Sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association, edited by Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus.
Explore Some of Public Power’s Biggest Challenges in January
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Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
Power Giants Issue
Urgent Warning to Californians as Scorching Heatwave Hits (NY Post)
‘A Lot of Sticker
Shock’: Home Heating Costs Soar for Millions Amid Oil Crisis (Yahoo! News)
U.S. Supreme Court
Appears Skeptical of Energy Companies in Climate Case (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_6e490ccb-dd29-40ff-9baa-6ba2fe8178ac.html
Amazon Pledges $1
Billion to Data Center Communities, Warns That Local Opposition Threatens U.S.
Artificial Intelligence Lead (Geekwire)
Washington Could See
Best Coho Return in 20 Years (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/washington-best-coho-return-20-years
News Highlights (See Stories Below)
1. Power Giants Issue Urgent Warning to Californians as
Scorching Heatwave Hits
2. California: Power Providers Urge Conservation During
Extended Heat Wave
3. ‘A Lot of Sticker Shock’: Home Heating Costs Soar for
Millions Amid Oil Crisis
4. WA State: Richland to Consider Power Agreement Key to $3
Billion Nuclear Fuel Plant
5. Breaching Snake River Dams Would Increase Road, Rail
Traffic. Pasco Meeting Set
6. With Rising Home Energy Prices, LIHEAP Heat Benefits May
Fall Short This Winter
7. U.S. Natural Gas Production Reached a Record High in July
2026
8. Natural Gas Prices Down as Solar Power Generation Jumps 22%
9. Modernizing for More Megawatts: Columbia’s EPU Journey
10. FERC Rejects TransAlta 202(c) Cost-Recovery Plan for
Centralia Unit
11. WA State: Okanogan PUD Workshop Next Week to Explore Enloe
Dam Removal
12. Energy Department Announces Alaska Railbelt Transmission
Project to Receive $150 Million Defense Production Act Funding
13. The Bonneville Power Administration Makes 43rd Consecutive
U.S. Treasury Payment
14. New Study Warns Tariffs on Canadian Electricity Would Raise
U.S. Power Prices & Grid Risks
15. States OK Solar Panels for Balconies. Safety Guidelines
Haven’t Caught Up.
16. This Floating California Solar Farm Is Doing a Lot More
Than Just Generating Electricity
17. Germany Just Built the World’s Tallest Wind Turbine
18. Heat Pumps, Electric Water Heaters Continue to Gain Ground:
Reports
19. Washington Could See Best Coho Return in 20 Years
20. Lewis River Model Links Juvenile Salmon Production to
Improved Collection at Hydropower Dams
21. Barred Owl Killings Begin in Oregon Under Controversial
Federal Conservation Effort
22. U.S. Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Energy Companies in
Climate Case
23. Oregon Republicans Revisit Cap-And-Invest Proposal Seven
Years After They Walked Out Over It
24. Quinault Indian Nation Breaks Ground on Higher-Ground Homes
as Sea Level Threat Grows
25. Yakima River Basin Offers a Model of Resilience in an
Unprecedented Drought
26. Congress Weighs Giving Columbia River Shoreline to
Tri-Cities, Tribes
27. WA State: Cheney Weighs Ending Water Fluoridation as City
Faces Infrastructure Costs, PFAS Priorities
28. This Is How Fast Swiss Glaciers, The ‘Water Tower of
Europe,’ Are Melting Away
29. ‘Lying to My Face’: Two Portland Customers Sue CenturyLink
— And Win — Over Promise to Never Raise Internet Rates
30. Amazon Pledges $1 Billion to Data Center Communities, Warns
That Local Opposition Threatens U.S. Artificial Intelligence Lead
31. Google Launches Satellite to Test Feasibility of Building
Data Centers in Space
32. Two Years In, Oregon Still Has No Electric Vehicle
Fast-Charging Stations Through a $52 Million Federally Funded Program
33. What to Know About the Kelvin Wave Raising the Sea Level
Along the West Coast
34. New Senate Permitting Bill Delivers Stronger Consumer
Protections
35. Trump Names Jay Clayton as Artificial Intelligence Czar.
Who Is America’s New Artificial Intelligence Chief — And How Will He Address
Growing Safety Concerns?
