The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors The Energy News Digest.
The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.
Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.
Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
TransAlta Signs Agreement to Enable Coal to Natural Gas
Conversion at Centralia Plant (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
This One Gadget Could Give China a Back Door into the U.S.
Power Grid (Washington Post – Via MSN)
Columbia River Navigators Grow Worried as Under-River Power
Line Project Charges Ahead (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
Federal Judge Throws Out Trump Order Blocking Development of
Wind Energy (Associated Press)
2025 Will Be World’s Second or Third-Hottest Year on Record, EU Scientists Say (Reuters – Via MSN News)
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
TransAlta Signs Agreement to Enable Coal to
Natural Gas Conversion at Centralia Plant
2.
Columbia River Navigators Grow Worried as
Under-River Power Line Project Charges Ahead
3.
Rising Electric Bills Lead to State Scrutiny —
But Little Relief for Residents
4.
Montana: State Looks to Improve Utility
Relocation with New Rules
5.
WA State: Tacoma Public Utility Board Members
Work Without Pay. That’s About to Change
6.
In 2024, Global Energy Employment Growth
Outpaced Job Gains in the Wider Economy for the Third Year in a Row.
7.
EIA Cuts 2026 Power Generation Forecast by More
Than a Percentage Point
8.
Federal Judge Throws Out Trump Order Blocking
Development of Wind Energy
9.
Spokane Requests Climate Exemption for
Waste-to-Energy Plant to Avoid $8 Million Annual Fine, Utility Rate Hikes
10.
Seminoe ‘Pumped Water Storage’ Project Draws
Concern Over Threats to Fisheries, Wildlife in Central Wyoming
11.
The Navajo Nation Said No to a Hydropower
Project. Trump Officials Want to Ensure Tribes Can’t Do That Again.
12.
2026’s First Salmon Forecast Out: 147,300
Upriver Columbia Springers
13.
Irksome, Evicted Beavers in Utah Are Getting a
Second Chance
14.
Portland General Electric, Tillamook Creamery
Add to Eastern Oregon Nitrate Pollution, Lawsuit Says
15.
Oregon: Feds Plan on Lowering Detroit Lake to
Lowest Levels Ever. That Has Locals Concerned
16.
Oregon: The Harney Basin Is at a Crossroads. Can
It Agree on a Solution to Its Water Crisis?
17.
2025 Will Be World’s Second or Third-Hottest
Year on Record, EU Scientists Say
18.
164 State Lawmakers Urge Release of Billions in
Obligated Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Funds
19.
This One Gadget Could Give China a Back Door
into the U.S. Power Grid
20.
Environmental Groups Call for a Moratorium on
Data Center Construction
21.
Australia Begins Enforcing World-First Teen
Social Media Ban
22.
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio Stages Font Coup:
Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
23.
Pinpoint Alert: Moderate to Heavy Rain Hits the
Area, Wind Warnings in Effect
24.
Atmospheric River Moves North of Willamette
Valley; Gusty Winds Still a Threat
25.
Editorial: Congress Must Address Sea Lions,
Salmon Runs
26.
Paywall Advisory: Editorial – WA Legislature
Should Prioritize Fire-Resilient Communities Before Post-Destruction Fund
Word of the Day
Magus \MAY-guss\ Noun – 1a: a member of a hereditary priestly class among the ancient Medes and Persians, often capitalized: one of the traditional wise men from the East paying homage to the infant Jesus 2: magician, sorcerer.
“Do not refer to us as the information technology staff any longer,” announced the Elbonian computer technician. “We are now the Microsoft Magus (Or is it Magi), protectors of data; and miracle workers with software.”
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
TransAlta Signs Agreement to Enable Coal to
Natural Gas Conversion at Centralia Plant (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
2.
Columbia River Navigators Grow Worried as
Under-River Power Line Project Charges Ahead (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
3.
Rising Electric Bills Lead to State Scrutiny —
But Little Relief for Residents (Stateline)
4.
Montana: State Looks to Improve Utility
Relocation with New Rules (The Daily Montanan)
https://dailymontanan.com/2025/12/08/state-looks-to-improve-utility-relocation-with-new-rules/
5.
WA State: Tacoma Public Utility Board Members
Work Without Pay. That’s About to Change (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo!
News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/tacoma-public-utility-board-members-131500057.html
6.
