The Energy News Digest for February 11, 2026

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

EPA Will Revoke ‘Endangerment Finding’ That Underpins All Climate Regulation This Week (U.S. News & World Report)

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/10/epa-revoke-endangerment-finding-climate-regulations.html

Oregon: Public Hearing on Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Program Set for Thursday in Bend (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/10/public-hearing-on-columbia-basin-fish-and-wildlife-program-set-for-thursday-in-bend/

WA State: 23,000 Lost Power in the Puyallup Area Wednesday Morning. What Happened? (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/23-000-without-power-puyallup-181044986.html

Oregon: One Solar Project Scrapped, Another Stalled in Lake County (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/11/one-solar-project-stalled-another-scrapped-near-christmas-valley/

Oregon E-Scooter, E-Bike Crashes Rise as Popularity Grows (KPTV-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kptv.com/2026/02/10/oregon-e-scooter-e-bike-crashes-rise-popularity-grows/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      WA State: 23,000 Lost Power in the Puyallup Area Wednesday Morning. What Happened?

2.      ‘I Don’t Think They Have a Case’: Why Danielle Smith Is Playing Hardball with the U.S. on Electricity Trade

3.      President Trump Seeks to Loosen Environmental Regulations to ‘Unleash’ Nuclear Energy

4.      Tennessee: Lineman Accused of Seriously Injuring His Coworker in Ambush During Winter Storm Power Restoration

5.      California ISO Shifts Transmission Focus to Reliability to Meet Peak Demand Growth

6.      Oregon: One Solar Project Scrapped, Another Stalled in Lake County

7.      Will Farmers Be Able To ‘Farm the Sun’ on Agricultural Land in Yakima, WA?

8.      Oregon Awards $12 Million to 24 Projects in Community Renewable Energy Grant Program

9.      Oregon Lawmakers Seek to Shine a Light on Balcony Solar, But Safety Issues Linger

10.   How to Keep Your Heat Pump Humming in the Freezing Cold

11.   Need Another Excuse to Use Your Air Fryer? Here’s How Little Energy They Use

12.   Oregon: Public Hearing on Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Program Set for Thursday in Bend

13.   Record Snow Drought in Western U.S. Raises Concern for a Spring of Water Shortages & Wildfires

14.   Drought-Triggered Restriction on North Platte River Squeezes Spigots for Wyoming Towns

15.   Water Infrastructure Resolutions Moving in Idaho Legislature

16.   EPA Will Revoke ‘Endangerment Finding’ That Underpins All Climate Regulation This Week

17.   Scientists Thought They Understood Global Warming. Then the Past Three Years Happened.

18.   Lutnick Agrees to Follow Statute on BEAD Non-Deployment Funds

19.   It’s Official. Amazon Is $5 Billion Mystery Data Center Developer Near Tri-Cities

20.   How WA Lawmakers Are Trying to Regulate Data Centers

21.   Data Center Water/Power Needs, Regulatory Challenges Strain Rural Communities

22.   Oregon E-Scooter, E-Bike Crashes Rise as Popularity Grows

23.   Ford’s 2025 Financial Losses Were Blue Oval’s Biggest Since the Great Recession, Due to Electric Vehicle Shifts

24.   Chinese Automaker BYD Files Lawsuit, Seeks Refund Over Trump’s U.S. Auto Tariffs

25.   Instagram CEO Denies Addiction Claims in Landmark U.S. Trial

26.   Legislation Could Impact Energy Costs, Utility Operations in Oregon

27.   Former Federal Renewables Lab Lays Off 134 People

28.   Copper Wire Theft Stalls Light Rail Service Before Seahawks Super Bowl Parade

29.   Guest Essay: Alaska Salmon Run Declines Are a Crisis. Pointing the Finger at Trawl Is Misleading.

30.   When Winter Moves in, Hydropower Remains Steady

Word of the Day

Tabula Rasa /TAB-yuh-luh RAH-zah/ Noun – In general use, tabula rasa refers to something existing in an original, pristine state. In philosophy, tabula rasa refers to the mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions.

Tabula Rasa on the Brain

     Mind in a blank state.

     What are you thinking? She asks.

