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
High Winds Cause Outages Throughout Inland Pacific Northwest
(Spokane Public Radio)
California Regulators Rebuke Pacific Gas & Electric for
Neglect in Reducing Wildfire Risk (Associated Press)
Colstrip Operator Eyeing Wind Farm in Southeast Montana (Billings
Gazette, MT)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/04/colstrip-operator-eyeing-wind-farm-in.html
US West Prepares for Possible First Water Shortage
Declaration (Associated Press)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/arizona-nevada-drought-water-shortage_n_607b8571e4b0deb3d5b4fbd9
Breaking the Gigabyte Barrier on the Key Peninsula; Not So
Wild a Dream (Peninsula Gateway, Gig Harbor, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/04/breaking-gigabyte-barrier-on-key.html
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
High Winds Cause Outages Throughout Inland
Pacific Northwest
2.
California Regulators Rebuke Pacific Gas &
Electric for Neglect in Reducing Wildfire Risk
3.
Arizona Regulators Give Initial OK to New
Utility Shutoff Rules
4.
Idaho Power Wants You to Pay for Added Costs.
Here’s How Much Your Bill Would Rise
5.
Oregon: A Proposed Gas-Fired Power Plant Near
Hermiston May Be Canceled, But Controversy Remains
6.
Watchdog Groups, Others Critical of Proposed New
Mexico Utility Merger
7.
Avista Advances Clean Electricity Goals Through
Hydropower Contract with Chelan PUD
8.
Inland Pacific Northwest Tribal Leaders Support
Dam Removal
9.
Alaska Utilities’ Request for Extension to
Coordinate Grid Reform Meets Resistance
10.
California Community Choice Aggregation
Membership Surpasses 200 Communities, 28% of Utility Load
11.
WA State: Grant PUD’s Billing Records Reflect
Pandemic’s Impact on Residential Customers
12.
California: On Second Try, San Diego Gets Only
San Diego Gas & Electric Minimum Bid for Franchise Agreement
13.
Wood Pole Structures: The Backbones of Western
Area Power Administration
14.
Ashley Slater Joins National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
15.
Opinion: Ending the Salmon Wars
16.
Commentary: Washington Can Lead the Transition
to Cleaner Transportation
17.
Colstrip Operator Eyeing Wind Farm in Southeast
Montana
18.
It Was an Old Apple Orchard. Now It Could Be the
Future of Clean Hydrogen Energy in Washington State
19.
There’s a Booming Business in America’s Forests.
Some Aren’t Happy About It.
20.
West Coast Fishermen, Tribes Brace for Another
Abysmal Salmon Season
21.
Study Finds Chinook Salmon Are Returning to
Rivers Younger Than Before, Re-Sparking Debate on Fish Management
22.
Early Pikeminnow Season Launch Could Pay Off for
Some Anglers
23.
Super-Large Squirrels, AKA Marmots or
Rockchucks, Emerge from Hibernation to Pester Oregon School
24.
US West Prepares for Possible First Water
Shortage Declaration
25.
Power Companies Urge President Biden to
Implement Policies to Cut Emissions 80% by 2030
26.
Tribal Nations Adapt to Being at ‘Ground Zero’
of the Climate Crisis
27.
Public Power Utilities Recognized for Their
Efforts to Shift to Modern, Carbon-Free Energy Systems
28.
Breaking the Gigabyte Barrier on the Key
Peninsula; Not So Wild a Dream
29.
Access to Billions in Federal Funding a Key
Distinction Between WA State Broadband Bills
30.
Washington State Governor Expected to Sign New
Bill Ending Prohibition on Municipal Broadband
31.
Washington State Votes to Kill Law That
Restricted Community Broadband
32.
Idaho: Ziply Fiber Goes Live with Fiber
Gig-Speed Network in Coeur d’Alene Area
33.
Revenge: Spectrum Workers on Strike Build Their
Own ISP
34.
NERC Finding 25% of Utilities Exposed to SolarWinds
Hack Indicates Growing Vulnerabilities, Analysts Say
35.
Washington State Sets Ambitious Goal: All New
Cars Sold Will Be Electric by 2030
36.
Nuclear, Hydropower – The Details in President
Biden’s Infrastructure Plan That Could Bring Republicans to the Table
37.
WA State: Senator Hawkins’ Wildfire Bill with
Electric Utilities Focus Almost to Finish Line
38.
Glick Discloses That FERC Is in Discussions with
State Regulators on Transmission Issues
39. U.S. House Committee Asks USDA Secretary About Unused Broadband Funds
WORD OF THE DAY
Auctorial • \awk-TOR-ee-ul\ • adjective – Of or relating to an author.
Of all his auctorial duties, Dagwood’s required appearances at signing parties were the most feared and loathed. It wasn’t until the fourth such appearance at a bookstore in Dirt, North Dakota that he decided to only sign books in his personal secret code. Therefore, the recipient of the book would never know that although the inscription said, “best wishes” the real meaning was “get lost”. Dagwood’s quality life was thereby improved immeasurably, and he looked forward to his appointments with glee.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
High Winds Cause Outages Throughout Inland Pacific
Northwest (Spokane Public Radio)
2.
California Regulators Rebuke Pacific Gas &
Electric for Neglect in Reducing Wildfire Risk (Associated Press)
3.
Arizona Regulators Give Initial OK to New Utility
Shutoff Rules (Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ)
4.
Idaho Power Wants You to Pay for Added Costs. Here’s
How Much Your Bill Would Rise (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article250731274.html
5.
Oregon: A Proposed Gas-Fired Power Plant Near Hermiston
May Be Canceled, But Controversy Remains (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
6.
Watchdog Groups, Others Critical of Proposed New
Mexico Utility Merger (Santa Fe New Mexican, NM)
7.
