Wednesday, November 17, 2021

The Energy News Digest for November 17, 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

Bill Gates Venture Picks Kemmerer, Wyoming for Sodium Nuke Plant (Associated Press)

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/bill-gates-venture-picks-wyoming-city-sodium-nuke-81212743

Infrastructure Bill Unleashes Funding to Address Risky Dams (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-11-16/infrastructure-bill-unleashes-funding-to-address-risky-dams

British Columbia Storm: Highway Snaps in Half, Vancouver Cut Off as Province Grapples with Floods (Yahoo News)

https://news.yahoo.com/british-columbia-rain-highway-coquihalla-floods-001232384.html

Feds Pledge $2.7 Million In Funds for Klamath Basin Salmon Recovery (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2021/11/feds-pledge-27-million-in-funds-for-klamath-basin-salmon-recovery.html

Solar Generation Was 3% of U.S. Electricity in 2020 - We Project It Will Be 20% by 2050 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50357

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Bill Gates Venture Picks Kemmerer, Wyoming for Sodium Nuke Plant

2.      Infrastructure Bill Unleashes Funding to Address Risky Dams

3.      This Dam Simple Trick Is a Big Green Energy Win

4.      How Chelan PUD Plans to Cover $75 Million in Expected Growth

5.      Montana: Thousands Wake Up without Power for Second Day After High Winds

6.      WA State: Lewis County PUD, Centralia City Light to Resume Past-Due Disconnections Later This Month

7.      More Oregonians Embrace All-Electric Home Movement

8.      Changing Climate & Electricity Mix Renew Region-Wide Power Market Ambitions for the ‘Wild West’

9.      U.S. Senate Confirms Phillips as FERC Commissioner

10.   Utilities Stress Ending the Call to Combat Fraud on Utility Scam Awareness Day

11.   COP26 – A Look at the Data & Pacific Northwest Implications

12.   Why We Should Insist on Technology-Neutral Broadband Infrastructure Funding

13.   Solar Generation Was 3% of U.S. Electricity in 2020 - We Project It Will Be 20% by 2050

14.   Drilling for ‘White Gold’ Is Happening Right Now at the Salton Sea

15.   Hawaii: Kauai to Use Old Irrigation System to Store Electric Power

16.   Bend Solar Electric Firm Completes Net Zero Energy Headquarters in Central District

17.   Burning Wood Pellets Isn’t the ‘Clean Energy’ It Claims to Be, Critics Say

18.   Feds Pledge $2.7 Million In Funds for Klamath Basin Salmon Recovery

19.   After Record Low, Monarch Butterflies Return to California

20.   Oregon: Portland Switches to Emergency Water Supply after Fallen Tree Damages Treatment Plant

21.   Pacific Northwest Glaciers Are Melting. What That Means to Indigenous ‘Salmon People’

22.   News Release: WA State UTC Approves $4.85 Million to Support Broadband Service

23.   WA State: ToledoTel, McDaniel Telephone, Tenino Telephone Among 18 Companies to Receive Share of $4.85 Million to Support Broadband

24.   U.S. Senate to Hold Confirmation Hearing on Biden FCC Pick

25.   Google Glitch Triggers Major Internet Outage

26.   Iran-Backed Hackers Accused of Targeting Critical U.S. Sectors

27.   Bitcoin Falls as China Takes Aim Once Again at ‘Extremely Harmful’ Crypto Mining

28.   Where the $7.5 Billion for Electric Vehicle Charging Is Needed Most

29.   President Biden Pushes Electric Vehicle Chargers as Energy Costs Spike

30.   Seattle City Light, National Labs Studying Hydrogen’s Potential as a Truck Fuel

31.   A Russian Missile Creates Enough Space Junk to Pose Risk to Astronauts for Years

32.   British Columbia Storm: Highway Snaps in Half, Vancouver Cut Off as Province Grapples with Floods

33.   WA State: In a First, Court Will Decide New Redistricting Plan as Commission Falters

34.   Oregon: Government Says It Can’t Fix Tribal Religious Site It Bulldozed

WORD OF THE DAY

Benefic \buh-NEFF-ik\ Adjective – Of, having, or exerting a favorable influence.

