The Energy News Digest for October 15, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest. 

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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.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Salmon Advocates Seek Injunction to Change Columbia River Dam Operations (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/14/salmon-advocates-injunction-columbia-river-dam-operations/

Winter Residential Energy Expenditures Vary by Heating Fuel (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=66364

Fire Destroys Chelan PUD Warehouse in Wenatchee (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/fire-destroys-chelan-pud-warehouse-in-wenatchee/article_58c12543-eb34-46b0-aa2b-3837cd3c417f.html

WA’s Largest Proposed Wind Farm Could Shrink. Key Decision Expected (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/wa-largest-proposed-wind-farm-120000559.html

California Cracks Down on Water Theft But Spares Data Centers from Disclosing How Much They Use (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/california-cracks-down-water-theft-100000390.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Winter Residential Energy Expenditures Vary by Heating Fuel

2.      Fire Destroys Chelan PUD Warehouse in Wenatchee

3.      Radiant Scraps Wyoming Nuclear Microreactor Manufacturing Facility – Headed to Tennessee

4.      U.S. Rejects Bid to Buy 167 Million Tons of Coal on Public Lands for Less Than a Penny per Ton

5.      Artificial Intelligence Data Centers Need a Lot of Power. That Creates Challenges for Electric Companies in the West

6.      WA’s Largest Proposed Wind Farm Could Shrink. Key Decision Expected

7.      California To Invest $226 Million in Offshore Wind Ports Amid Federal Cuts

8.      Interior Denies Canceling Largest Solar Project in U.S. After Axing Review

9.      California: Trump’s Energy Cuts Come for George the Giraffe

10.   Solar Panels Are Working in Yellowstone ― Now They’re Triggering a Strange Effect

11.   These States Rank as the Most Energy-Efficient In 2025, Data Shows – CA, WA, OR, NV in the Top Ten

12.   Salmon Advocates Seek Injunction to Change Columbia River Dam Operations

13.   Klamath River Ecosystem Is Booming One Year After Dam Removal

14.   Continued Concerns Over Southern Resident Orca Population

15.   Report: Montana’s Angling Adds Nearly $1 Billion to Economy

16.   Hanford Site Begins Solidifying Tank Waste in Glass, Department of Energy Announces

17.   California Cracks Down on Water Theft But Spares Data Centers from Disclosing How Much They Use

18.   Idaho Officials Break Ground on $20 Million Dam Project on Boise River

19.   20 Years Worth of Mars Weather Data Reveals the Red Planet Is Way Windier Than We Thought

20.   U.S. Rep. Schrier (WA) Letter Demands Department of Energy Reverse Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub Termination

21.   Washington Officials Take Stock as the State’s Wildfire Season Winds Down

22.   Weather: What a Change a Week Makes

23.   Northwest RiverPartners Urges Regional Leaders to Reject Renewed Litigation & Work Together to Protect Salmon & Maintain Affordable, Reliable Hydropower

24.   Northwest Public Power Association Responds to Plaintiff Groups’ Motion for Injunctive Relief

Word of the Day

Hippodrome \HIPP-uh-drome\ Noun - 1: an oval stadium for horse and chariot races in ancient Greece 2: an arena for equestrian performances.

“Harry the Horse” had become fed up with the waltz. “I want to headline at the hippodrome featuring the cha-cha,” he whinnied. The Hendersons just laughed.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Winter Residential Energy Expenditures Vary by Heating Fuel (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=66364

2.      Fire Destroys Chelan PUD Warehouse in Wenatchee (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/fire-destroys-chelan-pud-warehouse-in-wenatchee/article_58c12543-eb34-46b0-aa2b-3837cd3c417f.html

3.      Radiant Scraps Wyoming Nuclear Microreactor Manufacturing Facility – Headed to Tennessee (News from the States)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/radiant-scraps-wyoming-nuclear-microreactor-manufacturing-facility

4.      U.S. Rejects Bid to Buy 167 Million Tons of Coal on Public Lands for Less Than a Penny per Ton (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-coal-lease-sale-montana-penny-ton-8f698701c76e1260518c546c92104758

5.      Artificial Intelligence Data Centers Need a Lot of Power. That Creates Challenges for Electric Companies in the West (KJZZ-Radio, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.kjzz.org/business/2025-10-14/ai-data-centers-need-a-lot-of-power-that-creates-challenges-for-electric-companies-in-the-west

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

6.      WA’s Largest Proposed Wind Farm Could Shrink. Key Decision Expected (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/wa-largest-proposed-wind-farm-120000559.html

7.      California To Invest $226 Million in Offshore Wind Ports Amid Federal Cuts (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/california-cec-offshore-wind-ports/802681/

8.      Interior Denies Canceling Largest Solar Project in U.S. After Axing Review (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/department-interior-cancels-review-nevada-solar-project-trump/802704/

