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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
20,000 Remain without Power in Western Washington After
Weekend Storm (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
‘Creative or Desperate?’ What’s Driving Proposal for
Tri-Cities First Data Center (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)
With Most BEAD Proposals In, States Leave Nearly $21 Billion
Unclaimed (StateScoop)
https://statescoop.com/with-most-bead-proposals-in-states-leave-nearly-21-billion-unclaimed/
Oregon to Miss Its 2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Benchmark
by Two Years, Report Says (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
New Drought Maps Show Major Shifts in Conditions Across the
U.S. (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
20,000 Remain without Power in Western
Washington After Weekend Storm
2.
Oregon: A 300-Mile Power Line Was Supposed to
Serve the Public. Now It May Serve a Data Center
3.
Transmission Upgrades, Priest Rapids Repairs on
2026 Grant County PUD Project List
4.
BC Hydro’s $6-Billion ‘Nation-Building’ Power
Line Expedited for Economic Growth
5.
The Grid Tipping Point: PNW Faces Rolling
Blackouts by 2026 as Energy Gap Widens
6.
Nevada: NV Energy Peak Demand Charge, Tweak to
Net Metering, Violate State Law, Say Experts
7.
Politicized Nuclear Energy Debate Leaves
Residents Conflicted, Starving for Credible Answers
8.
U.S. Hydropower Generation Expected to Increase
7.5% in 2025 After 2024 Decline
9.
The Complicated Reality Behind Rising Power
Prices
10.
South Carolina’s State Utility Says Private Firm
Set to Restart Abandoned $9 Billion Nuclear Project
11.
Trump Tennessee Valley Authority Nominees Each
Say ‘No’ to Privatizing Federal Utility
12.
In ‘Unusual’ Move, DOE Proposes Rule to Expand
FERC’s Authority Over Large Loads
13.
Utility Executives Questioned by FERC Share
Concerns About Affordability, But Disagree About Potential Solutions
14.
At This ‘Tree Rodeo,’ Utility Arborists Compete
Getting Trees Off of Power Lines
15.
California Can’t Get Out of Its Own Way on
Geothermal
16.
$1.3 Million to Remove Toxic Fluorescent Lights
in Washington State Schools Left on the Table
17.
Judge Says No to Fish Poison in Montana
Wilderness
18.
Young ‘Salmon Warriors’ Restore Okanagan Creeks
as Sockeye Return for the First Time in a Century
19.
New Drought Maps Show Major Shifts in Conditions
Across the U.S.
20.
Oregon to Miss Its 2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Benchmark by Two Years, Report Says
21.
Exxon Sues California Over New Laws Requiring
Corporate Climate Disclosures
22.
Climate Disasters in First Half of 2025
Costliest Ever on Record, Research Shows
23.
With Most BEAD Proposals In, States Leave Nearly
$21 Billion Unclaimed
24.
‘Creative or Desperate?’ What’s Driving Proposal
for Tri-Cities First Data Center
25.
Artificial Intelligence’s Energy Demand Drives
Up Electricity Cost in Teton County, Nationwide
26.
What Americans Think About the Environmental
Impact of Artificial Intelligence, According to a New Poll
27.
Bitcoin ‘Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore’: Miners’
Pivot to Artificial Intelligence Sends Stocks Soaring
28.
Electric Vehicle Charging Missing the Mark for
Convenience Stores, Industry Execs Say
29.
Judge Blocks Trump Cuts to WA Climate Resilience
Money
30.
The Bonneville Power Administration Refines
Organizational Structure
31.
Trump Taps Swett to Lead FERC
32.
Guest Essay: Snake River Dams – Govs. Ferguson,
Kotek Must Focus on Solutions, Not Uncorking More Litigation
33.
Editorial: Richland Must Protect Itself in Atlas
Agro’s Data Center Proposal
34.
Guest Essay: States Have a Responsibility to Set
New Guidelines for the Colorado River
Word of the Day
Pungle \PUNG-gull\ Verb - To make a payment or contribution of money; usually used with up.
“Never bet a million bucks on politics and coin flips,” announced the gold-toothed bookie to his humbled pigeon. “Now’s the time to pungle up, my friend,” he said sarcastically.
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
20,000 Remain without Power in Western Washington
After Weekend Storm (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
2.
Oregon: A 300-Mile Power Line Was Supposed to
Serve the Public. Now It May Serve a Data Center (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
3.
Transmission Upgrades, Priest Rapids Repairs on 2026
Grant County PUD Project List (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
4.
BC Hydro’s $6-Billion ‘Nation-Building’ Power
Line Expedited for Economic Growth (Daily Hive)
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-coast-transmission-line-nctl-bc-hydro-expedited-construction
5.
The Grid Tipping Point: PNW Faces Rolling
Blackouts by 2026 as Energy Gap Widens (KTTH Radio, Seattle, WA)
https://seattlered.com/energy/4114834/4114834
6.
