Monday, December 6, 2021

The Energy News Digest for December 6, 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 Utility Regulators Move to Avoid Power Outages Following This Year’s Extreme Heat (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/california-utility-regulators-move-to-avoid-power-outages-following-this-years-extreme-heat/2021/12/03/b2ae3f60-5430-11ec-8769-2f4ecdf7a2ad_story.html

WA State: Fish Passage, Dam Removal Studied as Seattle City Light Aims to Relicense Three Skagit River Dams (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/fish-passage-dam-removal-studied-as-seattle-city-light-aims-to-relicense-three-skagit-river-dams/

Oregon: Wind Turbine Blades Stir Up Trouble for Milton-Freewater Recycling Operation (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/wind-turbine-blades-stir-up-trouble-for-milton-freewater-recycling-operation/article_ebdbd09e-52f1-11ec-b182-4f9f67610e4c.html

A Month After ‘Malicious’ Cyberattack, A Small Colorado Utility Still Doesn’t Have All Systems Back Online (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/a-month-after-malicious-cyberattack-a-small-colorado-utility-still-doesn/610983/

Weaker Efficiency Standards for Manufactured Housing Could ‘Threaten Grid Reliability,’ Says California Agency (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/weaker-efficiency-standards-for-manufactured-housing-could-threaten-grid-r/610793/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      California Utility Regulators Move to Avoid Power Outages Following This Year’s Extreme Heat

2.      WA State: Fish Passage, Dam Removal Studied as Seattle City Light Aims to Relicense Three Skagit River Dams

3.      With Coal in the Rearview, Future of Skookumchuck Dam in Question

4.      Colorado Utilities Could Cut Costs 5% by Joining an RTO, PUC Finds, as Western Market Momentum Builds

5.      Despite Authority to Require RTOs, Glick Says FERC Will Encourage Bottom-Up Approach to Creating Power Markets

6.      How Nuclear Power Figures into a Green Energy Future

7.      Alaska: Chair of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Touts Safety of Small Reactors Like the One Planned for Eielson

8.      Planning Is Underway for Project That Will Bring Power to Navajo Nation Residents

9.      Western Area Power Administration: CEO Tracey LeBeau Discusses Efforts to Reduce Wildfire Threat

10.   New Hampshire: One Small Mistake in a Dump Truck Caused Massive Power Outage

11.   California: Electrical Vault Blast Scatters Concrete, Blows Out Windows at North Hollywood Apartment Building

12.   Hydropower in West Is Critical to Grid Resilience, Reliability

13.   Guest Essay: Oregon Senator Should Champion Hydropower

14.   Dams, Rivers & Drive-By Truckers: Songs That Explain the Challenge of Sustainable Energy

15.   Editorial: Don’t Slash Incentives for California Rooftop Solar

16.   Oregon: Wind Turbine Blades Stir Up Trouble for Milton-Freewater Recycling Operation

17.   Weaker Efficiency Standards for Manufactured Housing Could ‘Threaten Grid Reliability,’ Says California Agency

18.   Portland City Council Votes to Fund Local Air Conditioning Unit Grant Program

19.   How Much Does a Strand of Christmas Lights Add to Your Electric Bill?

20.   Power Loss at Southern Oregon Hatchery Means Smaller Salmon, Trout

21.   Hatcheries May Be the Last Best Hope for Endangered Sucker Fish in the Klamath Basin

22.   Melting Arctic Is a Bonanza for the Ocean’s Natural Born Killers

23.   Fixing Septic Systems Is Key to Protecting Puget Sound Shellfish

24.   States Are Funding a Plan to Keep Colorado River Water in Lake Mead. What Will It Do?

25.   Oregon Gov. Brown Wants Offshore Wind Farms, Otters & Heat Pumps to Help Fight Global Warming

26.   Washington Needs to ‘Defeat Climate Change at Its Source,’ Says Gov. Inslee

27.   $44.6 Million In Grants Approved for Washington State Broadband Projects

28.   How States Are Using Pandemic Relief Funds to Boost Broadband Access

29.   How to Solve the Rural-Urban Digital Divide

30.   Decorations Defeat Broadband: Sky Issues Vital Advice for Broadband Users This Month – You’d Be Wise Not to Ignore It

31.   A Month After ‘Malicious’ Cyberattack, A Small Colorado Utility Still Doesn’t Have All Systems Back Online

32.   Twitter Says It Erroneously Suspended Accounts Following Flood of ‘Coordinated & Malicious’ Reports

33.   Why Do So Many Amateur Writers Punctuate Quotes All Wrong?

34.   Report on Seattle Mayor’s Missing Texts Still Hasn’t Shown Up as She Prepares to Exit City Hall

35.   Explainer: Stuck Jet Stream, La Nina Causing Weird Weather

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Fomite /FOE-mite/ Noun – An object (such as a dish, doorknob, or article of clothing) that may be contaminated with bacteria or viruses and serve in their transmission.