     Husband says “nothing.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      WA State: 23,000 Lost Power in the Puyallup Area Wednesday Morning. What Happened? (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/23-000-without-power-puyallup-181044986.html

2.      ‘I Don’t Think They Have a Case’: Why Danielle Smith Is Playing Hardball with the U.S. on Electricity Trade (National Post – Via Yahoo!)

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/dont-think-case-why-danielle-220748878.html

3.      President Trump Seeks to Loosen Environmental Regulations to ‘Unleash’ Nuclear Energy (The Hill, Washington, DC – Via AOL)

https://www.aol.com/articles/trump-seeks-loosen-environmental-regulations-121543604.html

4.      Tennessee: Lineman Accused of Seriously Injuring His Coworker in Ambush During Winter Storm Power Restoration (KTUU-TV – Anchorage, AK)

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2026/02/10/lineman-accused-seriously-injuring-his-coworker-ambush-during-winter-storm-power-restoration/

5.      California ISO Shifts Transmission Focus to Reliability to Meet Peak Demand Growth (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/caiso-transmission-reliability-legislature-report/811818/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

6.      Oregon: One Solar Project Scrapped, Another Stalled in Lake County (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/11/one-solar-project-stalled-another-scrapped-near-christmas-valley/

7.      Will Farmers Be Able To ‘Farm the Sun’ on Agricultural Land in Yakima, WA? (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwpb.org/local/2026-02-10/will-farmers-be-able-to-farm-the-sun-on-agricultural-land-in-yakima

8.      Oregon Awards $12 Million to 24 Projects in Community Renewable Energy Grant Program (Solar Power World)

https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2026/02/oregon-awards-12-million-to-24-projects-in-community-renewable-energy-grant-program/

9.      Oregon Lawmakers Seek to Shine a Light on Balcony Solar, But Safety Issues Linger (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/02/09/oregon-lawmakers-seek-to-shine-light-on-balcony-solar-but-safety-issue-linger/

Conservation & Efficiency

10.   How to Keep Your Heat Pump Humming in the Freezing Cold (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/how-to-keep-your-heat-pump-humming-in-the-freezing-cold

11.   Need Another Excuse to Use Your Air Fryer? Here’s How Little Energy They Use (C|Net News)

https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/how-much-energy-does-an-air-fryer-use/

Fish & Wildlife

12.   Oregon: Public Hearing on Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife Program Set for Thursday in Bend (Bend Bulletin, OR)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/10/public-hearing-on-columbia-basin-fish-and-wildlife-program-set-for-thursday-in-bend/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

13.   Record Snow Drought in Western U.S. Raises Concern for a Spring of Water Shortages & Wildfires (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/west-snow-drought-wildfires-water-shortages-rain-45034fc86084a9d62198dc4de8e4ff41

14.   Drought-Triggered Restriction on North Platte River Squeezes Spigots for Wyoming Towns (WyoFile)

https://wyofile.com/drought-triggered-restriction-on-north-platte-river-squeezes-spigots-for-wyoming-towns/

15.   Water Infrastructure Resolutions Moving in Idaho Legislature (Pacific NW Ag Network)

https://pnwag.net/water-infrastructure-id/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

16.   EPA Will Revoke ‘Endangerment Finding’ That Underpins All Climate Regulation This Week (U.S. News & World Report)

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/10/epa-revoke-endangerment-finding-climate-regulations.html

17.   Scientists Thought They Understood Global Warming. Then the Past Three Years Happened. (Washington Post – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/science/environmental-science/scientists-thought-they-understood-global-warming-then-the-past-three-years-happened/ar-AA1W7Eot

London Calling –Telecommunications

18.   Lutnick Agrees to Follow Statute on BEAD Non-Deployment Funds (Light Reading)

https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/lutnick-agrees-to-follow-statute-on-bead-non-deployment-funds

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

19.   It’s Official. Amazon Is $5 Billion Mystery Data Center Developer Near Tri-Cities (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/business/article314662893.html

20.   How WA Lawmakers Are Trying to Regulate Data Centers (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/02/11/how-wa-lawmakers-are-trying-to-regulate-data-centers/

21.   Data Center Water/Power Needs, Regulatory Challenges Strain Rural Communities (Nevada Current)

https://nevadacurrent.com/2026/02/09/data-center-water-power-needs-regulatory-challenges-strain-rural-communities/

