Wednesday, November 24, 2021

The Energy News Digest for November 24, 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

California: San Diego Gas & Electric May Shut Off Your Power This Thanksgiving Weekend (KNSD-TV, San Diego, CA)

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/sdge-may-shut-off-your-power-this-thanksgiving-weekend/2800042/

The Pacific Northwest Faces Second Damaging Atmospheric River in a Week (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/pacific-northwest-faces-second-damaging-atmospheric-riv-1848116544

Hybrid Salmon Found in Canada May Be a Result of Climate Change (New Scientist)

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2298709-hybrid-salmon-found-in-canada-may-be-a-result-of-climate-change/

REC Silicon Moves Closer to Reopening in Moses Lake (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2021/nov/23/rec-silicon-moves-closer-reopening-moses-lake/

Utah’s Great Salt Lake Is ‘A Puddle of Its Former Self’ – Nearly Half the Size It Was 35 Years Ago (The Daily Mail, UK)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10234023/Climate-change-left-Utahs-Great-Salt-Lake-puddle-former-self.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      California: San Diego Gas & Electric May Shut Off Your Power This Thanksgiving Weekend

2.      WA State: Divisive Tacoma Natural Gas Project Wins Approval from Key State Board, Upsetting Puyallup Tribe

3.      Bonneville Power Administration Closes the Book on Financially Successful 2021

4.      Last Peace River Dam Power Turbines Arrive in Canada

5.      NE U.S.: Amid the Push for a Cleaner Future, a Proposed Power Plant Threatens to Escalate the War Over the Region’s Power Grid

6.      Major U.S. Utilities Spending More on Electricity Delivery, Less on Power Production

7.      Heating Bills for Oil & Natural Gas Are Set to Rise This Winter. Here Are 5 Ways to Winterize Your Home — And Save Some Money

8.      California Gov. Newsom Names Energy Adviser as State’s Top Utility Regulator

9.      Editorial: Washington State’s Moment to Shine in Offshore Wind Energy

10.   News Release: Seattle City Light Explores Renewable Hydrogen Fuel at the Port of Seattle with Department of Energy Awards

11.   Guest Essay: Our Decarbonization Efforts Are Being Compromised, But That Can Change

12.   Guest Essay: Montana Is Poised to Build a Bright Broadband Future

13.   REC Silicon Moves Closer to Reopening in Moses Lake

14.   Nevada Solar Construction Project Racks Up Big Fines for Blowing Dust

15.   Powerful Battery Pack to Be Tested by Logan City Light & Power Is the First for Utah

16.   Introducing ‘Regenerative,’ the New Climate Buzzword

17.   Hybrid Salmon Found in Canada May Be a Result of Climate Change

18.   Alaska Lawmakers in Both Parties Demand Action on Excessive Fisheries Bycatch

19.   ‘The Next Great Casualty of Climate Change’ Could Be Global Fishing Stocks

20.   Rallying for Salmon with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe at the Idaho Capitol

21.   West Coast Dungeness Crab Season to Open December 1 for First Time in Years

22.   Higher than Average River Flows Cause Excessive Muddy Run Off in Columbia River

23.   WA State: Clallam Bay Running Water Service Restored by Clallam PUD After Bypass

24.   Tracking Washington State’s 2021-22 Snowpack Through Maps & Charts

25.   Utah’s Great Salt Lake Is ‘A Puddle of Its Former Self’ – Nearly Half the Size It Was 35 Years Ago

26.   WA State: High-Speed Fiber-Optic Internet Now Live in Tekoa

27.   Fraud in Broadband Subsidy Sign-Ups Alarms FCC Watchdog

28.   Five Conversation Starters for Thanksgiving Dinner

29.   Who Invented the Lightbulb?

30.   The Pacific Northwest Faces Second Damaging Atmospheric River in a Week

31.   Santa Ana Winds to Increase Southern California Fire Danger

32.   Weather, Natural Gas Supplies - Fertilizer Shortage May Lead to Spring Scramble on North America’s Farms

33.   U.S. Jobless Claims Hit 52-Year Low After Seasonal Adjustments

34.   Quarter Shortage Creates a Two-Bit Black Market in Coin-Operated Seattle

WORD OF THE DAY

Obverse \AHB-verse\ Noun – *1: the side of a coin or currency note bearing the chief device and lettering; broadly: a front or principal surface 2: a counterpart having the opposite orientation or force; also: opposite.