In 2024, Global Energy Employment Growth
Outpaced Job Gains in the Wider Economy for the Third Year in a Row.
(International Energy Agency)
https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-employment-2025/executive-summary
7.
EIA Cuts 2026 Power Generation Forecast by More
Than a Percentage Point (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/energy-short-term-outlook-2026-load-demand-data-centers/807530/
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
8.
Federal Judge Throws Out Trump Order Blocking
Development of Wind Energy (Associated Press)
9.
Spokane Requests Climate Exemption for Waste-to-Energy
Plant to Avoid $8 Million Annual Fine, Utility Rate Hikes (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_879764ec-a1a2-402b-9fc8-c724dde0bdaa.html
10.
Seminoe ‘Pumped Water Storage’ Project Draws
Concern Over Threats to Fisheries, Wildlife in Central Wyoming (WyoFile)
11.
The Navajo Nation Said No to a Hydropower
Project. Trump Officials Want to Ensure Tribes Can’t Do That Again. (Grist
Online)
Fish
& Wildlife
12.
2026’s First Salmon Forecast Out: 147,300
Upriver Columbia Springers (NW Sports Magazine)
https://nwsportsmanmag.com/2026s-first-salmon-forecast-out-147300-upriver-columbia-springers/
13.
Irksome, Evicted Beavers in Utah Are Getting a
Second Chance (NY Times – via DNYUZ)
https://dnyuz.com/2025/12/10/irksome-evicted-beavers-in-utah-are-getting-a-second-chance/
Environmental
Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three
14.
Portland General Electric, Tillamook Creamery
Add to Eastern Oregon Nitrate Pollution, Lawsuit Says (The Oregonian, Portland,
OR)
Water,
Water, Anywhere?
15.
Oregon: Feds Plan on Lowering Detroit Lake to Lowest
Levels Ever. That Has Locals Concerned (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/10/detroit-lake-lowest-levels-chinook-salmon-locals-concerned/
16.
Oregon: The Harney Basin Is at a Crossroads. Can
It Agree on a Solution to Its Water Crisis? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
17.
2025 Will Be World’s Second or Third-Hottest
Year on Record, EU Scientists Say (Reuters – Via MSN News)
London
Calling –Telecommunications
18.
164 State Lawmakers Urge Release of Billions in
Obligated Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Funds (Broadband Breakfast)
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/164-state-lawmakers-urge-release-of-billions-in-obligated-bead-funds/
The
Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity
19.
This One Gadget Could Give China a Back Door into
the U.S. Power Grid (Washington Post – Via MSN)
20.
Environmental Groups Call for a Moratorium on Data
Center Construction (National Public Radio)
Public
Relations, Marketing & Media
21.
Australia Begins Enforcing World-First Teen
Social Media Ban (Reuters – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/australia-begins-enforcing-world-first-222554477.html
22.
U.S. Secretary of State Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times
New Roman Ousts Calibri (Reuters)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/rubio-stages-font-coup-times-232213759.html
Other
Things to Know About Today
23.
Pinpoint Alert: Moderate to Heavy Rain Hits the
Area, Wind Warnings in Effect (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
24.
Atmospheric River Moves North of Willamette
Valley; Gusty Winds Still a Threat (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/10/oregon-washington-atmospheric-river-moves-north-winds/
Soapbox
Serenade – Vox Populi
25.
Editorial: Congress Must Address Sea Lions,
Salmon Runs (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/dec/09/in-our-view-congress-must-address-sea-lions-salmon-runs/
26.
Paywall Advisory: Editorial – WA Legislature Should
Prioritize Fire-Resilient Communities Before Post-Destruction Fund (Seattle
Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Oscar Mayer’s Looking for Next Generation of Wienermobile
Drivers
Ancient Boat Unearthed Off the Coast of Egypt Believed to Be
a ‘Pleasure Barge’ Fit for a King
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/ancient-egypt-pleasure-barge-9.7007794?cmp=rss
Drone Drops Steak & Crab Legs for Prisoner Feast, But South
Carolina Guards Find It First
https://www.kcra.com/article/lee-correctional-drone-contraband/69672462
More Than 2,000 Golden Retrievers Chase a World Record in Buenos
Aires
Song of the Day
Elmer Bernstein - Overture - The Ten Commandments (Movie
Soundtrack)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fACaBe8MGQg
Links & Paywall Advisory
Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which can cause 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.