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   Oregon E-Scooter, E-Bike Crashes Rise as Popularity Grows (KPTV-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kptv.com/2026/02/10/oregon-e-scooter-e-bike-crashes-rise-popularity-grows/

23.   Ford’s 2025 Financial Losses Were Blue Oval’s Biggest Since the Great Recession, Due to Electric Vehicle Shifts (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fords-2025-financial-losses-were-162900775.html

24.   Chinese Automaker BYD Files Lawsuit, Seeks Refund Over Trump’s U.S. Auto Tariffs (CNBC)

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/09/byd-files-lawsuit-seeks-refund-over-trumps-us-auto-tariffs.html

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

25.   Instagram CEO Denies Addiction Claims in Landmark U.S. Trial (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/instagram-ceo-testify-social-media-161812069.html

Politics, Governance, and Management

26.   Legislation Could Impact Energy Costs, Utility Operations in Oregon (Salem Statesman-Journal, OR – Via Yahoo!)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/legislation-could-impact-energy-costs-020328622.html

27.   Former Federal Renewables Lab Lays Off 134 People (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5732319-renewable-energy-lab-job-cuts/

Other Things to Know About Today

28.   Copper Wire Theft Stalls Light Rail Service Before Seahawks Super Bowl Parade (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/copper-wire-theft-parade-super-bowl-parade

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

29.   Guest Essay: Alaska Salmon Run Declines Are a Crisis. Pointing the Finger at Trawl Is Misleading. (Alaska Beacon)

https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/02/10/alaska-salmon-run-declines-are-a-crisis-pointing-the-finger-at-trawl-is-misleading/

30.   When Winter Moves in, Hydropower Remains Steady (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/feb/10/when-winter-moves-in-hydropower-remans-steady/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

India’s Migratory Beekeepers & Their Hives Follow the Flowers to Make the Honey Flow

https://apnews.com/article/india-honey-bees-beekeepers-climate-change-d38a29dbfaf2d67aca1455241ae28eda

Huge Halibut Caught Through the Ice in Quebec Is a New Scientific Record

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/huge-halibut-caught-ice-quebec-174938902.html

At 100, WWII Veteran Celebrates a Life of Service Aboard Battleship New Jersey

https://apnews.com/article/world-war-wwii-veteran-100-3c0ca92e8a247becf81ae7637daed449

Man Balances Chair on His Chin for 1 Hour, 20 Minutes

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/02/10/Guinness-World-Records-David-Rush-chair-chin/4361770737355/

Song of the Day

Playing for Change – Fly Like an Eagle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsxHWOPHcxA

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 cookies may help you access certain paywall sites.

The Energy News Digest for February 9, 2026

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

Oregon, Washington & Tribes Head Back to Court After Trump Pulls Out of Deal to Recover Salmon (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/snake-columbia-rivers-dams-salmon-trump-f50c272ac4a7171d0475358a5857d461

West Needs Significant Transmission Upgrades by 2035, WestTEC Study Shows (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/west-needs-significant-transmission-upgrades-2035-westtec-study-shows

Puget Sound Energy in WA. Loses Out on Cheap Electricity. Amazon Is the Winner (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://610kona.com/ixp/1135/p/energy-competition-amazon-pse-washington/

California Reserved $165 Million for Tesla to Electrify Its Trucking Industry. The Result May Stifle Electric Vehicle Innovation (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via AOL)

https://www.aol.com/news/california-reserved-165-million-tesla-110000264.html

Chance of El Niño Forming in Pacific Ocean May Push Global Temperatures to Record Highs in 2027 (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/08/global-weather-el-nino-pacific-ocean-high-temperatures-2027

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      West Needs Significant Transmission Upgrades by 2035, WestTEC Study Shows

2.      Natural Gas Installations More Than Doubled in 2025: FERC

3.      Record Natural Gas Stock Withdrawals During Week Ending January 30, 2026

4.      Berkshire Utility Urges Oregon Appeals Court to Limit Wildfire Damages

5.      Next-Gen Nuclear’s Tipping Point: Meta & Hyperscalers Start Deals with Bill Gates’ Terrapower, Sam Altman-Backed Oklo, & More

