Monday, November 15, 2021

The Energy News Digest for November 15, 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

Western WA State: Flood Warnings Continue, with High Winds, Heavy Rain Cutting Power, Closing Roads (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/flood-warnings-continue-with-high-winds-heavy-rain-forecast/R23NNRXMDVE6BCGWW6FZUOGRGA/

EIA Expects U.S. Power Use to Rise 3% in 2021 as Economy Recovers (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/eia-expects-us-power-use-rise-3-2021-economy-recovers-2021-11-09/

Some Old Dams in the U.S. & Canada Are Being Given a New Power: Generating Clean Electricity (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-hydro-dams-new-power-1.6245422

New Puget Sound Report Finds These ‘Red Flags’ Toward Environmental Recovery Goals (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article255717971.html

How the Federal Infrastructure Bill Could Expand Broadband Access (Yahoo News)

https://news.yahoo.com/infrastructure-bill-could-expand-broadband-220115376.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Western WA State: Flood Warnings Continue, with High Winds, Heavy Rain Cutting Power, Closing Roads

2.      Eastern WA State: Windy Weather Causes Outages

3.      EIA Expects U.S. Power Use to Rise 3% in 2021 as Economy Recovers

4.      U.S. Households Face Biggest Surge in Electricity Costs Since 2009

5.      Power Grid, Bonneville Power Administration, Nuclear Energy - How Could the $1 Trillion Federal Infrastructure Act Help Tri-Cities?

6.      WA State: Carbon-Free Sources, Demand Response Incentives Part of Pacific Power’s Clean Energy Plan

7.      Wyoming: Can a Coal State Go Nuclear?

8.      How Reliable Are Your State’s Electric Providers? AZ, CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY

9.      Power Play Pits Rural Utah Concerns Against Southern California

10.   WA State: Chelan PUD Proposes System Impact Fees

11.   Vegetation Management Takes to the Skies with Helicopter Tree Trimming

12.   Power Line Debate: Clean Energy or Environmental Harm?

13.   Blackout Fears Amid Energy Crunch Boosts Gas Cookers, Lantern Sales in Spain

14.   Guest Essay: Calling for Honesty in Dams Fight as President Biden, WA Gov. Inslee Urge Climate Action in Glasgow

15.   The Case Against Hydro Power

16.   Nuclear May Be the Ticket to a Carbon-Free Future. Why Do Environmentalists Hate It?

17.   Some Old Dams in the U.S. & Canada Are Being Given a New Power: Generating Clean Electricity

18.   WA State: King County Trash Could Go Up in Smoke One Day - To the Benefit of Electricity Customers

19.   California: Massive Morro Bay Offshore Wind Farm Proposal Starts Environmental Review. What’s Next?

20.   How Do Wind Farms Change Small Towns?

21.   NW Natural Forms Subsidiary to Invest in Renewable Natural Gas

22.   Colorado Farmers Embrace Micro-Hydropower Energy Projects to Cut Cost, Add to the Grid

23.   U.S. Rep Herrera Beutler (R-WA) Visits Bonneville Dam to See Effects of Salmon Legislation

24.   Tearing the Web: Invasive Trout Disrupt Glacier Park’s Lakes

25.   Sea Lions Are Reclaiming Their Territory in New Zealand, Humans Be Damned

26.   This Washington State Whiskey Is for Protecting Salmon

27.   New Puget Sound Report Finds These ‘Red Flags’ Toward Environmental Recovery Goals

28.   Cannabis Requires More Water Than Commodity Crops, Researchers Say

29.   Groups Accuse Seattle City Light of Using Misinformation to Obtain Green Status on Skagit Dams

30.   How the Federal Infrastructure Bill Could Expand Broadband Access

31.   Students Are Still Struggling to Get Internet. The Infrastructure Bill Could Help

32.   Bitfarms Acquires Unnamed 24-MW Hydro Power Plant in Washington State

33.   What the Extension of Cybersecurity Standards Beyond NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Means to Utilities

