Monday, November 22, 2021

The Energy News Digest for November 22, 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 STORIES

Extreme Weather, Low Hydro & Fuel Shortages Could Threaten Grid in Multiple Regions This Winter: NERC (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/extreme-weather-low-hydro-and-fuel-shortages-could-threaten-grid-in-multip/610328/

For British Columbia’s Salmon, Floods Represent Another Challenge to Survival (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-salmon-floods-1.6256629?cmp=rss

Life Without Reliable Internet Remains a Daily Struggle for Millions of Americans (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/22/1037941547/life-without-reliable-broadband-internet-remains-a-daily-struggle-in-nevada

Cloud Seeding Gains Steam as U.S. West Faces Worsening Droughts (Stars & Stripes)

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2021-11-21/cloud-seeding-drought-idaho-power-king-air-c90-turboprop-3703203.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Extreme Weather, Low Hydro & Fuel Shortages Could Threaten Grid in Multiple Regions This Winter: NERC

2.      Texas Grid Vulnerable to Blackouts During Severe Winter Weather, Even with New Preparations, ERCOT Estimates Show

3.      Montana: NorthWestern Gas-Fired Power Plant Proposal Stalls Over City’s Objections

4.      Oregon: ‘We Need to Be Tough’: Eugene Officials Will Discuss Requiring All-Electric in New Building Projects

5.      Missoula Urges Northwest Power & Conservation Council to Go Further in New Electric Plan

6.      Federal Regulators Tell Jordan Cove Developers in Southwest Oregon to ‘Clarify’ Their Intentions

7.      Coal-Fired Power Plants to Close After New Wastewater Rule

8.      Nuclear Regulators Uphold Violations at Georgia Reactors

9.      Investors Sue Over $100 Million Deal for Texas Power Plants

10.   White House Offering More Aid for Winter Heat, Utility Bills

11.   Central Maine Power Agrees to Stop Electricity Transmission Corridor Work, for Now

12.   NASA Seeks Ideas for a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon

13.   Guest Essay: WA Sen. Murray & Gov. Inslee Are Trying to Answer the Wrong Question About Snake Dams

14.   WA Governor’s Fundraising E-Mail Signals Strong Role for Politics in New Snake River Study

15.   Comment: Plan with Dams’ Removal Provides Best Hope for Salmon

16.   Editorial Board: Wyoming Nuclear Power Plant Warrants Cautious Optimism – Questions Still Remain

17.   Idaho: Small Hydropower Proves to Be an Ally for Rural Communities

18.   For British Columbia’s Salmon, Floods Represent Another Challenge to Survival

19.   Tribes Ask for More Support for Salmon Reintroduction to the Upper Columbia River

20.   Biden Mulls Reversing Trump Rules on Western Grouse Species

21.   Zero Humpbacks Off Seattle Coast 25 Years Ago – Now 500 Return with Record Number of Calves

22.   Cloud Seeding Gains Steam as U.S. West Faces Worsening Droughts

23.   Life Without Reliable Internet Remains a Daily Struggle for Millions of Americans

24.   Tribal Lands Lag on Internet Deployment. Local Efforts, Not Government Intervention, Is Providing a Path Forward in Some Cases

25.   United Kingdom: Broadband Beats Bedrooms: Fast Internet Access Now a Top Two ‘Must-Have’ for Home Buyers

26.   Bitcoin Miners Are Flocking to Texas as Grid Operator Warns of Future Blackouts

27.   Video: Virginia Campaign Wants You to Watch This Video Before Putting a Space Heater — Or Pancake Griddle — At Your Desk

28.   NASA Hopes to Hit an Asteroid Now in Case We Really Need to Knock One Away Later

29.   Farmers Are Turning Cow Poo into Power with Batteries Created from Cow Pat

30.   WA Gov. Jay Inslee Will Seek Federal Aid for Flood Damage

31.   Expect Fewer Christmas Trees, Higher Prices Thanks to Summer Heat Wave

WORD OF THE DAY

Compunctious \kum-PUNK-shus\ Adjective – 1: arising from remorse or regret 2: feeling remorse or regret.