Garfunkel was enjoying his summer daydream. He was a lucky silver dollar in the pocket of a Wall Street Trader. The daydream had its downside, like the time the trader flipped the coin over and over with the obverse side constantly landing up. “One more time and I’ll urp up silver,” opined the daydreaming Garfunkel.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      California: San Diego Gas & Electric May Shut Off Your Power This Thanksgiving Weekend (KNSD-TV, San Diego, CA)

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/sdge-may-shut-off-your-power-this-thanksgiving-weekend/2800042/

2.      WA State: Divisive Tacoma Natural Gas Project Wins Approval from Key State Board, Upsetting Puyallup Tribe (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article256036547.html

3.      Bonneville Power Administration Closes the Book on Financially Successful 2021 (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/BPA-closes-the-book-on-financially-successful-2021.aspx

4.      Last Peace River Dam Power Turbines Arrive in Canada (Alaska Highway News, Canada)

https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/regional-news/site-c/last-site-c-turbines-arrive-in-canada-4790401

5.      NE U.S.: Amid the Push for a Cleaner Future, a Proposed Power Plant Threatens to Escalate the War Over the Region’s Power Grid (Boston Globe, MA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/11/23/science/new-skirmish-war-over-future-regions-power-grid/

6.      Major U.S. Utilities Spending More on Electricity Delivery, Less on Power Production (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=50456

7.      Heating Bills for Oil & Natural Gas Are Set to Rise This Winter. Here Are 5 Ways to Winterize Your Home — And Save Some Money (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/heating-bills-are-set-to-rise-this-winter-here-are-5-ways-to-winterize-your-home-and-save-some-money/

8.      California Gov. Newsom Names Energy Adviser as State’s Top Utility Regulator (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-technology-business-california-gavin-newsom-4bf91d31ec79a49d9de9e9cd7ef3e788

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

9.      Editorial: Washington State’s Moment to Shine in Offshore Wind Energy (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory. From the “Build it, we dare you” department)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/washingtons-moment-to-shine-in-offshore-wind-energy/

10.   News Release: Seattle City Light Explores Renewable Hydrogen Fuel at the Port of Seattle with Department of Energy Awards (Powerlines, Seattle City Light, WA)

https://powerlines.seattle.gov/2021/11/04/seattle-city-light-explores-renewable-hydrogen-fuel-at-the-port-of-seattle-with-department-of-energy-awards/

11.   Guest Essay: Our Decarbonization Efforts Are Being Compromised, But That Can Change (Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/11/19/our-decarbonization-efforts-are-being-compromised.html

12.   Guest Essay: Montana Is Poised to Build a Bright Broadband Future (Billings Gazette, MT – Paywall Advisory)

https://billingsgazette.com/opinion/columnists/guest-opinion-montana-is-poised-to-build-a-bright-broadband-future/article_0ef064f5-6520-59f4-8d8a-a0e4ec9b6781.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

13.   REC Silicon Moves Closer to Reopening in Moses Lake (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2021/nov/23/rec-silicon-moves-closer-reopening-moses-lake/

14.   Nevada Solar Construction Project Racks Up Big Fines for Blowing Dust (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/nevada/articles/2021-11-23/nevada-solar-project-racks-up-big-fines-for-blowing-dust

15.   Powerful Battery Pack to Be Tested by Logan City Light & Power Is the First for Utah (Cache Valley Daily, ID)

https://www.cachevalleydaily.com/news/archive/2021/11/22/powerful-battery-pack-to-be-tested-by-logan-city-light-power-is-the-first-for-utah/#.YZ6IptDMLIU

16.   Introducing ‘Regenerative,’ the New Climate Buzzword (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/introducing-regenerative-the-new-climate-buzzword/2021/11/23/e36662f6-4c59-11ec-a7b8-9ed28bf23929_story.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

