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Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
Electricity Prices Are Climbing More Than Twice as Fast as
Inflation (National Public Radio)
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/16/nx-s1-5502671/electricity-bill-high-inflation-ai
Pacific Northwest: Power Bills May Get Pricier as Region’s Main
Supplier Increases Rates (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/bpa-rates
Washington’s Hydropower Has Created a Data Center Boom. Some
Are Concerned About Its Future. (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
Canada: Fraser River Salmon Returns This Year a ‘Real Chance
to Celebrate,’ Harvesters Say (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/salmon-returns-2025-bc-1.7607430
Top Climate Tech Exec: The Air Conditioning Gap Between
Europe & America Is Becoming an Economic Liability (Yahoo! News)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/top-climate-tech-exec-ac-100000149.html
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
Electricity Prices Are Climbing More Than Twice
as Fast as Inflation
2.
Pacific Northwest: Power Bills May Get Pricier
as Region’s Main Supplier Increases Rates
3.
Bonneville Power Administration Releases Final
Provider of Choice Policies, Decisions & Contract Templates
4.
Bonneville Power Administration’s Third Quarter
Financial Outlook Remains Steady
5.
Portland General Electric Now Requesting 10.9
Percent Rate Increase for 2025
6.
Federal Court Dismisses Environmental Groups’
Hydropower Lawsuit Against Eugene Water & Electric
7.
Montana PSC to Take Up Data Centers, Artificial
Intelligence
8.
Artificial Intelligence Experts Return from
China Stunned: The U.S. Grid Is So Weak, The Race May Already Be Over
9.
WA State: Okanogan County PUD Hears It’s
Feasible to Remove Enloe Dam
10.
Oregon: Construction Underway on
Boardman-to-Hemingway Power Line, With Work to Start Soon in Eastern Baker
County
11.
Montana: Flathead Electric Cooperative Puts
Wildfire Mitigation Plan to the Public
12.
Power Transformers & Distribution
Transformers will Face Supply Deficits of 30% & 10% in 2025: Report
13.
Heat Wave Spikes Temps & Hydropower Demand
14.
States Look to Unleash Wind & Solar Boom
While Tax Credits Still Exist
15.
EPA Planning to Rescind $7 Billion in Federal
Solar Grants, Including $30 Million for Wyoming
16.
‘Pennies From the Sun’: Schools in Rural
Communities Look to Save Money in Solar Power Project
17.
More People in the U.S. Are Catching on to a
European Idea: Backyard Solar Panels
18.
California’s Self-Own on Wind & Solar
19.
How One Oregon Activist Is Using a Decades-Old
Liberal Policy to Stall Green Energy Projects
20.
Top Climate Tech Exec: The Air Conditioning Gap
Between Europe & America Is Becoming an Economic Liability
21.
Heat Pump Adoption Expected to Grow Despite
Federal Shift
22.
Canada: Fraser River Salmon Returns This Year a
‘Real Chance to Celebrate,’ Harvesters Say
23.
WA State: Record Number of Hatchery Chinook
Salmon Expected to Return to Whatcom Creek
24.
New WSU Research Sheds Light on Coho Salmon
Die-Offs Linked to Car-Tire Chemical
25.
Idaho Poisoned Snake River for Invasive Mussels.
Was It Worth ‘Heartbreaking’ Loss?
26.
Unusual ‘Zombie Rabbits’ Spotted in Washington
State
27.
U.S. Justice Department Sues California Over Its
Truck Emission Standards
28.
Water Levels Plunge at Lake Powell. Is ‘Dead
Pool’ Looming?
29.
On Thin Ice: A Closer Look at Pacific
Northwest’s Glaciers
30.
WA To Consider Changes to Allocation of No-Cost
Allowances to Certain Industries
31.
Washington’s Hydropower Has Created a Data
Center Boom. Some Are Concerned About Its Future
32.
Nevada: ‘Massive’ – The Sprawling Data Center
Boom in the Northern Nevada Desert
33.
Trump Admin Reopens $5 Billion Electric Vehicle
Charging Program After Losses in Court
34.
