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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
Parts of the Southwest U.S. Get More Than a Month’s Rain in
One Day (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/oct/12/parts-of-the-southwest-get-more-than-a-months-rain/
Major Solar Farm in Eastern Washington on Cusp of Approval,
Despite Tribal Opposition (Washington State Standard)
Alaska Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of Lawsuit
Challenging Yukon-Kuskokwim Salmon Management (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
The West’s Power Grid Could Be Stitched Together – If Red
& Blue States Buy In (Stateline)
Going Wireless: Connecting Rural Montanans to the Internet
Comes at a Price (The Livingston Enterprise, MT)
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
The West’s Power Grid Could Be Stitched Together
– If Red & Blue States Buy In
2.
After Spain’s Blackout, Critics Blamed Renewable
Energy. It’s Part of a Bigger Attack
3.
Idaho Is Powering Up Its Nuclear Efforts to Fill
the Energy Demands of the Future
4.
Wyoming Considers $100 Million Bet on Nuclear
Fuel Manufacturing
5.
WA State: Douglas County PUD Opens Nation’s
First Public Hydrogen Plant
6.
Major Solar Farm in Eastern Washington on Cusp
of Approval, Despite Tribal Opposition
7.
Interior Cancels Largest Solar Project in North
America
8.
U.S. Market Not Worth the Risk, Says One of
India’s Biggest Solar Companies
9.
Alaska Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of
Lawsuit Challenging Yukon-Kuskokwim Salmon Management
10.
Government Shutdown Creates Uncertainty for
Fisheries Management in Waters Off Alaska
11.
Puget Sound Energy Partnership Helps Drive
Record Sockeye Salmon Return to Skagit River
12.
Ecology, Commerce Sued by Two WA GOP Lawmakers
Over Climate Data
13.
Climate Tipping Points Are Being Crossed,
Scientists Warn Ahead of COP30
14.
Going Wireless: Connecting Rural Montanans to
the Internet Comes at a Price
15.
Indiana Lawmakers Revisit ‘Cable Pollution’
Complaints as Locals Press for State Oversight
16.
Gavin Newsom Blocks Effort to Make California
Data Centers Disclose Water Use. Why?
17.
California Sets Record as Zero-Emission Vehicles
Make Up Nearly a Third of New Car Sales
18.
California Adds Protections for Kids Using
Social Media, Artificial Intelligence Chatbots
19.
Canada Eyes Putting Nuclear Reactors on the Moon
20.
Astronomers Are Sounding the Alarm Over
Dangerous Space Weather. Are We Prepared?
21.
Parts of the Southwest U.S. Get More Than a
Month’s Rain in One Day
22.
Scientists Have the ‘Smoking Gun’: Cascadia
Quake Could Trigger San Andreas Fault
23.
Podcast: Along Those Lines – Electric Co-ops
Mount Multipronged Campaign to Improve FEMA
Word of the Day
Vernissage \vare-nuh-SAZH\ Noun - A private showing or preview of an art exhibition.
“This is a private party,” growled the pair of eyes under beetled brows that peered through the darkened slit in the password-protected underground art gallery. Dilton gulped nervously, his Adams apple bobbing up and down his throat like a rabbit running under a rug. He had an invitation to the nefarious vernissage of black-market “Peanuts” etchings…but a note-eating shrub had filched it (with the password) from him.
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
The West’s Power Grid Could Be Stitched Together
– If Red & Blue States Buy In (Stateline)
2.
After Spain’s Blackout, Critics Blamed Renewable
Energy. It’s Part of a Bigger Attack (National Public Radio)
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/08/nx-s1-5534949/spain-blackout-misinformation-renewable-energy
3.
Idaho Is Powering Up Its Nuclear Efforts to Fill
the Energy Demands of the Future (Idaho Capital Sun)
4.
Wyoming Considers $100 Million Bet on Nuclear
Fuel Manufacturing (WyoFiles)
https://wyofile.com/wyoming-considers-100m-bet-on-nuclear-fuel-manufacturing/
5.
WA State: Douglas County PUD Opens Nation’s
First Public Hydrogen Plant (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/douglas-county-hydrogen-facility/
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
6.
Major Solar Farm in Eastern Washington on Cusp of
Approval, Despite Tribal Opposition (Washington State Standard)
7.
Interior Cancels Largest Solar Project in North
America (Politico)
8.
U.S. Market Not Worth the Risk, Says One of India’s
Biggest Solar Companies (Reuters)
Fish
& Wildlife
9.
Alaska Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of
Lawsuit Challenging Yukon-Kuskokwim Salmon Management (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
10.
Government Shutdown Creates Uncertainty for
Fisheries Management in Waters Off Alaska (The Alaska Beacon)
11.
Puget Sound Energy Partnership Helps Drive
Record Sockeye Salmon Return to Skagit River (Daily Energy Insider)
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
12.
Ecology, Commerce Sued by Two WA GOP Lawmakers
Over Climate Data (The Olympian, WA – Via MSN)
13.
Climate Tipping Points Are Being Crossed,
Scientists Warn Ahead of COP30 (Reuters)
London
Calling –Telecommunications
14.
Going Wireless: Connecting Rural Montanans to
the Internet Comes at a Price (The Livingston Enterprise, MT)
15.
Indiana Lawmakers Revisit ‘Cable Pollution’
Complaints as Locals Press for State Oversight (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
16.
Gavin Newsom Blocks Effort to Make California Data
Centers Disclose Water Use. Why? (Sacramento Bee, CA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/newsom-blocks-effort-california-data-040324438.html
I
Sing the Car Electric
17.
California Sets Record as Zero-Emission Vehicles
Make Up Nearly a Third of New Car Sales (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA)
Public
Relations, Marketing & Media
18.
California Adds Protections for Kids Using
Social Media, Artificial Intelligence Chatbots (Courthouse News Service)
https://courthousenews.com/california-adds-protections-for-kids-using-social-media-ai-chatbots/
Barrel
O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
19.
Canada Eyes Putting Nuclear Reactors on the Moon
(Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/canada-nuclear-reactor-moon-9.6933657
20.
Astronomers Are Sounding the Alarm Over
Dangerous Space Weather. Are We Prepared? (Gizmodo)
Other
Things to Know About Today
21.
Parts of the Southwest U.S. Get More Than a Month’s
Rain in One Day (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/oct/12/parts-of-the-southwest-get-more-than-a-months-rain/
22.
Scientists Have the ‘Smoking Gun’: Cascadia Quake
Could Trigger San Andreas Fault (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
23.
Podcast: Along Those Lines – Electric Co-ops
Mount Multipronged Campaign to Improve FEMA (National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association)
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Scientists Just Solved One of the Most Enduring Mysteries of
the Easter Island Statues
Do You Have to Tell a Homebuyer If Your House Is Haunted? What
Washington State Law Says
Hair Museum Filled with Century-Old Mementos Closes Its
Doors, Scattering Contents Around the Nation
https://apnews.com/article/hair-museum-independence-1b1ab5dae3134cba32467fe8a2629ce2
A Long-Lost Ancient Roman Artifact Reappears in a New
Orleans Backyard
https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-roman-tablet-grave-0c68880b8f78fd2df546840b33d91cf3
Song of the Day
Kris Kristofferson – Easter Island
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJescO33gIQ
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