Wednesday, May 26, 2021

The Energy News Digest for May 26, 2021

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

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Biden Administration Opens Up California Coast for 4.6 GW of Offshore Wind Development (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/biden-administration-opens-up-california-coast-for-46-gw-floating-offshore-wind/600820/

As Drought Worsens, Tensions Erupt Over Control of SoCal’s Largest Water Supplier (Los Angeles Times, CA)

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2021-05-26/metropolitan-water-district-southern-california-general-manager-tensions-erupt

With Utility Disconnections Set to Resume in Washington, Advocates Push for More Time (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/with-utility-disconnections-set-to-resume-in-washington-advocates-push-for-more-time/281-76c364d3-8cc4-4632-b9ff-c3cf055db9b8

WA State Gov. Inslee Order Allows Employees to Drop Face Masks at Work If They Provide Vaccine Proof (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/coronavirus/inslee-order-allowing-employers-to-demand-covid-vaccine-proof-generates-pushback

Facebook, Instagram Will Now Let You Hide ‘Like’ Counts (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2021-05-26/facebook-instagram-will-now-let-you-hide-like-counts

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      With Utility Disconnections Set to Resume in Washington, Advocates Push for More Time

2.      Municipal Electricity Provider in California Files Bankruptcy

3.      Report: PacifiCorp Again Set to Cut Pay for Some Employees Who Choose to Work from Home

4.      Utility Companies, WA State DNR Holding Workshop on Wildfire Preparedness

5.      California: San Diego City Council Approves New Electric & Gas Franchise Agreement with SDG&E

6.      NuScale Power and Grant PUD Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Explore Nuclear Energy Deployment in Washington State

7.      Oregon: Bonneville Power Administration Capital at Work: Fairview Substation Makeover

8.      Grant PUD Wins Washington State Grant for Energy Efficiency

9.      WA State: Grays Harbor PUD Board President Russ Skolrood to Resign

10.   EIA Expects More Electricity Consumption This Summer as Economy Recovers from Pandemic

11.   Why the Tennessee Valley Authority was the New Deal’s Most Ambitious—and Controversial—Program

12.   Guest Essay: Build Our Future Electricity Supply Around Hydropower

13.   Guest Essay: Rivers, Hydropower & Climate Resilience

14.   Other Views: Time for Dialogue on Dam Removal Issues

15.   Viewpoint: Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Portland General Electric’s Maria Pope Make the Case for the Clean Energy for America Act

16.   Biden Administration Opens Up California Coast for 4.6 GW of Offshore Wind Development

17.   Oregon: Good Energy – Hood River Farmers Use Irrigation Water to Make Energy

18.   WA State: Lewis EDC Hires Consultant to Help Push Renewable Energy Projects

19.   The PNW Is a Leader on Forage Fish Management — But It Needs Better Data

20.   Environmental Group Sues Over Southern Oregon Post-Fire Tree Removal

21.   As Drought Worsens, Tensions Erupt Over Control of SoCal’s Largest Water Supplier

22.   Amid Calls for More Water Storage in Arid West, Large Dam Projects Stall

23.   Oregon’s Big Climate Bill of 2021 Generates Little Friction

24.   ‘Tree Farts’ from Ghost Forests Are Driving Climate Change, Study Warns

25.   Higher Speeds: Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden Pushes to Raise Standards for Stimulus-Funded Broadband

26.   Vice President Kamala Harris Compares Administration’s Broadband Effort to Rural Electrification

27.   Cryptocurrency Has Raised Environmental Concerns — Local Governments Are Stepping In

28.   Facebook, Instagram Will Now Let You Hide ‘Like’ Counts

29.   Successful Utility Themes for Advancing the Modern Energy Consumer

30.   Willie Wiredhand as RMEC Mascot

31.   What Qualifies as ‘Cheugy’ in the Pacific Northwest? Generation Z Weighs In

32.   WA State Gov. Inslee Order Allows Employees to Drop Face Masks at Work If They Provide Vaccine Proof

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      With Utility Disconnections Set to Resume in Washington, Advocates Push for More Time (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/with-utility-disconnections-set-to-resume-in-washington-advocates-push-for-more-time/281-76c364d3-8cc4-4632-b9ff-c3cf055db9b8

2.      Municipal Electricity Provider in California Files Bankruptcy (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-25/municipal-electricity-provider-in-california-files-bankruptcy

3.      Report: PacifiCorp Again Set to Cut Pay for Some Employees Who Choose to Work from Home (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/05/report-pacificorp-again-set-to-cut-pay.html

4.      Utility Companies, WA State DNR Holding Workshop on Wildfire Preparedness (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/find_it/utility-companies-dnr-holding-workshop-on-wildfire-preparedness/article_6e41b47e-be0d-11eb-9356-f73954416aae.html

5.      California: San Diego City Council Approves New Electric & Gas Franchise Agreement with SDG&E (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/story/2021-05-25/san-diego-city-council-approves-new-franchis

6.      NuScale Power and Grant PUD Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Explore Nuclear Energy Deployment in Washington State (KULR-TV, Billings, MT)

https://www.kulr8.com/news/money/nuscale-power-and-grant-county-public-utility-district-sign-memorandum-of-understanding-to-explore-nuclear/article_6b5b4705-4b09-56d4-9059-4254ee2872b4.html

7.      Oregon: Bonneville Power Administration Capital at Work: Fairview Substation Makeover (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-capital-at-work-Fairview-Substation-makeover.aspx

8.      Grant PUD Wins Washington State Grant for Energy Efficiency (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2021/may/25/utility-wins-state-grant-energy-efficiency/