36. ‘Deeply Disturbing’: Department of Energy Employee
Allegedly Acquired Explosive Materials in Attempt to Aid Houthis
37. El Niño Could Put Washington’s Coastal Towns in Hot Water
38. Households Will Pay More for Energy — Especially in Oregon
— Because of Federal Policy Changes, Think Tank Says
39. Rantz: Democrats’ War on the Dams Will Kill Your Electric
Bill
40. Hiltzik: Sure, Use Meta’s Muse Bot to Help with Your Chores
— If You Want Mark Zuckerberg to Know All Your Secrets
Word of the Day
Tonsorial \tawn-SORE-ee-ul\ Adjective - Of or relating to a barber or the work of a barber.
Tad considered himself a jack-of-all-trades at his local electrical utility. There was no endeavor he was unwilling to try…and, in some cases, fail miserably. His most disastrous effort included dull office scissors and an unfortunate tonsorial exercise involving his manager’s usually finely styled hair. Fortunately, the group “Locks of Love” was the unsuspecting beneficiary of the aftermath.
1. Power
Giants Issue Urgent Warning to Californians as Scorching Heatwave Hits (NY Post)
2.
California: Power Providers Urge Conservation
During Extended Heat Wave (KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA)
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/power-providers-urge-conservation-during-heat-wave/3951412/
3. ‘A
Lot of Sticker Shock’: Home Heating Costs Soar for Millions Amid Oil Crisis (Yahoo!
News)
4.
WA State: Richland to Consider Power Agreement
Key to $3 Billion Nuclear Fuel Plant (Tri-Cities Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/richland-consider-power-agreement-key-000902363.html
5.
Breaching Snake River Dams Would Increase Road,
Rail Traffic. Pasco Meeting Set (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/breaching-snake-river-dams-increase-120000135.html
6.
With Rising Home Energy Prices, LIHEAP Heat
Benefits May Fall Short This Winter (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)
https://www.kcra.com/article/liheap-benefits-gap-rising-home-energy-prices/73957387
7.
U.S. Natural Gas Production Reached a Record
High in July 2026 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=68225
8.
Natural Gas Prices Down as Solar Power
Generation Jumps 22% (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/louisiana/article_b2f4e3b9-2a56-404a-bf2e-29727875d3e3.html
9.
Modernizing for More Megawatts: Columbia’s EPU Journey
(American Nuclear Society)
10.
FERC Rejects TransAlta 202(c) Cost-Recovery Plan
for Centralia Unit (Yahoo! News)
https://finance.yahoo.com/energy/articles/ferc-rejects-transalta-202-c-132800069.html
11.
WA State: Okanogan PUD Workshop Next Week to Explore
Enloe Dam Removal (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)
12.
Energy Department Announces Alaska Railbelt
Transmission Project to Receive $150 Million Defense Production Act Funding
(U.S. Dept. of Energy)
13.
The Bonneville Power Administration Makes 43rd
Consecutive U.S. Treasury Payment (Bonneville Power Administration)
14.
New Study Warns Tariffs on Canadian Electricity
Would Raise U.S. Power Prices & Grid Risks (MSN News)
Renewable Energy &
Self Storage
15.
States OK Solar Panels for Balconies. Safety Guidelines
Haven’t Caught Up. (Utah News Dispatch)
16.
This Floating California Solar Farm Is Doing a Lot
More Than Just Generating Electricity (Slashgear)
https://www.slashgear.com/2271636/netherlands-floating-solar-farm-wildlife-impact/
17.
Germany just built the world’s tallest wind
turbine (Yahoo! News)
https://tech.yahoo.com/science/articles/germany-just-built-worlds-tallest-120946264.html
Conservation &
Efficiency
18.
Heat Pumps, Electric Water Heaters Continue to Gain
Ground: Reports (Utility Dive)
Fish & Wildlife
19. Washington
Could See Best Coho Return in 20 Years (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/washington-best-coho-return-20-years
20.
