The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association.
The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring breaking news throughout the week.
Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.
NWPPA SEEKING CHAMPION OF COMMUNICATIONS AWARD NOMINATIONS
NWPPA is seeking nominations for the 2023 Champion of Communications Award (formerly the Lacy Peoples Award), which will be presented at the 2023 Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference in Santa Rosa, California, Sept. 18-21. Please consider someone on your staff or a colleague for this prestigious award. Nominations are due by Aug. 25 and can be submitted here.
HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Hawaiian Electric’s Stock Plunges 34% on Fears of Wildfire
Liability (The Star Advertiser, Honolulu, HI)
As Dangerous Heat Envelops the Pacific Northwest, Electric
Utilities Urge Conservation (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
Canada, U.S. Negotiate Future of Columbia River in Seattle
This Week (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
WA Public Hearing Set on Large Tri-Cities Wind Farm. Not
Everyone Will Get to Speak (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article278078742.html
ChatGPT Fever Spreads to U.S. Workplace, Sounding Alarm for
Some (Reuters)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See
Stories Below)
1.
Hawaiian Electric’s Stock Plunges 34% on Fears
of Wildfire Liability
2.
As Dangerous Heat Envelops the Pacific
Northwest, Electric Utilities Urge Conservation
3.
California Grid Warns Heat Wave Will Stoke Power
Demand
4.
WA State: Power Production Resumes at Seattle
City Light’s Skagit Dams Near Sourdough Fire
5.
Canada, U.S. Negotiate Future of Columbia River
in Seattle This Week
6.
Dam Fans to Make Their Case – Citizens for the
Preservation of Fish & Dams to Hold All-Day Symposium Thursday
7.
Northwest Data Centers’ Electricity Use Could
More Than Double, Imperiling Climate Goals
8.
Michigan: Consumers Energy Contemplates Selling
Its Hydroelectric Facilities
9.
WA Public Hearing Set on Large Tri-Cities Wind
Farm. Not Everyone Will Get to Speak
10.
California Is Planning a Renewable Energy
Project at a Scale Never Before Attempted in the World
11.
SoCalGas to Pay $175,000 Over Claims of
‘Renewable’ Natural Gas, Bonta Announces
12.
California: Deadline Looming on Public Comment
for Proposed Fort Ross Pumped Storage Project
13.
Idaho National Laboratory Deploys “Microgrid in
a Box” at Hydropower Plant
14.
The LED Light Revolution Has Only Just Begun
15.
‘What The Ancestors Would Have Seen’: Chinook
Salmon Release a Celebration of Connection, Conservation for Spokane Tribe
16.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s Salmon Projects Gets
Funding
17.
2 Rambunctious Youngsters, No Dying Elders Might
Spell Hope for Pacific NW Orcas
18.
Western Gray Squirrels Are Struggling. Will a
Washington Agency Step in to Help?
19.
Smoke Reaches Western Washington with a
Significant Northwest Wildfire Threat & Willamette Heatwave
20.
Sea Level Rise Could Squeeze Young Salmon Out of
Places to Live
21.
Montana Judge Hands Historic Win to Young
Plaintiffs in Climate Change Case
22.
University of Oregon Researchers & Coquille
Tribe Team Up Against Climate Change
23.
West Virginia: Broadband Council Says Delay in
Pole Attachment Biggest Hinderance to Broadband Expansion
24.
Preempting Local Government
25.
Lime Scooters Keep Ending Up in the Spokane Rive
– Agencies Don’t Know Who Should Pull Them Out
26.
ChatGPT Fever Spreads to U.S. Workplace,
Sounding Alarm for Some
27.
Ohrenschall Retires from NewsData After 32
Years; Davison Selected as New Publisher
28.
San Jose City Council to Consider Creating Its
Own Utility Company
29.
Hawaii Works to Identify 99 Confirmed Dead After
Maui Wildfires as Teams Intensify Search
30.
