The Energy News Digest for March 8, 2021

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

The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring you breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Fate of Republican Mike Simpson’s Plan to Remove Snake River Dams Lies with Democrats & Biden Infrastructure Package (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/mar/07/fate-of-republican-mike-simpsons-plan-to-remove-sn/

Texas Regulators Will Not Correct $16 Billion in Electricity ‘Overcharges.’ Why? (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, TX)

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article249723448.html

Oregon Biggest Wind Farm Appears on Its Way to New Ownership in a $700 Million Transaction (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/oregon-biggest-wind-farm-appears-on-its.html

Oregon Tribe Wins Ruling on Water Rights, But Klamath Basin Irrigators Challenge Allocation (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2021/03/oregon-tribe-wins-ruling-on-water-rights-but-klamath-basin-irrigators-challenge-allocation.html

When Chinook Salmon Is Off the Menu, Other Prey Will Do for Endangered Orcas (Mongabay)

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/when-chinook-salmon-is-off-the-menu-other-prey-will-do-for-endangered-orcas/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Fate of Republican Mike Simpson’s Plan to Remove Snake River Dams Lies with Democrats & Biden Infrastructure Package

2.      Dam Power: Snake River Dams Are Not Big Power Producers, But Play an Important Regional Role

3.      Bill to Expand Hydropower Nationally Back in Play

4.      Dan Newhouse, Cathy McMorris Rodgers Seek to Boost Hydropower after Idaho Rep’s Dam Removal Idea

5.      Op/Ed: Create a Future on the Lower Snake River That Works for Everyone

6.      Op/Ed: New Studies Will Test Flexibility of ‘Simpson Concept’ for Salmon & Dams

7.      WA State: ‘The River Was Stolen from Us’: A Tribe’s Battle to Retake the Skagit River

8.      Op/Ed: Colorado Republicans Do Want to Tackle Climate Change & Here’s How – We Must Develop Nuclear & Hydro Power

9.      Cold Weather Brings Near Record-High Natural Gas Spot Prices

10.   U.S. Utilities Look at Improving Power Supply as More Work from Home

11.   Texas Regulators Will Not Correct $16 Billion in Electricity ‘Overcharges.’ Why?

12.   Lender to U.S. Electric Co-Ops Carries $4 Billion in Exposure to Waylaid Texas Market

13.   Texas City-Run & Rural Electric Firms Face Bailout over Storm Crisis

14.   Oregon Biggest Wind Farm Appears on Its Way to New Ownership in a $700 Million Transaction

15.   Douglas PUD Breaking Ground on Renewable Hydrogen Facility

16.   WA State: Turning Trash to Natural Gas – Utilities Fight for Their Future Amid Climate Change

17.   Wind Turbines on Washington State’s Horse Heaven Hills – How Not to Pursue a Green New Deal

18.   Building Code Council Approves Plan to Limit City, State Input Despite Pushback

19.   When Chinook Salmon Is Off the Menu, Other Prey Will Do for Endangered Orcas

20.   Study: Chinook Salmon Are Key to Northwest Orcas All Year

21.   Twice as Many Salmon – Here’s What Washington State Fish & Wildlife Says About 2021 Nooksack Salmon Runs

22.   News Release: State of Oregon’s Decision to Litigate Undermines Hopes for Regional Collaboration on Salmon

23.   Oregon Tribe Wins Ruling on Water Rights, But Klamath Basin Irrigators Challenge Allocation

24.   In Rapidly Warming & Drying Colorado River Basin, The Negotiating Table Is Being Set

25.   Persistent Dryness in the West Is Exacerbating Region’s ‘Megadrought’

26.   Oregon’s New Carbon Cap Program Takes Shape, But Much Debate Remains

27.   A Furious Industry Backlash Greets Moves by California Cities to Ban Natural Gas in New Construction

28.   Indoor Weed Farms Are Hotboxing the Planet

29.   Federal Money to SpaceX May Hurt Public Broadband Efforts in WA State

30.   WA State: Why Did Lewis County’s State Representatives Oppose Retail Broadband Bill?

31.   WA State: Pass the Public Option for Broadband

32.   Canada: Eastern Ontarians Get a Pricey Taste of High-Speed Internet with Elon Musk’s Starlink

33.   Broadband & Bad Actors

34.   U.S. Senators: Broadband Speed Minimum Should Be 100Mbps for Downloads and Uploads

35.   Invasive Zebra Mussels Found in Aquarium Moss Balls, Northwest Wildlife Agencies Warn

36.   FERC: Glick Commits to Avoid Repeat of ‘Disturbing’ Lack of Action in Texas after 2011 Outages

37.   Biden Appointments, Including Nez Perce Fisheries Champion, Bolster Native American Presence in Federal Government

WORD OF THE DAY

Dross \DRAHSS\ Noun - 1: the scum that forms on the surface of molten metal 2: waste or foreign matter: impurity 3: something that is base, trivial, or inferior.