Dagwood leaned back and sighed in pleasure. It never ceased to amaze him how his mountainous sandwiches provided a benefic turning point in his evening gastronomic activity.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Bill Gates Venture Picks Kemmerer, Wyoming for Sodium Nuke Plant (Associated Press)

https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/bill-gates-venture-picks-wyoming-city-sodium-nuke-81212743

2.      Infrastructure Bill Unleashes Funding to Address Risky Dams (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-11-16/infrastructure-bill-unleashes-funding-to-address-risky-dams

3.      This Dam Simple Trick Is a Big Green Energy Win (Wired Magazine)

https://www.wired.com/story/retrofitting-dams-green-energy/

4.      How Chelan PUD Plans to Cover $75 Million in Expected Growth (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/local/how-chelan-pud-plans-to-cover-75-million-in-expected-growth/article_a3e8c424-432c-11ec-8980-7b9589987cc6.html

5.      Montana: Thousands Wake Up without Power for Second Day After High Winds (KECI-TV, Missoula, MT)

https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/thousands-wake-up-without-power-for-second-day-after-high-winds

6.      WA State: Lewis County PUD, Centralia City Light to Resume Past-Due Disconnections Later This Month (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/lewis-county-pud-centralia-city-light-to-resume-past-due-disconnections-later-this-month,278744

7.      More Oregonians Embrace All-Electric Home Movement (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/hg/2021/11/more-oregonians-embrace-all-electric-home-movement-future-fitting-upgrades-that-improve-efficiency-help-keep-harmful-smoke-out.html

8.      Changing Climate & Electricity Mix Renew Region-Wide Power Market Ambitions for the ‘Wild West’ (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/changing-climate-and-electricity-mix-renew-region-wide-power-market-ambitio/608792/

9.      U.S. Senate Confirms Phillips as FERC Commissioner (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/32768-u-s-senate-confirms-phillips-as-ferc-commissioner/

10.   Utilities Stress Ending the Call to Combat Fraud on Utility Scam Awareness Day (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/featured/32749-utilities-stress-ending-the-call-to-combat-fraud-on-utility-scam-awareness-day/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

11.   COP26 – A Look at the Data & Pacific Northwest Implications (Northwest RiverPartners, Vancouver, WA)

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cop26-look-data-pacific-northwest-implications-

12.   Why We Should Insist on Technology-Neutral Broadband Infrastructure Funding (GCN)

https://gcn.com/articles/2021/11/16/tech-neutral-broadband-infrastructure.aspx

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

13.   Solar Generation Was 3% of U.S. Electricity in 2020 - We Project It Will Be 20% by 2050 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50357

14.   Drilling for ‘White Gold’ Is Happening Right Now at the Salton Sea (Los Angeles Times, CA)

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-11-15/drilling-for-white-gold-is-happening-right-now-at-the-salton-sea

15.   Hawaii: Kauai to Use Old Irrigation System to Store Electric Power (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-lihue-hawaii-environment-and-nature-a07dc451cb953fde9788402e9b09099a

16.   Bend Solar Electric Firm Completes Net Zero Energy Headquarters in Central District (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

https://ktvz.com/news/environment/2021/11/15/bend-solar-electric-firm-completes-net-zero-energy-headquarters-in-central-district/

17.   Burning Wood Pellets Isn’t the ‘Clean Energy’ It Claims to Be, Critics Say (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/10/1054428108/burning-wood-pellets-isnt-the-clean-energy-it-claims-to-be-critics-say

FISH & WILDLIFE

18.   Feds Pledge $2.7 Million In Funds for Klamath Basin Salmon Recovery (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2021/11/feds-pledge-27-million-in-funds-for-klamath-basin-salmon-recovery.html