9.      WA State: Grays Harbor PUD Board President Russ Skolrood to Resign (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

https://www.kxro.com/pud-board-president-russ-skolrood-to-resign/

10.   EIA Expects More Electricity Consumption This Summer as Economy Recovers from Pandemic (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=48096

11.   Why the Tennessee Valley Authority was the New Deal’s Most Ambitious—and Controversial—Program (The History Channel)

https://www.history.com/news/tennessee-valley-authority-new-deal-progress-controversy

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

12.   Guest Essay: Build Our Future Electricity Supply Around Hydropower (Battleground Reflector, WA)

https://www.thereflector.com/stories/build-our-future-electricity-supply-around-hydropower,266729

13.   Guest Essay: Rivers, Hydropower & Climate Resilience (The Hill, Washington DC)

https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/555296-rivers-hydropower-and-climate-resilience

14.   Other Views: Time for Dialogue on Dam Removal Issues (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

https://www.eastoregonian.com/opinion/columnists/other-views-time-for-dialogue-on-dam-removal-issues/article_b7659606-bc1f-11eb-982c-9b0953477e82.html

15.   Viewpoint: Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, Portland General Electric’s Maria Pope Make the Case for the Clean Energy for America Act (Portland Business Journal, OR)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2021/05/viewpoint-oregon-us-senator-ron-wyden.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

16.   Biden Administration Opens Up California Coast for 4.6 GW of Offshore Wind Development (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/biden-administration-opens-up-california-coast-for-46-gw-floating-offshore-wind/600820/

17.   Oregon: Good Energy – Hood River Farmers Use Irrigation Water to Make Energy (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/tech/science/environment/farmers-hood-river-irrigation-water-energy/283-6918a27b-1a56-4781-a05e-f6589976a446

18.   WA State: Lewis EDC Hires Consultant to Help Push Renewable Energy Projects (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/lewis-edc-hires-consultant-to-help-push-renewable-energy-projects,266624

FISH & WILDLIFE

19.   The PNW Is a Leader on Forage Fish Management — But It Needs Better Data (Crosscut Seattle, WA)

https://crosscut.com/environment/2021/05/pnw-leader-forage-fish-management-it-needs-better-data

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

20.   Environmental Group Sues Over Southern Oregon Post-Fire Tree Removal (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/05/25/environmental-group-sues-over-post-fire-tree-removal/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

21.   As Drought Worsens, Tensions Erupt Over Control of SoCal’s Largest Water Supplier (Los Angeles Times, CA)

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2021-05-26/metropolitan-water-district-southern-california-general-manager-tensions-erupt

22.   Amid Calls for More Water Storage in Arid West, Large Dam Projects Stall (S&P Global)

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/amid-calls-for-more-water-storage-in-arid-west-large-dam-projects-stall-64430422

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

23.   Oregon’s Big Climate Bill of 2021 Generates Little Friction (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/05/26/big-oregon-climate-bill-of-2021-generates-little-friction/

24.   ‘Tree Farts’ from Ghost Forests Are Driving Climate Change, Study Warns (Yahoo News)

https://news.yahoo.com/tree-farts-ghost-forests-162811674.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

25.   Higher Speeds: Oregon U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden Pushes to Raise Standards for Stimulus-Funded Broadband (The Verge)

https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/25/22452886/american-rescue-plan-broadband-telehealth-ron-wyden-fcc-treasury-janet-yellen

26.   Vice President Kamala Harris Compares Administration’s Broadband Effort to Rural Electrification (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2021/05/vice-president-kamala-harris-compares-administrations-broadband-effort-to-rural-electrification/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

27.   Cryptocurrency Has Raised Environmental Concerns — Local Governments Are Stepping In (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/25/1000274002/cryptocurrency-has-raised-environmental-concerns-local-governments-are-stepping-

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

28.   Facebook, Instagram Will Now Let You Hide ‘Like’ Counts (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2021-05-26/facebook-instagram-will-now-let-you-hide-like-counts

29.   Successful Utility Themes for Advancing the Modern Energy Consumer (Smart Energy International)

https://www.smart-energy.com/industry-sectors/customer-services-management/successful-utility-themes-for-advancing-the-modern-energy-consumer/

30.   Willie Wiredhand as RMEC Mascot (The Mena Star, AZ)

http://www.menastar.com/news/article_f1e0cf44-bdcd-11eb-8f0a-8fd56a8d4adb.html

31.   What Qualifies as ‘Cheugy’ in the Pacific Northwest? Generation Z Weighs In (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/from-mount-rainier-stickers-to-teslas-what-qualifies-as-cheugy-in-the-northwest-local-gen-zers-weigh-in/

GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

32.   WA State Gov. Inslee Order Allows Employees to Drop Face Masks at Work If They Provide Vaccine Proof (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/coronavirus/inslee-order-allowing-employers-to-demand-covid-vaccine-proof-generates-pushback

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

A Lemur on My Keyboard - Thai Girl Plays for Animals in Deserted Zoo

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-thailand-zoo/a-lemur-on-my-keyboard-thai-girl-plays-for-animals-in-deserted-zoo-idUSL3N2ND2GP

13 Spectacular Pics of the ‘Super Blood Moon’ Eclipse from Around the World

https://gizmodo.com/13-spectacular-pics-of-the-super-blood-moon-eclipse-fro-1846971983

These Were the Most Popular Baby Names of 2020

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/baby-names-most-popular-2020-social-security-list_l_60ac8375e4b0d45b752d32b8

Drained Lake Reveals Remnants of Lost Italian Village

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/drained-lake-reveals-remnants-lost-italian-village-2021-05-19/

SONG OF THE DAY

Linda Ronstadt – Ooh Baby Baby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhkKVhEZV5k

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.