Arizona: Heat Deaths Surge in the U.S.’s Hottest
City as Governor Declares Statewide ‘Heat Emergency’
31.
Record Heat Possible Tuesday, Wednesday for
Wenatchee, Region
32.
Extended Heat Wave to Bring Hot Temperatures
& High Fire Danger to Western Washington
33.
Record-Breaking Temperatures Put People, Pets
More at Risk for Heat-Related Illnesses
34.
Modernize Columbia River Treaty to Meet
Challenges Ahead
35.
Editorial: Address Columbia River Health in
Treaty Talks
36.
Editorial: Fate of Four Dams May Turn on Talks,
Climate Change
37.
Guest Essay: A Bright Future Beckons – Lewis
County’s (WA) Leap into Hydrogen Energy
WORD OF THE DAY
Posthaste \POHST-HAYST\ Adverb – With all possible speed.
“I want those orders for Barry Manilow CDs placed posthaste,” shouted the floor manager, glowering at his under-twenty crowd of warehouse employees. “Golly,” squeaked one, “I thought that was a euphemism for a marshmallow and berry flavored treat, not music!”
ENERGY &
UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Hawaiian Electric’s Stock Plunges 34% on Fears of
Wildfire Liability (The Star Advertiser, Honolulu, HI)
2.
As Dangerous Heat Envelops the Pacific Northwest,
Electric Utilities Urge Conservation (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
3.
California Grid Warns Heat Wave Will Stoke Power
Demand (Reuters)
4.
WA State: Power Production Resumes at Seattle
City Light’s Skagit Dams Near Sourdough Fire (KUOW News, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kuow.org/stories/power-production-resumes-at-skagit-dams-near-sourdough-fire
5.
Canada, U.S. Negotiate Future of Columbia River
in Seattle This Week (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
6.
Dam Fans to Make Their Case – Citizens for the Preservation
of Fish & Dams to Hold All-Day Symposium Thursday (Lewiston Morning
Tribune, ID – Paywall Advisory)
7.
Northwest Data Centers’ Electricity Use Could
More Than Double, Imperiling Climate Goals (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
8.
Michigan: Consumers Energy Contemplates Selling
Its Hydroelectric Facilities (Daily Energy Insider)
RENEWABLE ENERGY
& SELF STORAGE
9.
WA Public Hearing Set on Large Tri-Cities Wind
Farm. Not Everyone Will Get to Speak (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article278078742.html
10.
California Is Planning a Renewable Energy
Project at a Scale Never Before Attempted in the World (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/08/14/california-emissions-humboldt-county-00110262
11.
SoCalGas to Pay $175,000 Over Claims of ‘Renewable’
Natural Gas, Bonta Announces (Orange County Register, CA)
12.
California: Deadline Looming on Public Comment for
Proposed Fort Ross Pumped Storage Project (Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, CA)
13.
Idaho National Laboratory Deploys “Microgrid in
a Box” at Hydropower Plant (American Public Power Association)
CONSERVATION
& EFFICIENCY
14.
The LED Light Revolution Has Only Just Begun (Vox)
FISH &
WILDLIFE
15.
‘What The Ancestors Would Have Seen’: Chinook
Salmon Release a Celebration of Connection, Conservation for Spokane Tribe
(Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/aug/11/what-the-ancestors-would-have-seen-chinook-salmon-/
16.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s Salmon Projects Gets
Funding (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/aug/15/cowlitz-indian-tribes-salmon-projects-gets-funding/
17.
2 Rambunctious Youngsters, No Dying Elders Might
Spell Hope for Pacific NW Orcas (KUOW News, Seattle, WA)
18.
Western Gray Squirrels Are Struggling. Will a
Washington Agency Step in to Help? (Columbia Insight)
ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
19.
Smoke Reaches Western Washington with a
Significant Northwest Wildfire Threat & Willamette Heatwave (Cliff Mass
Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2023/08/smoke-reaches-western-washington-with.html
CLIMATE CHANGE
SEQUESTRATION VAULT
20.