Immediately after leaving the comfort station, Gertrude suffered guilty, compunctious feelings. She felt the hard stares of her co-workers, the shrugged shoulders. “Perhaps I should have replaced the toilet paper after using the last sheets,” she pondered.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Extreme Weather, Low Hydro & Fuel Shortages Could Threaten Grid in Multiple Regions This Winter: NERC (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/extreme-weather-low-hydro-and-fuel-shortages-could-threaten-grid-in-multip/610328/

2.      Texas Grid Vulnerable to Blackouts During Severe Winter Weather, Even with New Preparations, ERCOT Estimates Show (KBTX-TV, Bryan TX)

https://www.kbtx.com/2021/11/21/texas-grid-vulnerable-blackouts-during-severe-winter-weather-even-with-new-preparations-ercot-estimates-show/

3.      Montana: NorthWestern Gas-Fired Power Plant Proposal Stalls Over City’s Objections (Kilgore News-Herald, TX)

https://www.kilgorenewsherald.com/northwestern-gas-plant-proposal-stalls-over-citys-objections/article_25d512d0-23f2-513b-ba5a-50000a369c40.html

4.      Oregon: ‘We Need to Be Tough’: Eugene Officials Will Discuss Requiring All-Electric in New Building Projects (Eugene Register-Guard, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/2021/11/20/eugene-climate-change-natural-gas-electrification-nw-natural/8657640002/

5.      Missoula Urges Northwest Power & Conservation Council to Go Further in New Electric Plan (Missoula Current, MT)

https://missoulacurrent.com/outdoors/2021/11/missoula-power-council/

6.      Federal Regulators Tell Jordan Cove Developers in Southwest Oregon to ‘Clarify’ Their Intentions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/20/federal-regulators-tell-jordan-cove-developers-in-southwest-oregon-to-clarify-their-intentions/

7.      Coal-Fired Power Plants to Close After New Wastewater Rule (Associated Press)

https://ktar.com/story/4778272/coal-fired-power-plants-to-close-after-new-wastewater-rule/

8.      Nuclear Regulators Uphold Violations at Georgia Reactors (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia/articles/2021-11-18/nuclear-regulators-uphold-violations-at-georgia-reactors

9.      Investors Sue Over $100 Million Deal for Texas Power Plants (Bloomberg News)

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/investors-sue-over-100-million-deal-for-texas-power-plants

10.   White House Offering More Aid for Winter Heat, Utility Bills (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-gene-sperling-1d6a0239664feee3a6614136789c0ee9

11.   Central Maine Power Agrees to Stop Electricity Transmission Corridor Work, for Now (Main Public Radio)

https://www.mainepublic.org/environment-and-outdoors/2021-11-19/cmp-agrees-to-stop-corridor-work-for-now

12.   NASA Seeks Ideas for a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon (Associated Press)

https://www.yahoo.com/now/nasa-seeks-ideas-nuclear-reactor-174702780.html

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

13.   Guest Essay: WA Sen. Murray & Gov. Inslee Are Trying to Answer the Wrong Question About Snake Dams (Yahoo News)

https://news.yahoo.com/wa-sen-murray-gov-inslee-224219168.html

14.   WA Governor’s Fundraising E-Mail Signals Strong Role for Politics in New Snake River Study (Washington Policy Center)

https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/governors-fundraising-e-mail-signals-strong-role-for-politics-in-new-snake-river-study

15.   Comment: Plan with Dams’ Removal Provides Best Hope for Salmon (Everett Herald – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-plan-with-dams-removal-provides-best-hope-for-salmon/

16.   Editorial Board: Wyoming Nuclear Power Plant Warrants Cautious Optimism – Questions Still Remain (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)

https://trib.com/opinion/editorial/editorial-board-nuclear-plant-warrants-cautious-optimism-but-questions-still-remain/article_7a3cd0a7-5bf1-591a-8c7f-738ddfac4863.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