Norbert emerged from his bath feeling more soiled than when he went in. As the youngest of four children, he had the last shot at the murky bathwater on Saturday’s “bath day.” He was especially unhappy about the floating dross left over from his brother Ike, who earlier in the day had an unfortunate encounter with the manure lagoon behind the large, red barn.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Fate of Republican Mike Simpson’s Plan to Remove Snake River Dams Lies with Democrats & Biden Infrastructure Package (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/mar/07/fate-of-republican-mike-simpsons-plan-to-remove-sn/

2.      Dam Power: Snake River Dams Are Not Big Power Producers, But Play an Important Regional Role (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/mar/07/dam-power-snake-river-dams-are-not-big-power-produ/

3.      Bill to Expand Hydropower Nationally Back in Play – Representatives reintroduce legislation calling for more development, less red tape for energy source (Lewiston Tribune, ID)

https://lmtribune.com/northwest/bill-to-expand-hydropower-nationally-back-in-play/article_72736183-2ce4-52fd-be3e-3f40a62a06ff.html

4.      Dan Newhouse, Cathy McMorris Rodgers Seek to Boost Hydropower after Idaho Rep’s Dam Removal Idea (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/post/dan-newhouse-cathy-mcmorris-rodgers-seek-boost-hydropower-after-idaho-reps-dam-removal-idea

5.      Op/Ed: Create a Future on the Lower Snake River That Works for Everyone (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/mar/07/guest-opinion-create-a-future-on-the-lower-snake-r/

6.      Op/Ed: New Studies Will Test Flexibility of ‘Simpson Concept’ for Salmon & Dams (Washington Wire, Olympia, WA)

https://washingtonstatewire.com/new-studies-will-test-flexibility-of-simpson-concept-for-salmon-dams/

7.      WA State: ‘The River Was Stolen from Us’: A Tribe’s Battle to Retake the Skagit River (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/05/upper-skagit-tribe-gorge-dam-seattle

8.      Op/Ed: Colorado Republicans Do Want to Tackle Climate Change & Here’s How – We Must Develop Nuclear & Hydro Power (Denver Post, CO)

https://www.denverpost.com/2021/03/05/ray-scott-colorado-republican-climate-change/

9.      Cold Weather Brings Near Record-High Natural Gas Spot Prices (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=47016

10.   U.S. Utilities Look at Improving Power Supply as More Work from Home (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ceraweek-conference-power-work-from-h-idUSKBN2AW2NR

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

11.   Texas Regulators Will Not Correct $16 Billion in Electricity ‘Overcharges.’ Why? (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, TX)

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article249723448.html

12.   Lender to U.S. Electric Co-Ops Carries $4 Billion in Exposure to Waylaid Texas Market (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-texas-power-lender-idUSKBN2AX2K9

 

13.   Texas City-Run & Rural Electric Firms Face Bailout over Storm Crisis (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-texas-electricity-debt/texas-city-run-and-rural-electric-firms-face-bailout-over-storm-crisis-idUSL2N2L23L1

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

14.   Oregon Biggest Wind Farm Appears on Its Way to New Ownership in a $700 Million Transaction (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/oregon-biggest-wind-farm-appears-on-its.html

15.   Douglas PUD Breaking Ground on Renewable Hydrogen Facility (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://www.kpq.com/douglas-pud-breaking-ground-on-renewable-hydrogen-facility/

16.   WA State: Turning Trash to Natural Gas – Utilities Fight for Their Future Amid Climate Change (Inside Climate News)

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/04032021/bio-gas-washington-trash-to-natural-gas/

17.   Wind Turbines on Washington State’s Horse Heaven Hills – How Not to Pursue a Green New Deal (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2021/03/08/wind-turbines-on-washingtons-horse-heaven-hills--how-not-to-pursue-a-green-new-deal/?sh=6002540d508d

