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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
The Thunderbird Returns to the Pacific Northwest:
Substantial Precipitation Ahead (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-thunderbird-returns-to-northwest.html
Idaho/Oregon: Citizen Group Challenges Eminent Domain
Authority Used to Build New OR-ID Power Transmission Line (Boise State Public
Radio, ID)
https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2025-11-03/oregon-idaho-power-transmission-line
Why Are Rates Rising Faster at Investor-Owned Utilities Than
at Public Utilities? (Inside Climate News)
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05112025/california-investor-owned-utilities-vs-public-utilities/
‘Failure to Deliver’: Amazon Says PacifiCorp Is Leaving Its
Data Centers Short on Power (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)
Blending Solar Power into Farms Could Revolutionize Food,
Energy Production in Washington (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
Idaho/Oregon: Citizen Group Challenges Eminent
Domain Authority Used to Build New OR-ID Power Transmission Line
2.
Why Are Rates Rising Faster at Investor-Owned
Utilities Than at Public Utilities?
3.
An Oregon Utility’s Break with Coal Brings
Customer Savings
4.
What The Last Gas Boom (and bust) Says About
Today’s Rush to Build
5.
Oregon: Judge Denies Federal Request to Delay
Fact-Finding in Holiday Farm Fire Lawsuits
6.
Public Power Benefits: Oregon Consumers Can Own
Their Own Electrical Utilities — And Prepare for Wildfires
7.
WA Supreme Court to Hear Natural Gas Initiative
Case in Early 2026
8.
SW Power Pool Proposes Landmark Merger of
Transmission Planning, Interconnection Processes
9.
Blending Solar Power into Farms Could
Revolutionize Food, Energy Production in Washington
10.
State Officials Consider Geothermal Energy at
Mount Baker as a Clean Energy
11.
Do Offshore Wind Farms Kill Bats? Trump Cut
Research into the Question.
12.
West Coast: Videos Show Orcas Flipping Great
White Sharks & Eating Their Livers
13.
Oregon’s Miracle Mile: How a Devastating
Wildfire Led to Environmental Restoration
14.
Washington AG Files Letter Opposing EPA’s Move
to Rescind Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting
15.
The Alps Are Melting, But the Villagers Will Not
Be Moved
16.
Broadband Stats: Attacks on Critical
Communications Infrastructure Continue to Rise
17.
‘Failure to Deliver’: Amazon Says PacifiCorp Is
Leaving Its Data Centers Short on Power
18.
Oregon to Pause Electric Vehicle Rebates Aimed
for Lower Income Households Next Month
19.
Stellantis Recalls 375,000 Jeep SUVs Over Fire
Risks, Urges Owners to Park Outside
20.
Mapping America’s Electric Vehicle Adoption:
Which States Are Leading the Charge in 2025?
21.
Government Shutdown Harming U.S. Energy &
Jobs Due to Frozen EPA Permitting
22.
The Thunderbird Returns to the Pacific
Northwest: Substantial Precipitation Ahead
23.
Safety: Roadside Deaths Rise: How Washington Is
Boosting Move-Over Enforcement
24.
Guest Essay: A Simple Fix to America’s Soaring
Electricity Prices
Word of the Day
Anachronism \ uh-NAH-kruh-nizz-um\ Noun - 1: an error in chronology; especially: a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other 2: a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place; especially: one from a former age that is incongruous in the present 3: the state or condition of being chronologically out of place.
Bobby repressed a smile every time he filled out a form for a software upgrade for his turbocharged office PC. The order forms were only available as multi part NEC documents. The irony of this anachronism was not lost on him, especially since the documents required him to use his 1949 Royal Standard typewriter to fill them out.
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
Idaho/Oregon: Citizen Group Challenges Eminent
Domain Authority Used to Build New OR-ID Power Transmission Line (Boise State
Public Radio, ID)
https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2025-11-03/oregon-idaho-power-transmission-line
2.
Why Are Rates Rising Faster at Investor-Owned
Utilities Than at Public Utilities? (Inside Climate News)
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05112025/california-investor-owned-utilities-vs-public-utilities/
3.
An Oregon Utility’s Break with Coal Brings
Customer Savings (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
4.