17.   Hybrid Salmon Found in Canada May Be a Result of Climate Change (New Scientist)

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2298709-hybrid-salmon-found-in-canada-may-be-a-result-of-climate-change/

18.   Alaska Lawmakers in Both Parties Demand Action on Excessive Fisheries Bycatch (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2021/11/22/alaska-lawmakers-in-both-parties-demand-action-on-excessive-fisheries-bycatch/

19.   ‘The Next Great Casualty of Climate Change’ Could Be Global Fishing Stocks (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/the-next-great-casualty-of-climate-change-could-be-global-fishing-stocks-203726802.html

20.   Rallying for Salmon with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe at the Idaho Capitol (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)

https://www.kivitv.com/news/outdoors/rallying-for-salmon-with-the-shoshone-bannock-tribe-at-the-idaho-capitol

21.   West Coast Dungeness Crab Season to Open December 1 for First Time in Years (Associated Press)

https://katu.com/news/local/dungeness-crab-season-to-open-dec-1-for-first-time-in-years

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

22.   Higher than Average River Flows Cause Excessive Muddy Run Off in Columbia River (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://www.kpq.com/higher-than-average-river-flows-cause-excessive-muddy-run-off-in-columbia-river/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

23.   WA State: Clallam Bay Running Water Service Restored by Clallam PUD After Bypass (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/clallam-bay-running-water-service-restored-after-bypass/

24.   Tracking Washington State’s 2021-22 Snowpack Through Maps & Charts (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/tracking-washington-states-2021-22-snowpack-through-maps-and-charts

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

25.   Utah’s Great Salt Lake Is ‘A Puddle of Its Former Self’ – Nearly Half the Size It Was 35 Years Ago (The Daily Mail, UK)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10234023/Climate-change-left-Utahs-Great-Salt-Lake-puddle-former-self.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

26.   WA State: High-Speed Fiber-Optic Internet Now Live in Tekoa (KQQQ-Radio, Pullman, WA)

https://pullmanradio.com/high-speed-fiber-optic-internet-now-live-in-tekoa/

27.   Fraud in Broadband Subsidy Sign-Ups Alarms FCC Watchdog (Bloomberg News)

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/tech-and-telecom-law/fcc-inspector-general-warns-of-broadband-subsidy-enrollment-fraud

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

28.   Five Conversation Starters for Thanksgiving Dinner (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/news/newsroom/Pages/Five-conversation-starters-for-Thanksgiving-dinner.aspx

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

29.   Who Invented the Lightbulb? (California News-Times)

https://californianewstimes.com/who-invented-the-lightbulb-live-science/601285/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

30.   The Pacific Northwest Faces Second Damaging Atmospheric River in a Week (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/pacific-northwest-faces-second-damaging-atmospheric-riv-1848116544

31.   Santa Ana Winds to Increase Southern California Fire Danger (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california/articles/2021-11-24/santa-ana-winds-to-increase-southern-california-fire-danger

32.   Weather, Natural Gas Supplies - Fertilizer Shortage May Lead to Spring Scramble on North America’s Farms (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/fertilizer-shortage-may-lead-spring-scramble-north-americas-farms-2021-11-24/

33.   U.S. Jobless Claims Hit 52-Year Low After Seasonal Adjustments (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-economy-jobless-claims-a774386e727ad7c917a669f5712deb32

34.   Quarter Shortage Creates a Two-Bit Black Market in Coin-Operated Seattle (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/quarter-shortage-creates-a-two-bit-black-market-in-coin-operated-seattle/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Dollar Tree Makes It Official: Items Will Now Cost $1.25

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dollar-tree-raises-prices-125_n_619d6f8ee4b044a1cc0e37ed

Bettor Turns $50 Into More Than $1 Million Thanks to Wild 15-Leg Parlay

https://sports.yahoo.com/bettor-turns-50-into-more-than-1-million-thanks-to-wild-15-leg-parlay-144224575.html

Rare First Printing of U.S. Constitution Sells for Record $43 Million

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/rare-printing-constitution-sells-record-43m-81275943

 Island Beaches in Epic Migration to Sea

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/red-crab-migration-christmas-island-1.6259254?cmp=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

ABBA – Money, Money, Money

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