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

18.   Building Code Council Approves Plan to Limit City, State Input Despite Pushback (Energy News Network)

https://energynews.us/2021/03/05/code-council-approves-plan-to-limit-city-state-input-despite-pushback/

FISH & WILDLIFE

19.   When Chinook Salmon Is Off the Menu, Other Prey Will Do for Endangered Orcas (Mongabay)

https://news.mongabay.com/2021/03/when-chinook-salmon-is-off-the-menu-other-prey-will-do-for-endangered-orcas/

20.   Study: Chinook Salmon Are Key to Northwest Orcas All Year (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/03/04/study-chinook-salmon-are-key-to-northwest-orcas-all-year/

21.   Twice as Many Salmon – Here’s What Washington State Fish & Wildlife Says About 2021 Nooksack Salmon Runs (Bellingham Herald, WA)

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article249727568.html

22.   News Release: State of Oregon’s Decision to Litigate Undermines Hopes for Regional Collaboration on Salmon (Northwest RiverPartners)

https://energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/2021/03/news-release-state-of-oregons-decision.html

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

23.   Oregon Tribe Wins Ruling on Water Rights, But Klamath Basin Irrigators Challenge Allocation (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2021/03/oregon-tribe-wins-ruling-on-water-rights-but-klamath-basin-irrigators-challenge-allocation.html

24.   In Rapidly Warming & Drying Colorado River Basin, The Negotiating Table Is Being Set (Phoenix Business Journal, AZ)

https://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2021/03/06/colorado-river-basin-negotiating-table-set.html?ana=brss_1882

25.   Persistent Dryness in the West Is Exacerbating Region’s ‘Megadrought’ (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/04/drought-megadrought-worsens-western-u-s-california/4579544001/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

26.   Oregon’s New Carbon Cap Program Takes Shape, But Much Debate Remains (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/03/oregons-new-carbon-cap-program-takes-shape-but-much-debate-remains.html

27.   A Furious Industry Backlash Greets Moves by California Cities to Ban Natural Gas in New Construction (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/a-furious-industry-backlash-greets-moves-by-california-cities-to-ban-natural-gas-in-new-construction/

28.   Indoor Weed Farms Are Hotboxing the Planet (Gizmodo)

https://earther.gizmodo.com/indoor-weed-farms-are-hotboxing-the-planet-1846429482

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

29.   Federal Money to SpaceX May Hurt Public Broadband Efforts in WA State (Crosscut Seattle, WA)

https://crosscut.com/politics/2021/03/federal-money-spacex-may-hurt-public-broadband-efforts-wa

30.   WA State: Why Did Lewis County’s State Representatives Oppose Retail Broadband Bill? (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/why-did-lewis-countys-state-representatives-oppose-retail-broadband-bill,261295

31.   WA State: Pass the Public Option for Broadband (The Stranger, Seattle, WA)

https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2021/03/04/55466333/pass-the-public-option-for-broadband

32.   Canada: Eastern Ontarians Get a Pricey Taste of High-Speed Internet with Elon Musk’s Starlink (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/starlink-high-speed-internet-rural-ontario-1.5937037?cmp=rss

33.   Broadband & Bad Actors (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2021/03/08/broadband-and-bad-actors/

34.   U.S. Senators: Broadband Speed Minimum Should Be 100Mbps for Downloads and Uploads (PC Magazine)

https://www.pcmag.com/news/senators-broadband-speed-minimum-should-be-100mbps-for-downloads-and-uploads

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

35.   Invasive Zebra Mussels Found in Aquarium Moss Balls, Northwest Wildlife Agencies Warn (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2021/03/invasive-zebra-mussels-found-in-aquarium-moss-balls-northwest-wildlife-agencies-warn.html

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

36.   FERC: Glick Commits to Avoid Repeat of ‘Disturbing’ Lack of Action in Texas after 2011 Outages (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/glick-commits-to-avoid-repeat-of-disturbing-lack-of-action-in-texas-after/596187/

37.   Biden Appointments, Including Nez Perce Fisheries Champion, Bolster Native American Presence in Federal Government (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/biden-administration-appointments-including-nez-perce-fisheries-champion-bolster-native-american-voices-in-federal-government/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Man Suspected of Stealing Thousands of Dollars Worth of Legos From Tigard Shop

https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2021/03/man-suspected-of-stealing-thousands-of-dollars-worth-of-legos-from-tigard-shop.html

United Kingdom: Tintern ‘Secret’ Medieval Tunnel System Found by Accident

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-56281726

A 1990s iMac Processor Powers NASA’s Perseverance Rover

https://gizmodo.com/a-1990s-imac-processor-powers-nasa-s-perseverance-rover-1846380844

Toy Pirate Ship Makes Journey from Scotland to Miami

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/toy-pirate-ship-makes-journey-from-scotland-to-miami/2398068/

SONG OF THE DAY

Jimmy Buffett - A Pirate Looks at Forty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT-m3Xz-QkQ

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.