What The Last Gas Boom (and bust) Says About
Today’s Rush to Build (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/gas-power-plant-boom-bust-data-center-ai-trump/801991/
5.
Oregon: Judge Denies Federal Request to Delay
Fact-Finding in Holiday Farm Fire Lawsuits (Lookout, Eugene/Springfield, OR)
6.
Public Power Benefits: Oregon Consumers Can Own
Their Own Electrical Utilities — And Prepare for Wildfires (Oregon Public
Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/04/oregon-consumers-electrical-utilities-coops-wildfires/
7.
WA Supreme Court to Hear Natural Gas Initiative
Case in Early 2026 (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_9e8aea6e-1ca4-4e06-a41e-66bb0b3947b0.html
8.
SW Power Pool Proposes Landmark Merger of
Transmission Planning, Interconnection Processes (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/spp-consolidated-transmission-planning-interconnection-ferc/804590/
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
9.
Blending Solar Power into Farms Could
Revolutionize Food, Energy Production in Washington (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
10.
State Officials Consider Geothermal Energy at Mount
Baker as a Clean Energy Solution (KGMI Radio, Bellingham, WA)
11.
Do Offshore Wind Farms Kill Bats? Trump Cut
Research into the Question. (Canary Media)
Fish
& Wildlife
12.
West Coast: Videos Show Orcas Flipping Great
White Sharks & Eating Their Livers (CBS News, Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/videos-show-orcas-flipping-great-173758184.html
Environmental
Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three
13.
Oregon’s Miracle Mile: How a Devastating
Wildfire Led to Environmental Restoration (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
14.
Washington AG Files Letter Opposing EPA’s Move to
Rescind Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting (KREM-TV, Spokane, WA)
15.
The Alps Are Melting, But the Villagers Will Not
Be Moved (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/nov/04/the-alps-are-melting-but-the-villagers-will-not-be/
London
Calling –Telecommunications
16.
Broadband Stats: Attacks on Critical
Communications Infrastructure Continue to Rise (NCTA)
https://www.ncta.com/news/broadband-stats-attacks-critical-communications-infrastructure-rise
The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
17.
‘Failure to Deliver’: Amazon Says PacifiCorp Is Leaving
Its Data Centers Short on Power (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)
I
Sing the Car Electric
18.
Oregon to Pause Electric Vehicle Rebates Aimed for
Lower Income Households Next Month (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/11/04/oregon-pause-electric-vehicle-rebates-next-month/
19.
Stellantis Recalls 375,000 Jeep SUVs Over Fire
Risks, Urges Owners to Park Outside (Yahoo! News)
https://autos.yahoo.com/safety-and-recalls/articles/stellantis-recalls-375-000-jeep-170643487.html
20.
Mapping America’s Electric Vehicle Adoption: Which
States Are Leading the Charge in 2025? (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/mapping-america-rsquo-ev-adoption-190009366.html
Politics,
Governance, and Management
21.
Government Shutdown Harming U.S. Energy &
Jobs Due to Frozen EPA Permitting (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_174fafdd-4d27-4612-bcfa-c82ca24dd62c.html
Other
Things to Know About Today
22.
The Thunderbird Returns to the Pacific Northwest:
Substantial Precipitation Ahead (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-thunderbird-returns-to-northwest.html
23.
Safety: Roadside Deaths Rise: How Washington Is
Boosting Move-Over Enforcement (KONA Radio, Pasco, WA)
https://610kona.com/ixp/1134/p/move-over-washington-safety/
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
24.
Guest Essay: A Simple Fix to America’s Soaring
Electricity Prices (New York Times – Via DNYUZ)
https://dnyuz.com/2025/11/05/a-simple-fix-to-americas-soaring-electricity-prices/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
‘The Legend Lives On’: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Still
Resonates 50 Years Later
‘Lion’ on the Loose in Ireland Was a Big Dog ‘With a Fresh
Haircut’
Shout-Out for Yodeling? Swiss Seek Recognition from UN Cultural
Agency as Tradition Turns Modern
https://apnews.com/article/switzerland-yodeling-unesco-9db642e20b4cc36c94639edc8ec9d314
MaineHealth Apologizes for Sending Death Notices to 500+
Living People
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/11/04/mainehealth-death-notices/5471762298648/
Song of the Day
Circle of Life – Lion King Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlkPh7kOnt4
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