34.   Montana Is One of the Worst Ready States for Electric Vehicles

WORD OF THE DAY

Pariah \PUH-RYE-uh\ Noun – 1: one that is despised or rejected 2: a member of a low caste of southern India

Bobo the clown was crushed. He thought his grease-painted friends would love his new shoes, but instead, he was banished from the clown car for two weeks because they were “way too small” according to the clown prince. “A pariah over shoe size,” Bobo grumbled. “Next thing you know, they’ll be regulating clown nose colors!”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Western WA State: Flood Warnings Continue, with High Winds, Heavy Rain Cutting Power, Closing Roads (KIRO News, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/flood-warnings-continue-with-high-winds-heavy-rain-forecast/R23NNRXMDVE6BCGWW6FZUOGRGA/

2.      Eastern WA State: Windy Weather Causes Outages (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/windy-weather-causes-outages/article_63f65a40-4591-11ec-b9a9-8bee853942ac.html

3.      EIA Expects U.S. Power Use to Rise 3% in 2021 as Economy Recovers (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/eia-expects-us-power-use-rise-3-2021-economy-recovers-2021-11-09/

4.      U.S. Households Face Biggest Surge in Electricity Costs Since 2009 (Yahoo News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-electricity-costs-surge-most-151622541.html

5.      Power Grid, Bonneville Power Administration, Nuclear Energy - How Could the $1 Trillion Federal Infrastructure Act Help Tri-Cities? (Tri-City Herald, WA)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article255645346.html

6.      WA State: Carbon-Free Sources, Demand Response Incentives Part of Pacific Power’s Clean Energy Plan (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/business/carbon-free-sources-demand-response-incentives-part-of-pacific-power-s-clean-energy-plan/article_a8c6b22c-837b-59e1-b482-8b38c443c0cc.html

7.      Wyoming: Can a Coal State Go Nuclear? (Casper Star Tribune, WY)

https://trib.com/business/energy/can-a-coal-state-go-nuclear/article_eb254b0b-e327-5a2e-aa47-7f2071e5bee6.html

8.      How Reliable Are Your State’s Electric Providers? AZ, CA, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY (Patch)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/11/how-reliable-are-your-states-electric.html

9.      Power Play Pits Rural Utah Concerns Against Southern California (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2021/11/11/22776286/utah-legislature-politics-energy-coal-natural-gas-ipp-ipa-millard-county-los-angeles-california

10.   WA State: Chelan PUD Proposes System Impact Fees (KOZI-Radio, Chelan, WA)

https://www.kozi.com/pud-proposes-system-impact-fees/

11.   Vegetation Management Takes to the Skies with Helicopter Tree Trimming (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Vegetation-management-takes-to-the-skies-with-helicopter-tree-trimming-.aspx

12.   Power Line Debate: Clean Energy or Environmental Harm? (U.S. News & World Report)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin/articles/2021-11-15/power-line-debate-clean-energy-or-environmental-harm

13.   Blackout Fears Amid Energy Crunch Boosts Gas Cookers, Lantern Sales in Spain (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/blackout-fears-amid-energy-crunch-boosts-gas-cookers-lantern-sales-spain-2021-11-11/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

14.   Guest Essay: Calling for Honesty in Dams Fight as President Biden, WA Gov. Inslee Urge Climate Action in Glasgow (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/opinion_columns/calling-for-honesty-in-dams-fight-as-biden-inslee-urge-climate-action-in-glasgow/article_386f8fbe-4342-11ec-a9e4-470c5b0f168a.html

15.   The Case Against Hydro Power (Yale Environment 360)

https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-we-should-stop-investing-in-hydroelectricity-to-fight-climate-change

16.   Nuclear May Be the Ticket to a Carbon-Free Future. Why Do Environmentalists Hate It? (Shore News Network)

https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2021/11/13/nuclear-may-be-the-ticket-to-a-carbon-free-future-why-do-environmentalists-hate-it/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

17.   Some Old Dams in the U.S. & Canada Are Being Given a New Power: Generating Clean Electricity (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-hydro-dams-new-power-1.6245422