Oregon Biggest Wind Farm Appears on Its Way to New Ownership in a $700 Million Transaction (Portland Business Journal, OR)

(ARLINGTON, OR) - - State regulators have signed off on the transfer of the Shepherds Flat Project site certificate from subsidiaries of Caithness Energy to Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE: BEP), a Canadian company.

Brookfield revealed the $700 million purchase price in an earnings call last month.

At 845 megawatts, Shepherds Flat represents more than one-fifth of Oregon’s wind power generating capacity. Power from the facility, which straddles Gilliam and Morrow counties and opened in stages in 2012, is sold under 20-year contracts to Southern California Edison.

Brookfield said the prospect of repowering the 9-year-old facility — installing longer and lighter turbine blades — made it especially attractive.

“This repowering opportunity is one of the largest in the world and is expected to increase total generation by approximately 25%,” CEO Connor Teskey said in the earnings call. “Having the expertise to undertake a project of this size showcases our decades of experience in driving operational efficiencies, while generating attractive returns.”

Caithness got permission from state regulators more than a year ago for the repowering.

The sale to Brookfield still needs federal approval. In a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission filing, Brookfield said it was hoping for an order approving the transfer by March 9 “so as to facilitate timely consummation of the transaction.”

Shepherds Flat had a construction cost of some $1.9 billion, but Caithness took advantage of Great Recession-era federal and state subsidies totaling more than $1.2 billion to dramatically reduce the cost.

 

News Release: State of Oregon’s Decision to Litigate Undermines Hopes for Regional Collaboration on Salmon (Northwest RiverPartners)

(March 4, 2021) - - Earlier today, the State of Oregon filed a lawsuit in district court over the federal government’s latest hydropower operations plan for the Columbia River Basin and the Biological Opinion in support of the plan under the Endangered Species Act.

Ironically, just last week, a spokesperson for Governor Brown helped unveil the Columbia Basin Collaborative (CBC). Organized by the governors of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, the CBC hopes to put an end to litigation and bring the region’s sovereign tribes, states, and stakeholder groups together to facilitate recovery of Columbia River Basin salmon and steelhead.

We maintain that the decision to simultaneously pursue litigation while co-leading this process is wholly inappropriate. For the CBC to be successful, diverse stakeholder groups must partner in good faith and with open minds as we look for a holistic approach to salmon recovery. Unfortunately, Governor Brown’s decision to reestablish Oregon as a plaintiff places all aspects of this collaborative process in question.

In the CBC kick-off meeting, state representatives spoke of their hope to put differences aside for the good of salmon recovery, but Oregon’s choice to litigate means the CBC process won’t be given a fair chance to succeed. As one of the CBC organizers, Oregon will have a distinct say in who gets a seat at the table, the ground rules for participants, and ultimately which policies receive the CBC’s stamp of approval. Now, as a plaintiff, the State’s decisions must be examined through the lens of its desire to make the strongest legal case possible.

The timing of this litigation also comes as the region considers the proposal put forth by Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson to set aside $35-40 billion in federal infrastructure spending to breach the lower Snake River dams. Oregon’s actions could potentially have negative implications for those discussions started by the Simpson proposal as well, by encouraging parties to retrench into traditional positions.

Inspired by an updated mission in 2019, Northwest RiverPartners has consistently demonstrated its intention to follow a collaborative path regarding the future of salmon and dams in the Northwest. While we believe that carbon free, affordable hydropower is essential for the region’s clean energy future, we also embrace open-minded discussion and collaborative solutions.

We strongly encourage Governor Brown to put a halt to Oregon’s litigation efforts and, instead, make the collaborative process of the CBC, that she helped initiate, a top priority. It is proven that the cycle of endless litigation only achieves division, and salmon can only be recovered if we work together.