Sea Level Rise Could Squeeze Young Salmon Out of
Places to Live (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whatonearth/salmon-coastal-squeeze-sea-level-rise-1.6933291?cmp=rss
21.
Montana Judge Hands Historic Win to Young
Plaintiffs in Climate Change Case (Reuters)
22.
University of Oregon Researchers & Coquille
Tribe Team Up Against Climate Change (KLCC Radio, Eugene, OR)
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
23.
West Virginia: Broadband Council Says Delay in
Pole Attachment Biggest Hinderance to Broadband Expansion (Metro News,
Charleson, WV)
24.
Preempting Local Government (Pots & Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2023/08/14/preempting-local-government/
I SING THE CAR
ELECTRIC
25.
Lime Scooters Keep Ending Up in the Spokane Rive
– Agencies Don’t Know Who Should Pull Them Out (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/aug/13/lime-scooters-keep-ending-up-in-the-spokane-river-/
PUBLIC RELATIONS,
MARKETING & MEDIA
26.
ChatGPT Fever Spreads to U.S. Workplace,
Sounding Alarm for Some (Reuters)
27.
Ohrenschall Retires from NewsData After 32
Years; Davison Selected as New Publisher (Pioneer Utility Resources)
https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/news-releases/newsdata-new-publisher/
MANAGEMENT &
GOVERNANCE
28.
San Jose City Council to Consider Creating Its
Own Utility Company (KTVU-TV, Oakland, CA)
https://www.ktvu.com/news/san-jose-city-council-to-consider-creating-its-own-utility-company
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW
ABOUT TODAY
29.
Hawaii Works to Identify 99 Confirmed Dead After
Maui Wildfires as Teams Intensify Search (Associated Press)
https://news.yahoo.com/number-dead-maui-wildfires-reaches-050950632.html
30.
Arizona: Heat Deaths Surge in the U.S.’s Hottest
City as Governor Declares Statewide ‘Heat Emergency’ (The Guardian, UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/13/phoenix-heat-tsar-cooling-shelters-heatwaves
31.
Record Heat Possible Tuesday, Wednesday for
Wenatchee, Region (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/record-heat-possible-tuesday-wednesday-for-wenatchee-region/
32.
Extended Heat Wave to Bring Hot Temperatures &
High Fire Danger to Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
33.
Record-Breaking Temperatures Put People, Pets
More at Risk for Heat-Related Illnesses (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)
SOAPBOX SERENADE
– VOX POPULI
34.
Modernize Columbia River Treaty to Meet
Challenges Ahead (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/modernize-columbia-river-treaty-to-meet-challenges-ahead/
35.
Editorial: Address Columbia River Health in
Treaty Talks (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
36.
Editorial: Fate of Four Dams May Turn on Talks,
Climate Change (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-fate-of-four-dams-may-turn-on-talks-climate-change/
37.
Guest Essay: A Bright Future Beckons – Lewis
County’s (WA) Leap into Hydrogen Energy (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Portland Exhibit Celebrates Vintage Calculators as Status
Symbols of Their Time
Texas Woman Says a Snake Fell Out of the Sky & Onto Her
Arm – Then, A Hawk Swooped in & Attacked
https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/snake-hawk-attack-texas-peggy-jones-silsbee/
Manitoba Bus Driver Cracks Baltimore Book Store’s Mystery
Safe
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/08/14/Red-Emmas-Bookstore-mystery-safe-opened/8311692026614/
Family Reunited With Lost Dog After Three Years
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/08/10/lost-dog-three-years-Arkansas-Texas/4101691696026/
SONG OF THE DAY
Sarah Vaughan - Pennies from Heaven
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g19AixJ6_w
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.
I try to choose stories that are accessible without paying a
subscription. Individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes
information about possible paywall restrictions. Regular clearing of your browser’s
history and cookie files may help access some paywall sites.