The lowly sneeze-guard

Suspected fomite vector

Bane of the buffet

Joel's Horrible Haiku Blog

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      California Utility Regulators Move to Avoid Power Outages Following This Year’s Extreme Heat (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/california-utility-regulators-move-to-avoid-power-outages-following-this-years-extreme-heat/2021/12/03/b2ae3f60-5430-11ec-8769-2f4ecdf7a2ad_story.html

2.      WA State: Fish Passage, Dam Removal Studied as Seattle City Light Aims to Relicense Three Skagit River Dams (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/fish-passage-dam-removal-studied-as-seattle-city-light-aims-to-relicense-three-skagit-river-dams/

3.      With Coal in the Rearview, Future of Skookumchuck Dam in Question (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/with-coal-in-the-rearview-future-of-skookumchuck-dam-in-question,280244

4.      Colorado Utilities Could Cut Costs 5% by Joining an RTO, PUC Finds, as Western Market Momentum Builds (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/colorado-utilities-PUC-rto-report-power-markets/610918/

5.      Despite Authority to Require RTOs, Glick Says FERC Will Encourage Bottom-Up Approach to Creating Power Markets (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/despite-authority-to-require-rtos-glick-says-ferc-will-encourage-bottom-up/610874/

6.      How Nuclear Power Figures into a Green Energy Future (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2021/12/04/1061539850/how-nuclear-power-figures-into-a-green-energy-future

7.      Alaska: Chair of Nuclear Regulatory Commission Touts Safety of Small Reactors Like the One Planned for Eielson (KTOO-TV, Juneau, AK)

https://www.ktoo.org/2021/12/06/chair-of-nuclear-regulatory-commission-touts-safety-of-small-reactors-like-the-one-planned-for-eielson/

8.      Planning Is Underway for Project That Will Bring Power to Navajo Nation Residents (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/planning-underway-project-will-bring-power-navajo-nation-residents

9.      Western Area Power Administration: CEO Tracey LeBeau Discusses Efforts to Reduce Wildfire Threat (American Public Power Association - Audio)

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1452280/9672215

10.   New Hampshire: One Small Mistake in a Dump Truck Caused Massive Power Outage (WFXT-TV, Boston, MA)

https://www.boston25news.com/news/one-small-mistake-dump-truck-caused-massive-power-outage/UTUIEL7TWFDALAJ3XIYKQWU37E/

11.   California: Electrical Vault Blast Scatters Concrete, Blows Out Windows at North Hollywood Apartment Building (KABC-TV, Los Angeles, CA)

https://abc7.com/north-hollywood-explosion-electrical-vault/11294444/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

12.   Hydropower in West Is Critical to Grid Resilience, Reliability (National Hydropower Association)

https://www.hydro.org/powerhouse/article/hydropower-in-west-is-critical-to-grid-resilience-reliability/

13.   Guest Essay: Oregon Senator Should Champion Hydropower (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/10-opinion/529660-423544-vaughn-miller-oregon-senator-should-champion-hydropower

14.   Dams, Rivers & Drive-By Truckers: Songs That Explain the Challenge of Sustainable Energy (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffopperman/2021/12/06/dams-rivers-and-drive-by-truckers-songs-that-explain-the-challenge-of-sustainable-energy/

15.   Editorial: Don’t Slash Incentives for California Rooftop Solar (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-12-06/rooftop-solar-net-metering

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

16.   Oregon: Wind Turbine Blades Stir Up Trouble for Milton-Freewater Recycling Operation (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/wind-turbine-blades-stir-up-trouble-for-milton-freewater-recycling-operation/article_ebdbd09e-52f1-11ec-b182-4f9f67610e4c.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

17.   Weaker Efficiency Standards for Manufactured Housing Could ‘Threaten Grid Reliability,’ Says California Agency (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/weaker-efficiency-standards-for-manufactured-housing-could-threaten-grid-r/610793/

18.   Portland City Council Votes to Fund Local Air Conditioning Unit Grant Program (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/council-votes-ac-unit-program/283-b2952eab-8322-46af-b167-36d1510e7a5d

19.   How Much Does a Strand of Christmas Lights Add to Your Electric Bill? (Nextstar Media)

https://www.8newsnow.com/news/national-news/how-much-does-a-strand-of-christmas-lights-add-to-your-electric-bill/