9.      California: Trump’s Energy Cuts Come for George the Giraffe (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/newsletters/power-switch/2025/10/09/trumps-energy-cuts-come-for-george-the-giraffe-00599504

10.   Solar Panels Are Working in Yellowstone ― Now They’re Triggering a Strange Effect (EcoNews)

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/solar-panels-are-working-in-yellowstone/21676/

Conservation & Efficiency

11.   These States Rank as the Most Energy-Efficient In 2025, Data Shows – CA, WA, OR, NV in the Top Ten (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/states-rank-most-energy-efficient-183205795.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Fish & Wildlife

12.   Salmon Advocates Seek Injunction to Change Columbia River Dam Operations (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/14/salmon-advocates-injunction-columbia-river-dam-operations/

13.   Klamath River Ecosystem Is Booming One Year After Dam Removal (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/14/klamath-river-ecosystem-one-year-after-dam-removal/

14.   Continued Concerns Over Southern Resident Orca Population (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/continued-concerns-over-southern-resident-orca-population/DJBKG4EOHZCZTDEMECVAOWVPSM/

15.   Report: Montana’s Angling Adds Nearly $1 Billion to Economy (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2025/10/10/report-montanas-angling-economics/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

16.   Hanford Site Begins Solidifying Tank Waste in Glass, Department of Energy Announces (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/hanford-site-begins-solidifying-tank-waste-in-glass-department-of-energy-announces/article_3b8f4a3a-f9ce-44d0-b97f-caa8c6f04917.html

Water, Water, Anywhere?

17.   California Cracks Down on Water Theft But Spares Data Centers from Disclosing How Much They Use (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/california-cracks-down-water-theft-100000390.html

18.   Idaho Officials Break Ground on $20 Million Dam Project on Boise River (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/10/14/idaho-officials-break-ground-on-20m-dam-project-on-boise-river/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

19.   20 Years Worth of Mars Weather Data Reveals the Red Planet Is Way Windier Than We Thought (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/20-years-worth-of-mars-weather-data-reveals-red-planet-way-windier-2000670479

Politics, Governance, and Management

20.   U.S. Rep. Schrier (WA) Letter Demands Department of Energy Reverse Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub Termination (NCW Life, East Wenatchee, WA)

https://www.ncwlife.com/news/schrier-letter-demands-department-of-energy-reverse-pacific-northwest-hydrogen-hub-termination/article_79255364-2915-4105-8661-02f171eaecc9.html

Other Things to Know About Today

21.   Washington Officials Take Stock as the State’s Wildfire Season Winds Down (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/10/14/washington-state-wildfire-season-winds-down/

22.   Weather: What a Change a Week Makes (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/10/what-change-week-makes.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

23.   Northwest RiverPartners Urges Regional Leaders to Reject Renewed Litigation & Work Together to Protect Salmon & Maintain Affordable, Reliable Hydropower (NW RiverPartners, Vancouver, WA)

https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2025/10/northwest-riverpartners-urges-regional.html

24.   Northwest Public Power Association Responds to Plaintiff Groups’ Motion for Injunctive Relief (Northwest Public Power Association, Vancouver, WA)

https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2025/10/northwest-public-power-association.html

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Cyprus Has a Cat Problem: One Feline for Every Resident

https://apnews.com/article/cyprus-cats-felines-population-sterilization-000eb683385513e6ff3761840714520a

‘Scared the Heck Out of Me’: Falling Fish Smashes Sask. Woman’s Windshield

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/turtle-lake-fish-wildlife-collision-9.6938358

Seattle Mayor Harrell Proclaims Oct. 16 as ‘Humpy Day’

https://mynorthwest.com/entertainment-news/seattle-oct-16-humpy-day/4143318

Driver Stopped in California for Using a Hand-Drawn License Plate

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/10/15/CHP-Merced-hand-drawn-license-plate/7851760539839/

Song of the Day

Everything But the Girl – Driving

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-mSQuuDjXk

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 browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.

Northwest Public Power Association Responds to Plaintiff Groups’ Motion for Injunctive Relief (Northwest Public Power Association, Vancouver, WA)

Plaintiffs’ motion endangers affordable power, regional reliability, and climate progress

Now is the time for discussion and consensus-building, not litigation

All the following statements may be attributed as quotes to Kurt Miller, CEO & Executive Director of the Northwest Public Power Association

(VANCOUVER, WASH.) — The plaintiffs’ push for sweeping restrictions on the Columbia and Snake River dams is an alarming threat to the livability of the Northwest. At a time when energy prices are climbing and our electric grid is under unprecedented strain, this motion risks plunging our region into crisis. The potential consequences are clear: less clean energy, soaring costs for families, schools, farms, and businesses, and a genuine danger of blackouts. The stakes could not be higher—every Northwest resident stands to lose.