Avista Advances Clean Electricity Goals Through
Hydropower Contract with Chelan PUD (Daily Energy Insider)
8.
Inland Pacific Northwest Tribal Leaders Support
Dam Removal (KPVI-TV, Pocatello, ID)
9.
Alaska Utilities’ Request for Extension to Coordinate
Grid Reform Meets Resistance (Alaska Journal of Commerce)
10.
California Community Choice Aggregation Membership
Surpasses 200 Communities, 28% of Utility Load (S&P Global)
11.
WA State: Grant PUD’s Billing Records Reflect
Pandemic’s Impact on Residential Customers (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://www.kpq.com/grant-puds-billing-records-reflect-pandemics-impact-on-residential-customers/
12.
California: On Second Try, San Diego Gets Only San
Diego Gas & Electric Minimum Bid for Franchise Agreement (Times of San
Diego, CA)
13.
Wood Pole Structures: The Backbones of Western
Area Power Administration (Western Area Power Administration)
14.
Ashley Slater Joins National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association as Vice President, Regulatory Affairs (NRECA)
https://www.electric.coop/ashley-slater-joins-nreca-as-vice-president-regulatory-affairs
SOAPBOX SERENADE – EDITORIALS & OPINIONS
15.
Opinion: Ending the Salmon Wars (Idaho Falls
Post-Register, ID)
16.
Commentary: Washington Can Lead the Transition to
Cleaner Transportation (Energy News Network)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
17.
Colstrip Operator Eyeing Wind Farm in Southeast
Montana (Billings Gazette, MT)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/04/colstrip-operator-eyeing-wind-farm-in.html
18.
It Was an Old Apple Orchard. Now It Could Be the
Future of Clean Hydrogen Energy in Washington State (Inside Climate News)
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/15042021/green-hydrogen-washington-state/
19.
There’s a Booming Business in America’s Forests.
Some Aren’t Happy About It. (NY Times)
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/climate/wood-pellet-industry-climate.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
20.
West Coast Fishermen, Tribes Brace for Another
Abysmal Salmon Season (Klamath Falls Herald & News, OR)
21.
Study Finds Chinook Salmon Are Returning to Rivers
Younger Than Before, Re-Sparking Debate on Fish Management (Longview Daily News,
WA)
22.
Early Pikeminnow Season Launch Could Pay Off for
Some Anglers (Bonneville Power Administration)
23.
Super-Large Squirrels, AKA Marmots or Rockchucks,
Emerge from Hibernation to Pester Oregon School (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
24.
US West Prepares for Possible First Water
Shortage Declaration (Associated Press)
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/arizona-nevada-drought-water-shortage_n_607b8571e4b0deb3d5b4fbd9
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
25.
Power Companies Urge President Biden to Implement
Policies to Cut Emissions 80% by 2030 (Reuters)
26.
Tribal Nations Adapt to Being at ‘Ground Zero’
of the Climate Crisis (High Country News)
27.
Public Power Utilities Recognized for Their
Efforts to Shift to Modern, Carbon-Free Energy Systems (American Public Power
Association)
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
28.
Breaking the Gigabyte Barrier on the Key
Peninsula; Not So Wild a Dream (Peninsula Gateway, Gig Harbor, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/04/breaking-gigabyte-barrier-on-key.html
29.
Access to Billions in Federal Funding a Key
Distinction Between WA State Broadband Bills (Washington State Wire, Olympia,
WA)
30.
Washington State Governor Expected to Sign New
Bill Ending Prohibition on Municipal Broadband (Geekwire)
31.
Washington State Votes to Kill Law That
Restricted Community Broadband (TechDirt)
32.
Idaho: Ziply Fiber Goes Live with Fiber
Gig-Speed Network in Coeur d’Alene Area (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/04/idaho-ziply-fiber-goes-live-with-fiber.html
33.
Revenge: Spectrum Workers on Strike Build Their
Own ISP (Gizmodo)
https://gizmodo.com/revenge-spectrum-workers-on-strike-build-their-own-isp-1846678437
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
34.
NERC Finding 25% of Utilities Exposed to SolarWinds
Hack Indicates Growing Vulnerabilities, Analysts Say (Utility Dive)
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
35.
Washington State Sets Ambitious Goal: All New
Cars Sold Will Be Electric by 2030 (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)
https://www.knkx.org/post/washington-sets-ambitious-goal-all-new-cars-sold-will-be-electric-2030
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
36.
Nuclear, Hydropower – The Details in President Biden’s
Infrastructure Plan That Could Bring Republicans to the Table (Grist Online)
37.
WA State: Senator Hawkins’ Wildfire Bill with
Electric Utilities Focus Almost to Finish Line (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
38.
Glick Discloses That FERC Is in Discussions with
State Regulators on Transmission Issues (American Public Power Association)
39.
U.S. House Committee Asks USDA Secretary About
Unused Broadband Funds (Brownfield Ag News)
https://brownfieldagnews.com/news/house-committee-asks-usda-secretary-about-unused-broadband-funds/
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Filling Your Entire Backyard with a Giant K’nex Roller
Coaster Beats Waiting in Line at an Amusement Park
https://gizmodo.com/filling-your-entire-backyard-with-a-giant-knex-roller-c-1846711500
NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Has Flown on Mars
https://gizmodo.com/nasa-s-ingenuity-helicopter-has-flown-on-mars-1846711306
Lyrid Meteor Shower Visible in Clear Seattle Skies
https://mynorthwest.com/2802505/lyrid-meteor-shower-seattle-skies/
Couple: Man Has Tossed Used Cups in Their Yard for Three
Years
https://news.yahoo.com/couple-man-tossed-used-cups-234159341.html
SONG OF THE DAY
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain – Life on Mars
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW0ACEOEq6w
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.