FISH & WILDLIFE

20.   Power Loss at Southern Oregon Hatchery Means Smaller Salmon, Trout (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/oregon/articles/2021-12-04/power-loss-at-oregon-hatchery-means-smaller-salmon-trout

21.   Hatcheries May Be the Last Best Hope for Endangered Sucker Fish in the Klamath Basin (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/12/06/hatcheries-may-be-the-last-best-hope-for-endangered-suckers-in-the-klamath-basin/

22.   Melting Arctic Is a Bonanza for the Ocean’s Natural Born Killers (NY Times – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wionews.com/world/melting-arctic-is-a-bonanza-for-the-oceans-natural-born-killers-434066

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

23.   Fixing Septic Systems Is Key to Protecting Puget Sound Shellfish (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/environment/2021/12/fixing-septic-systems-key-protecting-puget-sound-shellfish

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

24.   States Are Funding a Plan to Keep Colorado River Water in Lake Mead. What Will It Do? (Nevada Independent)

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/states-are-funding-a-plan-to-keep-colorado-river-water-in-lake-mead-what-will-it-do

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

25.   Oregon Gov. Brown Wants Offshore Wind Farms, Otters & Heat Pumps to Help Fight Global Warming (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/tech/science/climate-change/governor-brown-climate-change/283-ec251ab1-3918-43f3-a30a-af67af369a58

26.   Washington Needs to ‘Defeat Climate Change at Its Source,’ Says Gov. Inslee (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3263247/washington-flooding-climate-change-inslee/

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

27.   $44.6 Million In Grants Approved for Washington State Broadband Projects (Washington State Wire, Olympia, WA)

https://washingtonstatewire.com/44-6-million-in-grants-approved-for-wa-broadband-projects/

28.   How States Are Using Pandemic Relief Funds to Boost Broadband Access (Pew Charitable Trust)

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2021/12/06/how-states-are-using-pandemic-relief-funds-to-boost-broadband-access

29.   How to Solve the Rural-Urban Digital Divide (High Country News)

https://www.hcn.org/articles/technology-how-to-solve-the-rural-urban-digital-divide

30.   Decorations Defeat Broadband: Sky Issues Vital Advice for Broadband Users This Month – You’d Be Wise Not to Ignore It (The Express, UK)

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1531544/Sky-broadband-TV-speeds-christmas-decorations

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

31.   A Month After ‘Malicious’ Cyberattack, A Small Colorado Utility Still Doesn’t Have All Systems Back Online (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/a-month-after-malicious-cyberattack-a-small-colorado-utility-still-doesn/610983/

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

32.   Twitter Says It Erroneously Suspended Accounts Following Flood of ‘Coordinated & Malicious’ Reports (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/12/03/twitter-admits-error-in-account-suspensions/

33.   Why Do So Many Amateur Writers Punctuate Quotes All Wrong? (Medium, Writers’ Blokke)

https://medium.com/writers-blokke/why-do-so-many-amateur-writers-punctuate-quotes-all-wrong-15d27d1dfe6a

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

34.   Report on Seattle Mayor’s Missing Texts Still Hasn’t Shown Up as She Prepares to Exit City Hall (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/report-on-seattle-mayors-missing-texts-still-hasnt-shown-up-as-she-prepares-to-exit-city-hall/

35.   Explainer: Stuck Jet Stream, La Nina Causing Weird Weather (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/news/articles/2021-12-04/explainer-stuck-jet-stream-la-nina-causing-weird-weather

LOUSE IN THE LUGGAGE – DIVERSIONS

300 Giant Cockroaches, Tarantulas, & Scorpions Found in Luggage at Colombian Airport

https://gizmodo.com/300-giant-cockroaches-tarantulas-and-scorpions-found-1848166203

Chinese Rover to Investigate ‘Mysterious Hut’ Spotted on Far Side of Moon

https://gizmodo.com/chinese-rover-to-investigate-mysterious-hut-spotted-o-1848165985

A Mountaineer Who Found a Trove of Rubies, Emeralds, & Sapphires That Belonged to a Passenger Killed in a Plane Crash Gets a Share of the Gems, Reports Say

https://news.yahoo.com/mountaineer-found-trove-rubies-emeralds-162754804.html

Missing Cat Reunited with Texas Family After Six Years

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/12/06/stray-cat-missing-six-years-reunited-family-San-Antonio/2011638826333/

SONG OF THE DAY

Maxine Nightingale – Right Back Where We Started From

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABP0Z3cv7pw