Nevada: NV Energy Peak Demand Charge, Tweak to Net
Metering, Violate State Law, Say Experts (Nevada Current)
7.
Politicized Nuclear Energy Debate Leaves
Residents Conflicted, Starving for Credible Answers (Wyofile)
8.
U.S. Hydropower Generation Expected to Increase
7.5% in 2025 After 2024 Decline (Index Box)
9.
The Complicated Reality Behind Rising Power
Prices (Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/utilities/rising-power-prices-reality
10.
South Carolina’s State Utility Says Private Firm
Set to Restart Abandoned $9 Billion Nuclear Project (Associated Press)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/south-carolinas-state-utility-says-175831391.html
11.
Trump Tennessee Valley Authority Nominees Each
Say ‘No’ to Privatizing Federal Utility (Energy Central)
12.
In ‘Unusual’ Move, DOE Proposes Rule to Expand FERC’s
Authority Over Large Loads (Utility Dive)
13.
Utility Executives Questioned by FERC Share
Concerns About Affordability, But Disagree About Potential Solutions (Utility
Dive)
14.
At This ‘Tree Rodeo,’ Utility Arborists Compete
Getting Trees Off of Power Lines (National Public Radio)
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
15.
California Can’t Get Out of Its Own Way on Geothermal
(Canary Media)
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/geothermal/california-newsom-veto-bill-environmental-reviews
Conservation
& Efficiency
16.
$1.3 Million to Remove Toxic Fluorescent Lights in
Washington State Schools Left on the Table (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
Fish
& Wildlife
17.
Judge Says No to Fish Poison in Montana Wilderness
(Courthouse News Service)
https://courthousenews.com/judge-says-no-to-fish-poison-in-montana-wilderness/
18.
Young ‘Salmon Warriors’ Restore Okanagan Creeks as
Sockeye Return for the First Time in a Century (Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation)
Water,
Water, Anywhere?
19.
New Drought Maps Show Major Shifts in Conditions
Across the U.S. (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
20.
Oregon to Miss Its 2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Benchmark by Two Years, Report Says (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
21.
Exxon Sues California Over New Laws Requiring
Corporate Climate Disclosures (Yahoo! News)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exxon-sues-california-over-laws-000712491.html
22.
Climate Disasters in First Half of 2025
Costliest Ever on Record, Research Shows (The Guardian, UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/22/climate-disasters-2025-cost
London
Calling –Telecommunications
23.
With Most BEAD Proposals In, States Leave Nearly
$21 Billion Unclaimed (StateScoop)
https://statescoop.com/with-most-bead-proposals-in-states-leave-nearly-21-billion-unclaimed/
The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
24.
‘Creative or Desperate?’ What’s Driving Proposal
for Tri-Cities First Data Center (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)
25.
Artificial Intelligence’s Energy Demand Drives
Up Electricity Cost in Teton County, Nationwide (KHOL Radio, Jackson, Wyoming)
https://891khol.org/ais-energy-demand-drives-up-electricity-cost-in-teton-county-nationwide/
26.
What Americans Think About the Environmental
Impact of Artificial Intelligence, According to a New Poll (Associated Press)
27.
Bitcoin ‘Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore’: Miners’ Pivot
to Artificial Intelligence Sends Stocks Soaring (Yahoo! News)
I
Sing the Car Electric
28.
Electric Vehicle Charging Missing the Mark for Convenience
Stores, Industry Execs Say (Utility Dive)
https://www.cstoredive.com/news/ev-charging-not-quite-there-c-stores/802668/
Politics,
Governance, and Management
29.
Judge Blocks Trump Cuts to WA Climate Resilience
Money (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/oct/23/judge-blocks-trump-cuts-to-wa-climate-resilience-m/
30.
The Bonneville Power Administration Refines
Organizational Structure (Bonneville Power Administration)
https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20251021-bpa-refines-organizational-structure
31.
Trump Taps Swett to Lead FERC (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/trump-taps-swett-to-lead-ferc/803735/
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
32.
Guest Essay: Snake River Dams – Govs. Ferguson, Kotek
Must Focus on Solutions, Not Uncorking More Litigation (Star of the Grand
Coulee, WA)
33.
Editorial: Richland Must Protect Itself in Atlas
Agro’s Data Center Proposal (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/richland-must-protect-itself-atlas-120000567.html
34.
Guest Essay: States Have a Responsibility to Set
New Guidelines for the Colorado River (Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV)
https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/commentary-the-water-conundrum-3509903/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Suspects Arrested Over the Theft of Crown Jewels from Paris’
Louvre Museum
Cool Critters: The Whip-Smart Raven Does a Lot More Than
Just Quoth, ‘Nevermore’
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/oct/26/cool-critters-the-whip-smart-raven-does-a-lot-more/
Scientists Make Yogurt Using Ants. The Result: Tangy And
Herby
Picasso portrait of muse Dora Maar, long hidden from view,
sells for $37 million
Song of the Day
Le Festin- Camille (Ratatouille Soundtrack)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_hdmt4vpBo
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Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying
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