Monday, August 16, 2021

The Energy News Digest for August 16, 2021

The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association. 

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Wildfires Have Burned 20 Times More Land in Pacific Northwest This Year Compared to 2020 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/wildfire/pacific-northwest-wildfires-burned-20-times-more-land-2021-2020-washington-oregon/281-174c244d-5bed-4138-ad77-ffd663a828fc

Pacific Northwest Needs to Keep Generation at Home to Balance Heat-Driven Demand (S&P Global)

https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/081221-pacific-northwest-needs-to-keep-generation-at-home-to-balance-heat-driven-demand

California Expects Power Supply Shortfall to Worsen in 2022 (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/california-expects-power-supply-shortfall-to-worsen-in-2022-1.1639060

An Ideal Marriage? The Battle to Match U.S. Clean Energy Demand with Excess Canadian Hydropower (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/an-ideal-marriage-the-battle-to-match-us-clean-energy-demand-with-excess-c/603600/

Mason PUD 3, WA - Federal Money ‘Critical’ for Faster Rural Internet (Associated Press)

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/us-news/federal-money-critical-for-faster-rural-internet.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Pacific Northwest Needs to Keep Generation at Home to Balance Heat-Driven Demand

2.      California Expects Power Supply Shortfall to Worsen in 2022

3.      California: Hayward Power Plant Restarts, Cause of Explosion Still Unknown

4.      Droughts Shrink Hydropower, Pose Risk to Global Push to Clean Energy

5.      Judge Rules Alaska’s Rural-Energy Subsidy Should Be Funded

6.      WA State: Chelan PUD Applauds Infrastructure Bill and Push to Modernize Columbia River Treaty

7.      New Bonneville Power Administration Customer Billing System Will Increase Automation, Improve Efficiency

8.      How NV Energy Pushed Sisolak, Other Nevada Leaders to Back Union Leader’s Candidacy for Federal Energy Regulator

9.      Trespasser Electrocuted at Idaho Falls Power Plant

10.   Guest Essay: Oregon Gov. Brown’s Dam-Busting Lawsuit Is Bad for Clean Energy

11.   An Ideal Marriage? The Battle to Match U.S. Clean Energy Demand with Excess Canadian Hydropower

12.   Energy Secretary to Alaska: ‘You Have the Solutions’

13.   Clackamas Water Environment Services Unveils Renewable Generator

14.   At Home with a Heat Pump: ‘It Makes Hot Water When It’s Freezing Outside’

15.   Dozens of Western Pond Turtles Released in Tacoma as Part of Conservation Project

16.   Did the Oldest Male Southern Resident Orca Die Too Young — At Just 35?

17.   Explainer: Western States Face First Federal Water Cuts

18.   July Was World’s Hottest Month Ever Recorded, U.S. Scientists Confirm

19.   Montana Town Looks at Clean Energy as Climate Changes

20.   Climate Change Hits Sushi Supply Chain Amid California Water War

21.   Mason PUD 3, WA - Federal Money ‘Critical’ for Faster Rural Internet

22.   New Washington State Laws Allow PUDs to Offer Retail Broadband; Grant PUD Stays Put

23.   How Washington State’s Potential Federal Infrastructure Largess Could Spark a Broadband Fight

24.   T-Mobile Investigating Claims of Massive Customer Data Breach

25.   Facebook to Build $800M Data Center in Metro Phoenix, Its First Arizona Investment

26.   Wildfires Have Burned 20 Times More Land in Pacific Northwest This Year Compared to 2020

WORD OF THE DAY

Vociferous \voh-SIF-uh-rus\ Adjective - Marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry.

Apropos the “Family Circus” comic, the environmental advocacy group vociferously denied that they had engaged in vandalism during their protest against people exhaling carbon dioxide during sleep. “Not Me” was the refrain when asked about the use of super glue to close napping employees’ nostrils.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Pacific Northwest Needs to Keep Generation at Home to Balance Heat-Driven Demand (S&P Global)

https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/081221-pacific-northwest-needs-to-keep-generation-at-home-to-balance-heat-driven-demand

2.      California Expects Power Supply Shortfall to Worsen in 2022 (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/california-expects-power-supply-shortfall-to-worsen-in-2022-1.1639060

3.      California: Hayward Power Plant Restarts, Cause of Explosion Still Unknown (KTVU-TV, Oakland, CA)

https://www.ktvu.com/news/hayward-power-plant-restarts-cause-of-explosion-still-unknown

4.      Droughts Shrink Hydropower, Pose Risk to Global Push to Clean Energy (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/inconvenient-truth-droughts-shrink-hydropower-pose-risk-global-push-clean-energy-2021-08-13/

5.      Judge Rules Alaska’s Rural-Energy Subsidy Should Be Funded (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

https://www.adn.com/politics/2021/08/11/judge-rules-alaskas-rural-energy-subsidy-should-be-funded/

6.      WA State: Chelan PUD Applauds Infrastructure Bill and Push to Modernize Columbia River Treaty (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://www.kpq.com/chelan-pud-applauds-infrastructure-bill-and-push-to-modernize-columbia-river-treaty/