6.      Wanted: Volunteers to Host Nuclear Waste, Forever

7.      Federal Energy Assistance Programs Survive Budget Gauntlet

8.      Professor: California Sees Nation’s Least Affordable Electricity

9.      Puget Sound Energy in WA. Loses Out on Cheap Electricity. Amazon Is the Winner

10.   They Paid Thousands for New Solar Panels. Then Their Oregon Contractor Went Dark

11.   U.S. Rooftop Solar Installers Cut Jobs, Restructure as Homeowner Subsidy Expires

12.   Ranchers Say Don’t Bash Us for Using Our Private Property Rights for Wind Energy

13.   Are Faked Public Comments About to Tank an Ohio Solar Farm?

14.   Oregon, Washington & Tribes Head Back to Court After Trump Pulls Out of Deal to Recover Salmon

15.   Judge Eyes Interim Dam Changes in Revived Columbia Basin Salmon Fight

16.   The West’s Snowpack Is in Trouble This Winter

17.   NOAA Forecast Provides a Little Hope for Our Suffering Snowpack

18.   Chance of El Niño Forming in Pacific Ocean May Push Global Temperatures to Record Highs in 2027

19.   FCC Fast-Tracks Comcast Pole Dispute, Issuing “First-of-Its-Kind” Order in 60 Days to Protect BEAD Buildout

20.   The Challenge of Adding Fiber to Poles

21.   Who Uses the Internet?

22.   California Reserved $165 Million for Tesla to Electrify Its Trucking Industry. The Result May Stifle Electric Vehicle Innovation

23.   Electric Vehicle Sales Fell as Hybrid Vehicle Sales Continued to Rise in 2025

24.   From the Manhattan Project to Fusion: The History of DOE’s National Labs

25.   Bigger Data Center Tax Breaks? Oregon Senator Is Dropping the Idea

26.   Washington Lawmakers Consider Tax Break for Two Data Centers in Spokane County

27.   Storms Return to Northern California: Rain, Sierra Snow Tuesday — Bigger Storm for Valentine’s Weekend

28.   Editorial: Protect Utility Ratepayers as Data Centers Ramp Up

29.   Guest Essay: Electrification of Bend Is a Vital Step

Word of the Day

Antihero \ANT-tee – here-oh\ Noun - A protagonist or notable figure who is conspicuously lacking in heroic qualities.

Fear of fanboy alert:

Comic book artist Stan Lee has created his share of flawed superheroes and antiheros, such as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, and the Sub-Mariner.

“Show me a hero, and I’ll write you a tragedy.” F Scott Fitzgerald.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      West Needs Significant Transmission Upgrades by 2035, WestTEC Study Shows (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/west-needs-significant-transmission-upgrades-2035-westtec-study-shows

2.      Natural Gas Installations More Than Doubled in 2025: FERC (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/natural-gas-wind-solar-ferc-infrastructure/811707/

3.      Record Natural Gas Stock Withdrawals During Week Ending January 30, 2026 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67124

4.      Berkshire Utility Urges Oregon Appeals Court to Limit Wildfire Damages (Reuters – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/berkshire-utility-urges-oregon-appeals-court-to-limit-wildfire-damages/ar-AA1VKrKt

5.      Next-Gen Nuclear’s Tipping Point: Meta & Hyperscalers Start Deals with Bill Gates’ Terrapower, Sam Altman-Backed Oklo, & More (Fortune Magazine – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/next-gen-nuclear-tipping-point-214209183.html

6.      Wanted: Volunteers to Host Nuclear Waste, Forever (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/land-use-biodiversity/wanted-volunteers-host-nuclear-waste-forever-2026-02-06/

7.      Federal Energy Assistance Programs Survive Budget Gauntlet (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/federal-energy-assistance-programs-survive-budget-gauntlet/811389/

8.      Professor: California Sees Nation’s Least Affordable Electricity (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_af446449-7081-43ba-ad88-3bcca477614b.html

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9.      Puget Sound Energy in WA. Loses Out on Cheap Electricity. Amazon Is the Winner (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://610kona.com/ixp/1135/p/energy-competition-amazon-pse-washington/

10.   They Paid Thousands for New Solar Panels. Then Their Oregon Contractor Went Dark (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2026/02/they-paid-thousands-for-new-solar-panels-then-their-oregon-contractor-went-dark.html

11.   U.S. Rooftop Solar Installers Cut Jobs, Restructure as Homeowner Subsidy Expires (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/us-rooftop-solar-installers-cut-jobs-restructure-homeowner-subsidy-expires-2026-02-05/