Republicans Look to Make a U-Turn on Federal
Commitment to Electric Vehicles for the Postal Service
35.
Longtime Wyoming Newspaper Executives to Buy,
Reopen Eight Shuttered Newspapers
36.
Having a Personal Brand at Work Is Key for
Introverts, Expert Says: ‘A Lot of People Underestimate Them’
37.
Six Planets Are Hanging Out in Early Morning
Skies This Month. Here’s How to Spot Them
38.
Curious Kids: If Everyone in the World Turned on
the Lights at the Same Time, What Would Happen?
39.
Federal Bill Aims to Increase Transparency in
Hydropower Dam Relicensing Process
40.
Old Farmer’s Almanac – Drought Relief for
Pacific Northwest as Fall, Winter Forecasts Released
41.
Think Tank Finds WA Wasting CCA Money on
Projects with Little Enviro Benefit
Words of the Day
Cambridge Dictionary Adds ‘Skibidi’ & ‘Tradwife’ Among
6,000 New Words
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
Electricity Prices Are Climbing More Than Twice as
Fast as Inflation (National Public Radio)
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/16/nx-s1-5502671/electricity-bill-high-inflation-ai
2.
Pacific Northwest: Power Bills May Get Pricier as
Region’s Main Supplier Increases Rates (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business,
WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/bpa-rates
3.
Bonneville Power Administration Releases Final Provider
of Choice Policies, Decisions & Contract Templates (Bonneville Power
Administration)
4.
Bonneville Power Administration’s Third Quarter
Financial Outlook Remains Steady (Bonneville Power Administration)
5.
Portland General Electric Now Requesting 10.9 Percent
Rate Increase for 2025 (Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board)
https://oregoncub.org/news/blog/pge-now-requesting-10.9-percent-rate-increase-for-2025/3164/
6.
Federal Court Dismisses Environmental Groups’ Hydropower
Lawsuit Against Eugene Water & Electric (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
7.
Montana PSC to Take Up Data Centers, Artificial
Intelligence (The Daily Montanan)
https://dailymontanan.com/2025/08/11/montana-psc-to-take-up-data-centers-ai/
8.
Artificial Intelligence Experts Return from China
Stunned: The U.S. Grid Is So Weak, The Race May Already Be Over (Yahoo! News)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ai-experts-return-china-stunned-195549402.html
9.
WA State: Okanogan County PUD Hears It’s Feasible
to Remove Enloe Dam (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)
https://methowvalleynews.com/2025/08/14/okanogan-county-pud-hears-its-feasible-to-remove-enloe-dam/
10.
Oregon: Construction Underway on Boardman-to-Hemingway
Power Line, With Work to Start Soon in Eastern Baker County (Baker City Herald,
OR – Paywall Advisory)
11.
Montana: Flathead Electric Cooperative Puts
Wildfire Mitigation Plan to the Public (The Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)
https://dailyinterlake.com/news/2025/aug/17/flathead-electric-seeks-input-on-wildfire-plan/
12.
Power Transformers & Distribution
Transformers will Face Supply Deficits of 30% & 10% in 2025: Report (American
Public Power Association)
13.
Heat Wave Spikes Temps & Hydropower Demand (U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers)
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
14.
States Look to Unleash Wind & Solar Boom
While Tax Credits Still Exist (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/states-speed-deployment-tax-credits-disappear
15.
EPA Planning to Rescind $7 Billion in Federal
Solar Grants, Including $30 Million for Wyoming (Cowboy State Daily)
16.
‘Pennies From the Sun’: Schools in Rural
Communities Look to Save Money in Solar Power Project (Spokesman-Review, Spokane,
WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/aug/18/pennies-from-the-sun-schools-in-rural-communities-/
17.
More People in the U.S. Are Catching on to a European
Idea: Backyard Solar Panels (National Public Radio)
18.
California’s Self-Own on Wind & Solar (Politico)
19.
How One Oregon Activist Is Using a Decades-Old
Liberal Policy to Stall Green Energy Projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Conservation
& Efficiency
20.