17.   Idaho: Small Hydropower Proves to Be an Ally for Rural Communities (East Idaho News, Idaho Falls, ID)

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2021/11/small-hydropower-proves-to-be-anally-for-rural-communities/

FISH & WILDLIFE

18.   For British Columbia’s Salmon, Floods Represent Another Challenge to Survival (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-salmon-floods-1.6256629?cmp=rss

19.   Tribes Ask for More Support for Salmon Reintroduction to the Upper Columbia River (Spokane Public Radio, WA)

https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/post/tribes-ask-more-support-salmon-reintroduction-upper-columbia-0#stream/0

20.   Biden Mulls Reversing Trump Rules on Western Grouse Species (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-and-nature-billings-birds-674e20aa84b3c77c97bf925e58776980

21.   Zero Humpbacks Off Seattle Coast 25 Years Ago – Now 500 Return with Record Number of Calves (Good News Network)

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/500-humpbacks-return-with-record-number-of-calves/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

22.   Cloud Seeding Gains Steam as U.S. West Faces Worsening Droughts (Stars & Stripes)

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2021-11-21/cloud-seeding-drought-idaho-power-king-air-c90-turboprop-3703203.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

23.   Life Without Reliable Internet Remains a Daily Struggle for Millions of Americans (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/22/1037941547/life-without-reliable-broadband-internet-remains-a-daily-struggle-in-nevada

24.   Tribal Lands Lag on Internet Deployment. Local Efforts, Not Government Intervention, Is Providing a Path Forward in Some Cases (Morning Consult)

https://morningconsult.com/2021/11/22/tribal-lands-broadband-deployment-data-feature/

25.   United Kingdom: Broadband Beats Bedrooms: Fast Internet Access Now a Top Two ‘Must-Have’ for Home Buyers (Total Telecom)

https://www.totaltele.com/511668/Broadband-beats-bedrooms-fast-internet-access-now-a-top-two-must-have-for-home-buyers

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

26.   Bitcoin Miners Are Flocking to Texas as Grid Operator Warns of Future Blackouts (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/bitcoin-miners-are-flocking-to-texas-as-grid-operator-w-1848103092

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

27.   Video: Virginia Campaign Wants You to Watch This Video Before Putting a Space Heater — Or Pancake Griddle — At Your Desk (Energy News Network)

https://energynews.us/2021/11/19/virginia-campaign-wants-you-to-watch-this-video-before-putting-a-space-heater-or-pancake-griddle-at-your-desk/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

28.   NASA Hopes to Hit an Asteroid Now in Case We Really Need to Knock One Away Later (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/interactive/2021/nasa-rams-an-asteroid-planetary-defense/

29.   Farmers Are Turning Cow Poo into Power with Batteries Created from Cow Pat (The Mirror, UK)

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/farmers-making-cow-poo-batteries-25495352

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

30.   WA Gov. Jay Inslee Will Seek Federal Aid for Flood Damage (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2021-11-18/wa-gov-jay-inslee-will-seek-federal-aid-for-flood-damage

31.   Expect Fewer Christmas Trees, Higher Prices Thanks to Summer Heat Wave (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/christmas-tree-supply-may-be-limited-thanks-to-summer-heat-wave/281-b815231b-ab4e-453c-8dea-0dd6a00c496f

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Maori Tribe Tells Anti-Vaccine Protestors to Stop Using Popular Haka

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59286563

Something More Insidious Than Pythons Is Coming for Florida’s Wildlife, & It’s Terrifying

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2021/11/22/invasive-florida-tegu-lizards-survive-cold-and-eat-gopher-tortoise-babies/6336751001/

The Northernmost Town in the US Won’t See Sunlight for Another 66 Days — Here’s What It’s Like to Live & Work in Utqiagvik, Alaska

https://news.yahoo.com/northernmost-town-us-wont-see-122900516.html

Alaska: Homer Council to Weigh Accepting Funds for Little Libraries

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/northwest/homer-council-to-weigh-accepting-funds-for-little-libraries/

SONG OF THE DAY

Todd Rundgren - I Saw the Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5zPHZ3i_FU