19.   After Record Low, Monarch Butterflies Return to California (Associated Press)

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/record-low-monarch-butterflies-return-california-rcna5845

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

20.   Oregon: Portland Switches to Emergency Water Supply after Fallen Tree Damages Treatment Plant (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-oregon-emergency-water-supply/283-50bd4de4-891a-45c0-b5e7-25599c89d67c

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

21.   Pacific Northwest Glaciers Are Melting. What That Means to Indigenous ‘Salmon People’ (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/15/northwest-glaciers-melting-indigenous-salmon-people/

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

22.   News Release: WA State UTC Approves $4.85 Million to Support Broadband Service (WA State Utilities & Transportation Commission)

https://www.utc.wa.gov/news/2021/utc-approves-485-million-support-broadband-service

23.   WA State: ToledoTel, McDaniel Telephone, Tenino Telephone Among 18 Companies to Receive Share of $4.85 Million to Support Broadband (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://news.yahoo.com/toledotel-mcdaniel-telephone-tenino-telephone-045900672.html

24.   U.S. Senate to Hold Confirmation Hearing on Biden FCC Pick (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senate-hold-confirmation-hearing-biden-fcc-pick-2021-11-17/?rpc=401&

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

25.   Google Glitch Triggers Major Internet Outage (ZDNet)

https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-glitch-triggers-major-internet-outage/

26.   Iran-Backed Hackers Accused of Targeting Critical U.S. Sectors (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/technology-europe-middle-east-iran-united-states-c9531e2a52e0716fb997edd7ec1913af

27.   Bitcoin Falls as China Takes Aim Once Again at ‘Extremely Harmful’ Crypto Mining (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

https://ktvz.com/news/2021/11/16/bitcoin-falls-as-china-takes-aim-once-again-at-extremely-harmful-crypto-mining/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

28.   Where the $7.5 Billion for Electric Vehicle Charging Is Needed Most (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/article/ev-charging-infrastructure-bill

29.   President Biden Pushes Electric Vehicle Chargers as Energy Costs Spike (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-canada-detroit-91eee63be8f51ecaaccf0b07d27372e3

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

30.   Seattle City Light, National Labs Studying Hydrogen’s Potential as a Truck Fuel (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/seattle-city-light-national-labs-studying-hydrogens-potential-truck-fuel

31.   A Russian Missile Creates Enough Space Junk to Pose Risk to Astronauts for Years (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/16/a-russian-missile-creates-enough-space-junk-to-pose-risk-to-astronauts-for-years/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

32.   British Columbia Storm: Highway Snaps in Half, Vancouver Cut Off as Province Grapples with Floods (Yahoo News)

https://news.yahoo.com/british-columbia-rain-highway-coquihalla-floods-001232384.html

33.   WA State: In a First, Court Will Decide New Redistricting Plan as Commission Falters (Crosscut Seattle, WA)

https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/11/first-court-will-decide-new-wa-redistricting-plan-commission-falters

34.   Oregon: Government Says It Can’t Fix Tribal Religious Site It Bulldozed (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/government-says-it-cant-fix-tribal-religious-site-it-bulldozed/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse in Nearly 600 Years Coming This Week

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/11/17/lunar-eclipse-2021-longest-partial-lunar-eclipse-nearly-600-years/8639688002/

U.S. Tourists Fined for Sneaking into Rome’s Colosseum for a Beer

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59325398

Photo Captures Rare Electrical Phenomenon Known as ‘Red Sprites’

https://californianewstimes.com/photo-captures-rare-electrical-phenomenon-known-as-red-sprites/594532/

Millionaire Pooch Selling Miami Villa Once Owned by Madonna

https://apnews.com/article/sports-oddities-entertainment-lifestyle-europe-c1629fb79b02fe67392922687c2bf2fa

SONG OF THE DAY

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain – Heroes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zCdwBqfmYA