Top Climate Tech Exec: The Air Conditioning Gap
Between Europe & America Is Becoming an Economic Liability (Yahoo! News)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/top-climate-tech-exec-ac-100000149.html
21.
Heat Pump Adoption Expected to Grow Despite
Federal Shift (Utility Dive)
Fish
& Wildlife
22.
Canada: Fraser River Salmon Returns This Year a ‘Real
Chance to Celebrate,’ Harvesters Say (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/salmon-returns-2025-bc-1.7607430
23.
WA State: Record Number of Hatchery Chinook Salmon
Expected to Return to Whatcom Creek (KGMI Radio, Bellingham, WA)
24.
New WSU Research Sheds Light on Coho Salmon
Die-Offs Linked to Car-Tire Chemical (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
25.
Idaho Poisoned Snake River for Invasive Mussels.
Was It Worth ‘Heartbreaking’ Loss? (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID – Via MSN)
26.
Unusual ‘Zombie Rabbits’ Spotted in Washington
State (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
Environmental
Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three
27.
U.S. Justice Department Sues California Over Its
Truck Emission Standards (MSN News)
Water,
Water, Anywhere?
28.
Water Levels Plunge at Lake Powell. Is ‘Dead
Pool’ Looming? (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/water-levels-plunge-lake-powell-192943065.html
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
29.
On Thin Ice: A Closer Look at Pacific Northwest’s
Glaciers (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
30.
WA To Consider Changes to Allocation of No-Cost
Allowances to Certain Industries (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_7f1331a1-847a-419a-98d5-80d158a8378e.html
The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
31.
Washington’s Hydropower Has Created a Data
Center Boom. Some Are Concerned About Its Future. (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
32.
Nevada: ‘Massive’ – The Sprawling Data Center
Boom in the Northern Nevada Desert (Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV)
I
Sing the Car Electric
33.
Trump Admin Reopens $5 Billion Electric Vehicle Charging
Program After Losses in Court (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/ev-charging/trump-reopen-nevi-funding
34.
Republicans Look to Make a U-Turn on Federal
Commitment to Electric Vehicles for the Postal Service (Associated Press)
Public
Relations, Marketing & Media
35.
Longtime Wyoming Newspaper Executives to Buy,
Reopen Eight Shuttered Newspapers (WyoFile)
https://wyofile.com/longtime-wyoming-newspaper-executives-to-buy-reopen-eight-shuttered-newspapers/
36.
Having a Personal Brand at Work Is Key for Introverts,
Expert Says: ‘A Lot of People Underestimate Them’ (CNBC)
Barrel
O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
37.
Six Planets Are Hanging Out in Early Morning
Skies This Month. Here’s How to Spot Them (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/parade-of-planets-2025-78f417bb01efb820de7dfb66cf947208
38.
Curious Kids: If Everyone in the World Turned on
the Lights at the Same Time, What Would Happen? (Kiowa County Press, CO)
Politics,
Governance, and Management
39.
Federal Bill Aims to Increase Transparency in Hydropower
Dam Relicensing Process (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)
Other
Things to Know About Today
40.
Old Farmer’s Almanac – Drought Relief for Pacific
Northwest as Fall, Winter Forecasts Released (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
41.
Think Tank Finds WA Wasting CCA Money on Projects
with Little Enviro Benefit (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_2a6de40e-5b9f-4a8e-aa90-9ce4e60ac4dd.html
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
A Michigan Autoworker’s Wallet Is Found Under a Hood in Minnesota
— 151,000 Miles Later
https://apnews.com/article/missing-wallet-found-ford-worker-20af47c40547f86e83bfbabcc61e27e5
‘World’s Ugliest Dog’ Winner Is from Oregon: ‘A Mix Between Yoda,’
‘Hippo’ & ‘Bat’
Library Book Returned after 82 Years. Note Says, ‘Grandma Won’t
Be Able to Pay for It Anymore’
Archaeologists Found a 1,600-Year-Old Roman Mosaic of
Flip-Flops. They Look Weirdly Trendy
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a65605356/roman-mosaic-flip-flops/
Song of the Day
George Gershwin (Hayato Sumino) – Rhapsody in Blue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0S5hYRLytI
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
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