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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
$1.5 Billion Columbia River Underwater Power Project Turns
Down Trump Admin Expedited Permitting (Washington State Standard)
Trump Admin Cancels $679 Million for Offshore Wind Projects
as Attacks on Reeling Industry Continue (Associated Press)
Drought: USDA Designates 28 Washington Counties as Natural
Disaster Areas (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture)
Buying (And Owning) an Electric Vehicle in Oregon Could Soon
Get a Lot More Expensive (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
We’re Now in ‘Meteorological Fall’ (KIRO Broadcasting,
Seattle, WA)
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/were-now-meteorological-fall/XYPER3XYRVDRLIWQD74HKRZKX4/
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
$1.5 Billion Columbia River Underwater Power
Project Turns Down Trump Admin Expedited Permitting
2.
Idaho Power’s Proposed Rate Increase Could Raise
Residential Bills More Than $250 a Year
3.
Thanks to Bonneville Credits: Rocky Mountain
Power Customers in Idaho Set for Annual Bill Decrease
4.
Avista Increases Electric, Gas Rates in Idaho
This Fall
5.
Oregon: Holiday Farm Survivors, Utilities Soon
to Present Arguments in Federal Court
6.
Judge Sides with Oregon Trail Electric
Cooperative in Baker Valley Couple’s Lawsuit Claiming Power Surge Caused 2022
Fire That Damaged Their Home
7.
WA State: Okanogan County Will Examine Economic
Impacts, Power Needs of Cannabis Business
8.
Oregon Doubles the Pot of Money Available to
Households Struggling to Pay Utility Bills. Here’s Who Qualifies
9.
New Interactive Exhibit Teaches Local Community
About Hydropower
10.
Trump Admin Cancels $679 Million for Offshore
Wind Projects as Attacks on Reeling Industry Continue
11.
Puget Sound Energy Breaks Ground on New
Utility-Scale Solar Project in Washington State
12.
Wyoming: Rancher Says Wind, Solar Don’t Impact
Land Any More Than Cell Towers, Oil Rigs
13.
Southeast Boise Neighbors Weigh in on Idaho
Power’s 10-Acre Battery Project
14.
Clean Electricity from the Earth: Bidders Show
Interest in Geothermal in the California Desert
15.
BLM Geothermal Leases in Oregon Sale Net More
Than $430,000
16.
California Public Utilities Commission Approves
New Long-Term Energy Efficiency Objectives for Utilities
17.
This Hidden Electricity Drain Can Have a Massive
Impact
18.
Trump Updates Sage Grouse Rules, Reigniting
Debate Over Controversial Bird
19.
Tribes Condemn Trump for Backing Out of Columbia
River Deal for Salmon Recovery
20.
Tiny Tag for ‘Untaggable’ Fish Wins 2025 R&D
100 Award
21.
Drought: USDA Designates 28 Washington Counties
as Natural Disaster Areas
22.
Dozens of Scientists Push Back on ‘Fundamentally
Flawed’ Department of Energy Climate Report
23.
What the EPA’s Plan to Deregulate Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Means for Washington State
24.
Montana: Broadband Committee Approves $300
Million in Fiber Optic, Satellite Projects
25.
SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites to Orbit
from California on New Falcon 9 Rocket
26.
Fiber Still in Line for Two-thirds of BEAD
Locations
27.
WA State: Mason PUD 3 Denied BEAD Grant Funds
28.
Subscriber Study Shows Shifting Attitudes About
Satellite Internet
29.
Canada: Copper Thieves Are Running Riot.
Telecoms Are Trying to Stop Them
30.
Buying (And Owning) an Electric Vehicle in
Oregon Could Soon Get a Lot More Expensive
31.
Trump’s New Electric Vehicle Move Has Gas
Stations Pumped
32.
Google Doesn’t Have to Sell Chrome but Must
Share Some Data with Rivals to Resolve Monopoly Case
33.
Humans Are Being Hired to Make Artificial
Intelligence Slop Look Less Sloppy
34.
We’re Now in ‘Meteorological Fall’
35.
Warm West & Cold East
36.
Appeals Court Backs EPA Action Terminating
Billions in ‘Green Bank’ Grants
37.
Democratic Governors Call on Trump to Uphold
Wind Permits
38.
An Artificial Intelligence Simulation of a Mount
Fuji Eruption Is Being Used to Prepare Tokyo for the Worst – Shades of Mt St
Helens
39.
Guest Essay: Unconstitutional – Utilities Are
Funding Political Speech with Captive Ratepayer Funds
Word of the Day
Frenetic \frih-NET-ick\ Adjective - Frenzied, frantic.
The small, yapping terrier ran at a frenetic pace, up and down the stairs, showing its joy at the return of its human friend.
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
$1.5 Billion Columbia River Underwater Power
Project Turns Down Trump Admin Expedited Permitting (Washington State Standard)
2.
Idaho Power’s Proposed Rate Increase Could Raise
Residential Bills More Than $250 a Year (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)
3.
Thanks to Bonneville Credits: Rocky Mountain
Power Customers in Idaho Set for Annual Bill Decrease (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls,
ID)
4.
Avista Increases Electric, Gas Rates in Idaho This
Fall (KREM-TV, Spokane, WA)
5.
Oregon: Holiday Farm Survivors, Utilities Soon to
Present Arguments in Federal Court (Eugene Register-Guard, OR – Via Yahoo!
News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/holiday-farm-survivors-utilities-soon-110319782.html
6.
Judge Sides with Oregon Trail Electric
Cooperative in Baker Valley Couple’s Lawsuit Claiming Power Surge Caused 2022
Fire That Damaged Their Home (Baker City Herald)
7.
WA State: Okanogan County Will Examine Economic
Impacts, Power Needs of Cannabis Business (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)
8.