Lewis River Model Links Juvenile Salmon
Production to Improved Collection at Hydropower Dams (Energies Media)
https://energiesmedia.com/lewis-river-hydropower-salmon-comeback-model/
21.
Barred Owl Killings Begin in Oregon Under
Controversial Federal Conservation Effort (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
Climate Change
Sequestration Vault
22.
U.S. Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Energy
Companies in Climate Case (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_6e490ccb-dd29-40ff-9baa-6ba2fe8178ac.html
23.
Oregon Republicans Revisit Cap-And-Invest
Proposal Seven Years After They Walked Out Over It (Washington State Standard)
24.
Quinault Indian Nation Breaks Ground on Higher-Ground
Homes as Sea Level Threat Grows (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Water, Water Anywhere?
25.
Yakima River Basin Offers a Model of Resilience in
an Unprecedented Drought (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)
26.
Congress Weighs Giving Columbia River Shoreline to
Tri-Cities, Tribes (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/congress-weighs-giving-columbia-river-130000366.html
27.
WA State: Cheney Weighs Ending Water
Fluoridation as City Faces Infrastructure Costs, PFAS Priorities (KXLY-TV,
Spokane, WA)
28.
This Is How Fast Swiss Glaciers, The ‘Water
Tower of Europe,’ Are Melting Away (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/swiss-glacier-melt-9.7365054
London Calling
–Telecommunications
29.
‘Lying to My Face’: Two Portland Customers Sue CenturyLink
— And Win — Over Promise to Never Raise Internet Rates (The Oregonian, Portland,
OR)
HAL’s Internet Café
The Wizarding World of
Technology & Cybersecurity
31.
Google Launches Satellite to Test Feasibility of
Building Data Centers in Space (National Public Radio)
I Sing the Car Electric
32.
Two Years In, Oregon Still Has No Electric
Vehicle Fast-Charging Stations Through a $52 Million Federally Funded Program (Oregon
Public Broadcasting)
Barrel O’ Green
Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
33.
What to Know About the Kelvin Wave Raising the Sea
Level Along the West Coast (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/el-nino-kelvin-waves-flooding-west-coast-52246a73e6842e4561b5195df526dd8e
Politics, Governance,
and Management
34.
New Senate Permitting Bill Delivers Stronger
Consumer Protections (Forbes Magazine)
35.
Trump Names Jay Clayton as Artificial
Intelligence Czar. Who Is America’s New Artificial Intelligence Chief — And How
Will He Address Growing Safety Concerns? (Yahoo! News)
Other Things to Know
About Today
36.
‘Deeply Disturbing’: Department of Energy Employee
Allegedly Acquired Explosive Materials in Attempt to Aid Houthis (KIRO
Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/department-of-energy-2/4282118
37.
El Niño Could Put Washington’s Coastal Towns in Hot
Water (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kuow.org/environment/2026-10-01/el-nino-could-put-washingtons-coastal-towns-in-hot-water
Soapbox Serenade – Vox
Populi
38. Households
Will Pay More for Energy — Especially in Oregon — Because of Federal Policy
Changes, Think Tank Says (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
39. Rantz:
Democrats’ War on the Dams Will Kill Your Electric Bill (KTTK Radio, Seattle)
40. Hiltzik:
Sure, Use Meta’s Muse Bot to Help with Your Chores — If You Want Mark
Zuckerberg to Know All Your Secrets (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)
https://tech.yahoo.com/ai/meta-ai/articles/hiltzik-sure-metas-muse-bot-100000843.html
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Portland State
University Researcher Investigates ‘Slightly Explosive’ Glowing Pickles
A Hungry Chambermaid
Bit into an Apple a Century Ago & Helped Solve a High-Wire Diamond Heist
https://www.kcra.com/article/grand-conde-diamond-heist-exhibit/73650777
Arkansas Gem Hunter
Finds a Diamond He Claims Could Be Worth $1 Million
Gee: Wait, What?! Man Finds
$128K in Cash Sitting on Top of an ATM
https://mynorthwest.com/kiro-opinion/atm-cash-found/4282484
Song of the Day
Shirley Bassey – Diamonds
Are Forever (Movie Soundtrack)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-CrNUmDCUs
Roll the Credits…
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