12.   Ranchers Say Don’t Bash Us for Using Our Private Property Rights for Wind Energy (Cowboy State Daily)

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/02/05/ranchers-say-dont-bash-us-for-using-our-private-property-rights-for-wind-energy/

13.   Are Faked Public Comments About to Tank an Ohio Solar Farm? (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/faked-public-comments-ohio-solar-farm

Fish & Wildlife

14.   Oregon, Washington & Tribes Head Back to Court After Trump Pulls Out of Deal to Recover Salmon (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/snake-columbia-rivers-dams-salmon-trump-f50c272ac4a7171d0475358a5857d461

15.   Judge Eyes Interim Dam Changes in Revived Columbia Basin Salmon Fight (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/judge-eyes-interim-dam-changes-in-revived-columbia-basin-salmon-fight/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

16.   The West’s Snowpack Is in Trouble This Winter (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2026/02/05/snowpack-west-washington-oregon-snow-drought-water-supply-climate

17.   NOAA Forecast Provides a Little Hope for Our Suffering Snowpack (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/newsletter-daily/noaa-forecast-provides-a-little-hope-for-our-suffering-snowpack-olympic-mountains-climate-prediction-pacific-northwest-western-washington-region

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

18.   Chance of El Niño Forming in Pacific Ocean May Push Global Temperatures to Record Highs in 2027 (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/08/global-weather-el-nino-pacific-ocean-high-temperatures-2027

London Calling –Telecommunications

19.   FCC Fast-Tracks Comcast Pole Dispute, Issuing “First-of-Its-Kind” Order in 60 Days to Protect BEAD Buildout (Wireless Estimator)

https://wirelessestimator.com/articles/2026/fcc-fast-tracks-comcast-pole-dispute-issuing-first-of-its-kind-order-in-60-days-to-protect-bead-buildout/

20.   The Challenge of Adding Fiber to Poles (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/02/09/the-challenge-of-adding-fiber-to-poles/

21.   Who Uses the Internet? (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2026/02/05/who-uses-the-internet/

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   California Reserved $165 Million for Tesla to Electrify Its Trucking Industry. The Result May Stifle Electric Vehicle Innovation (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via AOL)

https://www.aol.com/news/california-reserved-165-million-tesla-110000264.html

23.   Electric Vehicle Sales Fell as Hybrid Vehicle Sales Continued to Rise in 2025 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67144

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

24.   From the Manhattan Project to Fusion: The History of DOE’s National Labs (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/from-the-manhattan-project-to-fusion-the-history-of-does-national-labs/

Politics, Governance, and Management

25.   Bigger Data Center Tax Breaks? Oregon Senator Is Dropping the Idea (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2026/02/bigger-data-center-tax-breaks-oregon-senator-is-dropping-the-idea.html

26.   Washington Lawmakers Consider Tax Break for Two Data Centers in Spokane County (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/feb/09/washington-lawmakers-consider-tax-break-for-two-da/

Other Things to Know About Today

27.   Storms Return to Northern California: Rain, Sierra Snow Tuesday — Bigger Storm for Valentine’s Weekend (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://www.kcra.com/article/northern-california-storms-rain-snow-valentines-weekend/70281631

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

28.   Editorial: Protect Utility Ratepayers as Data Centers Ramp Up (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-protect-utililty-ratepayers-as-data-centers-ramp-up/

29.   Guest Essay: Electrification of Bend Is a Vital Step (Bend Bulletin, Oregon)

https://bendbulletin.com/2026/02/09/guest-column-electrification-of-bend-is-a-vital-step/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Seahawks Defeat Patriots in 2026 Super Bowl

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/live-2026-super-bowl-tonight-233000791.html

Best 2026 Super Bowl Commercials: All 54 Ranked According to USA TODAY Ad Meter

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/articles/best-2026-super-bowl-commercials-144024301.html

Olympic Bosses Investigate Why Medals Are Breaking

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/olympic-bosses-investigate-why-medals-113659055.html

This Day in History: The Beatles Perform Live on the Ed Sullivan Show

https://www.kctv5.com/2026/02/09/this-day-history-beatles-perform-live-ed-sullivan-show/

Song of the Day

The Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There (Ed Sullivan Show)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJK7T2YS_DA

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 cookies may help you access certain paywall sites.