18.   WA State: King County Trash Could Go Up in Smoke One Day - To the Benefit of Electricity Customers (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/king-county-trash-could-go-up-in-smoke-one-day-to-the-benefit-of-electricity-customers

19.   California: Massive Morro Bay Offshore Wind Farm Proposal Starts Environmental Review. What’s Next? (San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA)

https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/environment/article255768621.html

20.   How Do Wind Farms Change Small Towns? (KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.abc15.com/news/national-politics/how-do-wind-farms-change-small-towns

21.   NW Natural Forms Subsidiary to Invest in Renewable Natural Gas (Portland Business Journal, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2021/11/11/nw-natural-renewables-rng.html

22.   Colorado Farmers Embrace Micro-Hydropower Energy Projects to Cut Cost, Add to the Grid (Loveland Reporter-Herald, CO)

https://www.reporterherald.com/2021/11/12/farmers-embrace-micro-energy-projects-to-cut-cost-add-to-the-grid/

FISH & WILDLIFE

23.   U.S. Rep Herrera Beutler (R-WA) Visits Bonneville Dam to See Effects of Salmon Legislation (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/herrera-beutler-visits-bonneville-dam-to-see-effects-of-salmon-legislation,277870

24.   Tearing the Web: Invasive Trout Disrupt Glacier Park’s Lakes (Associated Press)

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2021/11/tearing-the-web-invasive-trout-disrupt-glacier-parks-lakes/

25.   Sea Lions Are Reclaiming Their Territory in New Zealand, Humans Be Damned (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/sea-lions-are-reclaiming-their-territory-in-new-zealand-1848016861

26.   This Washington State Whiskey Is for Protecting Salmon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/13/this-whiskey-is-for-protecting-salmon/

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

27.   New Puget Sound Report Finds These ‘Red Flags’ Toward Environmental Recovery Goals (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article255717971.html

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

28.   Cannabis Requires More Water Than Commodity Crops, Researchers Say (Marijuana Business Daily)

https://mjbizdaily.com/cannabis-requires-more-water-than-commodity-crops-researchers-say/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

29.   Groups Accuse Seattle City Light of Using Misinformation to Obtain Green Status on Skagit Dams (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/investigations/groups-accuse-seattle-misinformation-obtain-green-status-skagit-dams-hydropower/281-64367071-f79b-47c2-b2c2-205bcdbdb17e

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

30.   How the Federal Infrastructure Bill Could Expand Broadband Access (Yahoo News)

https://news.yahoo.com/infrastructure-bill-could-expand-broadband-220115376.html

31.   Students Are Still Struggling to Get Internet. The Infrastructure Bill Could Help (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/15/1053917252/infrastructure-bill-broadband-internet-rural-college-students

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

32.   Bitfarms Acquires Unnamed 24-MW Hydro Power Plant in Washington State (Hydro Review)

https://www.hydroreview.com/business-finance/bitfarms-acquires-24-mw-hydro-power-plant-in-washington-state/

33.   What the Extension of Cybersecurity Standards Beyond NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Means to Utilities (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/spons/what-the-extension-of-cybersecurity-standards-beyond-nerc-cip-means-to-util/609866/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

34.   Montana Is One of the Worst Ready States for Electric Vehicles (KISS-Radio, Bozeman, MT)

https://bozemanskissfm.com/montana-is-one-of-the-worst-ready-states-for-electric-vehicles/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Authors Who Made Their Mark with Made-Up Words

https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/In-a-Word/2021/1115/Authors-who-made-their-mark-with-made-up-words?icid=rss

$300 Gold Tooth Donated to Salvation Army Thrift Store in Arizona

https://www.fox23.com/news/trending/300-gold-tooth-donated-salvation-army-thrift-store-arizona/Q24ARXCU3FFBFFM3I35AXJG4FU/

Labor Shortage Hits Santa Supply as Workers Weigh COVID-19 Risks

https://abc7chicago.com/santa-claus-labor-shortage-christmas-2021-covid/11232371/

Earth Has a Second Moon—For Another 300 Years, At Least

https://time.com/6116644/earth-second-moon/

SONG OF THE DAY

Ella Fitzgerald - How High the Moon

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