Oregon Doubles the Pot of Money Available to
Households Struggling to Pay Utility Bills. Here’s Who Qualifies (The Oregonian,
Portland, OR)
9.
New Interactive Exhibit Teaches Local Community
About Hydropower (Idaho National Laboratory)
https://inl.gov/news-release/new-interactive-exhibit-teaches-local-community-about-hydropower/
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
10.
Trump Admin Cancels $679 Million for Offshore
Wind Projects as Attacks on Reeling Industry Continue (Associated Press)
11.
Puget Sound Energy Breaks Ground on New
Utility-Scale Solar Project in Washington State (Globe Newswire)
12.
Wyoming: Rancher Says Wind, Solar Don’t Impact
Land Any More Than Cell Towers, Oil Rigs (Cowboy State Daily)
13.
Southeast Boise Neighbors Weigh in on Idaho
Power’s 10-Acre Battery Project (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)
14.
Clean Electricity from the Earth: Bidders Show
Interest in Geothermal in the California Desert (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via
Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/clean-electricity-earth-bidders-show-100000560.html
15.
BLM Geothermal Leases in Oregon Sale Net More
Than $430,000 (Morning Agclips)
https://www.morningagclips.com/blm-geothermal-leases-in-oregon-sale-net-more-than-430000/
Conservation
& Efficiency
16.
California Public Utilities Commission Approves
New Long-Term Energy Efficiency Objectives for Utilities (Daily Energy Insider)
17.
This Hidden Electricity Drain Can Have a Massive
Impact (Associated Press)
Fish
& Wildlife
18.
Trump Updates Sage Grouse Rules, Reigniting
Debate Over Controversial Bird (Cowboy State Daily)
19.
Tribes Condemn Trump for Backing Out of Columbia
River Deal for Salmon Recovery (Truthout)
20.
Tiny Tag for ‘Untaggable’ Fish Wins 2025 R&D
100 Award (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/tiny-tag-untaggable-fish-wins-2025-rd-100-award
Water,
Water, Anywhere?
21.
Drought: USDA Designates 28 Washington Counties
as Natural Disaster Areas (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture)
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
22.
Dozens of Scientists Push Back on ‘Fundamentally
Flawed’ Department of Energy Climate Report (ABC News)
https://abcnews.go.com/US/dozens-scientists-push-back-fundamentally-flawed-department-energy/story
23.
What the EPA’s Plan to Deregulate Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Means for Washington State (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
London
Calling –Telecommunications
24.
Montana: Broadband Committee Approves $300
Million in Fiber Optic, Satellite Projects (The Daily Montanan)
25.
SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites to Orbit from
California on New Falcon 9 Rocket (video) (Space)
26.
Fiber Still in Line for Two-thirds of BEAD
Locations (Broadband Breakfast)
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/fiber-still-in-line-for-two-thirds-of-bead-locations/
27.
WA State: Mason PUD 3 Denied BEAD Grant Funds
(Mason Web-TV, Shelton, WA)
https://masonwebtv.com/archives/61049
28.
Subscriber Study Shows Shifting Attitudes About
Satellite Internet (Pioneer Utility Resources)
29.
Canada: Copper Thieves Are Running Riot. Telecoms
Are Trying to Stop Them (The Logic)
https://thelogic.co/news/copper-theft-bell-telus-canada/
I
Sing the Car Electric
30.
Buying (And Owning) an Electric Vehicle in Oregon
Could Soon Get a Lot More Expensive (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
31.
Trump’s New Electric Vehicle Move Has Gas
Stations Pumped (Politico)
Public
Relations, Marketing & Media
32.
Google Doesn’t Have to Sell Chrome but Must
Share Some Data with Rivals to Resolve Monopoly Case (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/google-search-antitrust-remedies-chrome-846916fda0943c5fa359385044a02c8b
33.
Humans Are Being Hired to Make Artificial
Intelligence Slop Look Less Sloppy (NBC News)
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/humans-hired-to-fix-ai-slop-rcna225969
Barrel
O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
34.
We’re Now in ‘Meteorological Fall’ (KIRO
Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/were-now-meteorological-fall/XYPER3XYRVDRLIWQD74HKRZKX4/
35.
Warm West & Cold East (Cliff Mass Weather
Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/09/warm-west-and-cold-east.html
Politics,
Governance, and Management
36.
Appeals Court Backs EPA Action Terminating
Billions in ‘Green Bank’ Grants (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/green-bank-funding-climate-epa-trump-9d96de45d0d3787d580ce29473cffc8f
37.
Democratic Governors Call on Trump to Uphold
Wind Permits (Bloomberg News – Via The Financial Post)
https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/democratic-governors-call-on-trump-to-uphold-wind-permits
Other
Things to Know About Today
38.
An Artificial Intelligence Simulation of a Mount
Fuji Eruption Is Being Used to Prepare Tokyo for the Worst – Shades of Mt St
Helens (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/japan-uses-ai-generated-eruption-145007384.html
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
39.
Guest Essay: Unconstitutional – Utilities Are
Funding Political Speech with Captive Ratepayer Funds (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/unconstitutional-utilities-political-speech-ratepayer/758683/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Search for Painting Looted by Nazis May Have Found More
Stolen Art
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx26z142vko
Hundreds Of Mysterious Containers Found Floating Off an Alaskan
Island as Authorities Probe Where They Came From
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/hundreds-mysterious-containers-found-floating-213936247.html
Trio of Men Use Slingshot to Make Cornhole Shot from 151
Feet
Student’s Lost Wallet Found Behind School Wall 51 Years
Later
Song of the Day
Michael Bublé – Lost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-8ez6dGao8&list=RDQ-8ez6dGao8&start_radio=1
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