Climate Commitment Act Ag Exemption Bill Moves
Through Washington Senate (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2025/mar/31/cca-ag-exemption-bill-moves-through-senate/
London Calling –Telecommunications
24.
U.S. Supreme Court Seems Likely to OK $8 Billion
Phone & Internet Subsidy for Rural, Low-Income Areas (Associated Press)
25.
Elon Musk’s Starlink Is Likely to Get a Boost from
the Trump Administration (National Public Radio)
The Wizarding World of
Technology & Cybersecurity
26.
Grant County PUD To Impose Load-Growth Limits for
Data Center Customers (NCW Life, East Wenatchee, WA)
27.
Meta, Micron Projects Will Guzzle Idaho Electricity,
Lawmakers Say. Who’s Going to Pay? (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID – Via Yahoo!
News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/meta-micron-projects-guzzle-idaho-190557028.html
28.
Panelists Warn of ‘Choke Points’ in America’s
Nuclear Energy Future (Broadband Breakfast)
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/panelists-warn-of-choke-points-in-americas-nuclear-energy-future/
29.
Westport City Council Approves SEALink Networks’
Cable Landing Station in Washington State (Data Center Dynamics)
Public Relations,
Marketing & Media
30.
We Asked Five Artificial Intelligence Helpers to
Write Tough Emails. One Was a Clear Winner. (Washington Post – Via MSN)
31.
X Is Sold. But Musk Is Still in Control. (Mashable)
https://mashable.com/article/x-sold-xai
Politics, Governance,
and Management
32.
Trump Admin Considers Killing Big Energy Projects
in Dem States Including PNW Hydrogen Hub (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/26/energy-department-hydrogen-projects-blue-states-00249589
33.
House GOP Members Fight for Biden-Era Energy
Spending, Including in Washington (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
34.
Trump Administration Cancels Clean Energy Grants
as It Prioritizes Fossil Fuels (Associated Press)
Other Things to Know
About Today
35.
California Suspends Environmental Laws to Speed
Rebuilding of Utilities After L.A. Fires (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/california-suspends-environmental-laws-speed-100018564.html
36.
As Wildfire Season Approaches, Budget Woes &
Federal Uncertainty Have Put States’ Plans at Risk (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-state-budget-doge-trump-musk-a6b5d83981bb615e950f0f7f1a6145ad
37.
WA State: Property With 'Iconic'
Politically-Charged Uncle Sam Billboard Near I-5 In Napavine on the Market for $2.5
Million (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/property-iconic-politically-charged-uncle-045900035.html
Soapbox Serenade – Vox
Populi
38.
Guest Essay: WA Governor Should Reconsider
Pulling Fisheries Expert (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-governor-should-reconsider-pulling-fisheries-expert/
39.
Guest Essay: A Death Sentence for Idaho’s Salmon
(Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/mar/29/gregg-servheen-a-death-sentence-for-idahos-salmon/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Richard Chamberlain:
Heartthrob King of the TV Mini-Series Dies
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cxe2nv0mdv2o
Drawing Bought for $12
in Pennsylvania Might Be an Authentic Pierre-Auguste Renoir
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/03/27/Pierre-Auguste-Renoir-drawing-Pennsylvania/3991743095798/
Mini Dachshund
Spotted 16 Months After Disappearance on Australian Island
California Woman
Uses World's Longest Tongue To Play Jenga
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/03/31/Guinness-World-Records-longest-tongue-Jenga/2651743431104/
Song of the Day
Maurice Jarre -
Shogun (Soundtrack, 1980)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYKDkephfG0
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
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files may help you access some paywall sites.