In recent weeks, the governors of Oregon and Washington have chosen to escalate legal battles rather than engage with the utilities that keep our communities powered. Their choice to ignore the interests and concerns of millions of utility customers has become a troubling pattern. For example, Oregon and Washington excluded utility representatives from negotiations that led to the December 14, 2023, agreement with the Biden administration. Anti-dam proponents billed the agreement as a pathway to dam breaching. The recent decision by Governors Kotek and Ferguson to litigate puts their constituents directly in harm’s way and jeopardizes years of progress on decarbonization and salmon recovery. We believe that the governors of the two Pacific Northwest states are well-intentioned but misinformed, which is why we again urge them to meet with utility experts who can educate them about the dire implications of their actions.

There is a better path forward. Calls to dismantle productive hydropower dams or curtail their CO2-free generation ignore climate science, the will of Northwesterners, and the rising cost of electricity. The facts are clear: since the first federal dam was built, adult salmon returns to the Columbia River Basin have tripled. Meanwhile, NWPPA and its not-for-profit utility members are committed to real solutions—like the Upper Columbia United Tribes’ Phase 2 Implementation Plan. P2IP seeks to reintroduce salmon above areas blocked by the construction of Grand Coulee Dam. Importantly, this solution helps salmon without harming much-needed hydropower production.

Now is the time to talk, not fight about hydropower and salmon. NWPPA and its members stand ready to work with policymakers on solutions that enhance salmon recovery and secure an affordable, reliable, and clean energy future.

About NWPPA:

NWPPA is a not-for-profit association representing over 150 consumer-owned electric utilities across 10 Western United States and British Columbia. The association also serves over 350 associate members allied with the not-for-profit electric utility industry. For more information, visit www.nwppa.org.

 

Northwest RiverPartners Urges Regional Leaders to Reject Renewed Litigation & Work Together to Protect Salmon & Maintain Affordable, Reliable Hydropower (NW RiverPartners, Vancouver, WA)

(VANCOUVER, WA) -- Proposals by plaintiffs, including the State of Oregon, will increase electricity costs for millions of people in the Pacific Northwest, if approved by a federal judge. Northwest RiverPartners and a coalition of utilities, ports, and community organizations are urging regional leaders to reject renewed litigation and instead convene a collaborative, science-based process to protect and enhance Columbia River salmon populations and sustain affordable, reliable hydropower.

Hydropower is the backbone of the Northwest’s economy, supplying about half of the region’s electricity and providing reliable, affordable power to millions of homes, farms, and businesses. Federal dams in the Columbia and Snake River system also support navigation, irrigation, flood control, and recreation—benefits that are essential to the Northwest’s economy and way of life. As electricity demand continues to grow, extreme proposals that do not appreciably improve fish returns will only make it harder to meet the region’s shared energy and environmental goals.

“This is the moment for the Northwest to come together around real solutions,” said Clark Mather, executive director of Northwest RiverPartners. “We have a rare opportunity to protect salmon, strengthen our energy system, and keep electricity reliable and affordable across the region. We need a bigger, more inclusive table if we’re going to make meaningful progress on these shared goals.”

“We all care deeply about salmon, and we recognize there is more work to do,” Mather added. “The science shows that climate, harvest, predation, and ocean conditions are major threats to salmon. Collaboration is the only way to meet both our energy and fish-recovery goals.”

“Public support for hydropower remains strong because people understand it delivers affordable, reliable energy and supports our regional economy,” said John Francisco, general manager of Big Bend Electric Cooperative and Vice Chair of the Northwest RiverPartners Board. “With so much uncertainty in energy markets right now, it’s critical that we strengthen, not weaken, the system that keeps electricity affordable and the lights on.”

Between 2022 and 2023, retail electric rates climbed 11 percent in Oregon. Washington residential rates jumped 12.6 percent between May 2024 and May 2025. The plaintiffs proposal would cause energy bills to spike and increase the risk of regional electricity blackouts.

The plaintiff's motion was filed following a federal judge in the Oregon District restarting decades-long federal litigation against Columbia River System Operations (CRSO) in September. NW RiverPartners continues to urge leaders to have conversations in the region that can lead to durable, sustainable and effective solutions for the millions of people and fish that depend on the system.

Community-owned utilities across the Northwest are the largest funders of salmon recovery in the region, directing about 25 percent of every Bonneville Power Administration wholesale power bill to fish and wildlife programs, with more than half of those dollars invested in partnership with tribes and state agencies.

Thanks in large part to the investments in fish and wildlife by community-owned utilities, average fish returns have tripled since federal dams went into operation. In 1938, when Bonneville Dam was built, the first federal dam on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, just over 456,000 adult salmon and steelhead were counted. In 2024, 1.77 million salmon and steelhead returned past Bonneville Dam, more than 3.8 times higher than 1938.

A coalition of public utilities, advocacy organizations, and ports is urging Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek to meet with regional leaders in an inclusive process that incorporates the expertise and perspectives of all stakeholders. The coalition says this approach offers the best path to protect salmon, maintain grid reliability, and secure the Northwest’s long-term energy future.