7.      New Bonneville Power Administration Customer Billing System Will Increase Automation, Improve Efficiency (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/New-BPA-customer-billing-system-will-increase-automation-improve-efficiency-.aspx

8.      How NV Energy Pushed Sisolak, Other Nevada Leaders to Back Union Leader’s Candidacy for Federal Energy Regulator (Nevada Independent)

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/how-nv-energy-pushed-sisolak-other-nv-leaders-to-back-union-leaders-candidacy-for-federal-energy-regulator

9.      Trespasser Electrocuted at Idaho Falls Power Plant (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls ID)

https://localnews8.com/news/top-stories/2021/08/15/trespasser-electrocuted-at-idaho-falls-power-plant/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

10.   Guest Essay: Oregon Gov. Brown’s Dam-Busting Lawsuit Is Bad for Clean Energy (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

https://pamplinmedia.com/go/43-opinion/518570-414156-my-view-browns-dam-busting-lawsuit-is-bad-for-clean-energy

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   An Ideal Marriage? The Battle to Match U.S. Clean Energy Demand with Excess Canadian Hydropower (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/an-ideal-marriage-the-battle-to-match-us-clean-energy-demand-with-excess-c/603600/

12.   Energy Secretary to Alaska: ‘You Have the Solutions’ (Fairbanks Daily News Miner, AK – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/energy-secretary-to-alaska-you-have-the-solutions/article_c63ad950-fe34-11eb-baf6-2f95dc4aefe5.html

13.   Clackamas Water Environment Services Unveils Renewable Generator (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/9-news/518679-414162-clackamas-water-environment-services-unveils-renewable-generator

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

14.   At Home with a Heat Pump: ‘It Makes Hot Water When It’s Freezing Outside’ (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/aug/14/at-home-with-a-heat-pump-it-makes-hot-water-when-its-freezing-outside

FISH & WILDLIFE

15.   Dozens of Western Pond Turtles Released in Tacoma as Part of Conservation Project (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/western-pond-turtles-endangered-species-conservation-washington/281-f7fb146a-4e39-408f-b6ee-dcd6532dfb0d

16.   Did the Oldest Male Southern Resident Orca Die Too Young — At Just 35? (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/did-the-oldest-male-southern-resident-orca-die-too-young-at-just-35/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

17.   Explainer: Western States Face First Federal Water Cuts (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-and-nature-climate-change-89ff76829e3a3c7ed514320e9a40df8f

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

18.   July Was World’s Hottest Month Ever Recorded, U.S. Scientists Confirm (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/13/july-worlds-hottest-month-ever-recorded-us-scientists

19.   Montana Town Looks at Clean Energy as Climate Changes (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/science-climate-montana-climate-change-c265939f0126d1b995f154e79678e0b1

20.   Climate Change Hits Sushi Supply Chain Amid California Water War (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-13/climate-change-hits-sushi-supply-chain-amid-california-water-war

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

21.   Mason PUD 3, WA - Federal Money ‘Critical’ for Faster Rural Internet (Associated Press)

https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/us-news/federal-money-critical-for-faster-rural-internet.html

22.   New Washington State Laws Allow PUDs to Offer Retail Broadband; Grant PUD Stays Put (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2021/aug/13/new-laws-allow-puds-offer-retail-broadband-grant-p/

23.   How Washington State’s Potential Federal Infrastructure Largess Could Spark a Broadband Fight (GeekWire)

https://www.geekwire.com/2021/washington-states-potential-federal-infrastructure-largess-spark-broadband-fight/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

24.   T-Mobile Investigating Claims of Massive Customer Data Breach (Vice)

https://www.vice.com/en/article/akg8wg/tmobile-investigating-customer-data-breach-100-million

25.   Facebook to Build $800M Data Center in Metro Phoenix, Its First Arizona Investment (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/tech/2021/08/12/mesa-lands-facebook-data-center-companys-first-arizona-investment/5566991001/

OTHER NEWS TO KNOW ABOUT

26.   Wildfires Have Burned 20 Times More Land in Pacific Northwest This Year Compared to 2020 (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/wildfire/pacific-northwest-wildfires-burned-20-times-more-land-2021-2020-washington-oregon/281-174c244d-5bed-4138-ad77-ffd663a828fc

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

There Are Now Lab-Grown Mouse-Meat Cookies for Cats

https://www.fastcompany.com/90665457/there-are-now-lab-grown-mouse-meat-cookies-for-cats

Slice of Cake from Princess Diana, Prince Charles’ Wedding Sells for Over $2,500

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/08/12/Princess-Diana-Prince-Charles-wedding-cake/4231628787226/

Thrift Store Returns 146-Year-Old Marriage Certificate to Great-Granddaughter

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/08/13/thrift-store-marriage-certificate-1864-Irene-Cornish/1381628888028/

Korean Man Finds $130,000 Taped to Bottom of Used Fridge

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/08/13/used-kimchi-fridge-cash-taped-to-bottom-Jeju-Island-South-Korea/4511628884502/

SONG OF THE DAY

The 5th Dimension - Wedding Bell Blues (Official Audio)

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