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.
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
Gov. Inslee Guts Legislation to Look at How Wind, Solar
Projects Would Change Eastern Washington (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
One Big Detail Could Derail the Pacific Northwest’s
Clean-Energy Goals (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/25/one-big-detail-could-derail-northwests-clean-energ/
High Natural Gas Prices Persist for Montana Homeowners
(Billings Gazette, MT)
Lewis River Fish Passages Back on Track in New Plan from
PacifiCorp (Longview Daily News, WA)
California’s Snowpack Is ‘Roasting in the Dry & Sunny
Conditions’ (San Francisco Chronicle, CA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Snowpack-melting-in-heat-wave-17028307.php
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
High Natural Gas Prices Persist for Montana
Homeowners
2.
FERC Approves BPA’s 2022 Power &
Transmission Rates
3.
House Committee Investigates Shut-Off Rates for
Dominion, DTE, Duke, Exelon, Nextera, & Southern
4.
Cut ‘Unjust’ Electricity Standing Charges, UK
Regulator Urged
5.
California Issued Wildfire Safety Certifications
to Utilities Despite ‘Serious Deficiencies’: Audit
6.
California: Balloons Blamed for Santa Clara
Power Outage
7.
California: Over 24,000 Residents without Power
Because of a Squirrel
8.
Come Hail or High Water, Transmission’s
Construction Crews Persevere
9.
Guest Essay: Hydropower Provides Many Benefits
in Changing Energy Environment
10.
Guest Essay: To Recover Salmon Populations, We
Need to Think Bigger
11.
Guest Opinion: Lower Snake River Dam Removal Has
Two Sides
12.
Gov. Inslee Guts Legislation to Look at How Wind,
Solar Projects Would Change Eastern Washington
13.
One Big Detail Could Derail the Pacific
Northwest’s Clean-Energy Goals
14.
Misinformation Is Derailing Renewable Energy
Projects Across the United States
15.
Frustrated with Utilities, Some Are Leaving the
Grid
16.
WA Gov. Jay Inslee Has Solar Panels Installed at
His Home on Bainbridge Island
17.
Once The Epicenter of the Oilpatch, Texas Now
Humming with Wind & Solar Power
18.
Bountiful Wind, Sun Boost German Renewable Power
This Year
19.
U.S. Energy Dept. Pushes Heat Pumps to Reduce
Greenhouse Emissions
20.
Lewis River Fish Passages Back on Track in New
Plan from PacifiCorp
21.
Fishing Seasons on Clearwater, Salmon, &
Snake Rivers Begin in Less Than a Month
22.
Holding Out Hope on the Upper Columbia River
23.
New Orca Listening Post Installed in Puget Sound
24.
California’s Snowpack Is ‘Roasting in the Dry
& Sunny Conditions’
25.
Race to the Bottom: Draining Oregon’s Summer
Lake
26.
Some Cities Have Outlawed New Natural Gas
Hookups – There’s No Nationwide Ban
27.
Huge Ice Shelf Collapses Amid Antarctic Heat
Wave
28.
Alaska Internet ‘Gold Rush’: Billions Could Be
Headed to Rural Communities to Close the Digital Divide
29.
Should States Fund Municipal Broadband &
Cooperatives?
30.
Mark Vasconi Appointed to Lead Washington State
Broadband Office
31.
WA State: Chelan PUD Commissioners Defer Higher
Rates for Five Crypto Customers — For Two Months
32.
WA State: An Electric Vehicle Future Is on the
Horizon – Here’s How It Could Affect Spokane
33.
Three Ways REI Shapes Its Co-op Story
34.
Move Ahead Washington Plan Takes a Completely
new Approach to Transportation in Washington
35.
Supreme Court Agrees to Review California Law on
Pork Sales
36. The New National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles Glows with Nostalgia
WORD OF THE DAY
Recurring \rih-KURR-ring\ Verb – 1: To happen, come up, or show up again or repeatedly 2: to return to one’s attention or memory 3: to return in thought or discourse.
Willie the wildebeest awoke with a start. A recurring dream that had haunted his dark nights had returned. In his nocturnal wanderings, he was transformed into a humanoid biped, wandering aimlessly in packs of hundreds through concrete jungles…going hither and thither…not knowing the destination, or the reason for his travels. “The horror, the horror,” he muttered.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
High Natural Gas Prices Persist for Montana Homeowners
(Billings Gazette, MT)
2.
FERC Approves BPA’s 2022 Power &
Transmission Rates (RTO Insider – Subscription)
https://www.rtoinsider.com/articles/29843-ferc-approves-bpas-2022-power-and-transmission-rates
3.
House Committee Investigates Shut-Off Rates for Dominion,
DTE, Duke, Exelon, Nextera, & Southern (Utility Dive)
4.
Cut ‘Unjust’ Electricity Standing Charges, UK Regulator
Urged (The Guardian, UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2022/mar/28/electricity-standing-charges-uk-energy-suppliers
5.
California Issued Wildfire Safety Certifications
to Utilities Despite ‘Serious Deficiencies’: Audit (Christian Science Monitor)
6.
California: Balloons Blamed for Santa Clara
Power Outage (KNTV-TV, San Jose, CA)
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/balloons-blamed-for-santa-clara-power-outage/2848028/
7.
California: Over 24,000 Residents without Power
Because of a Squirrel (CBS News)
https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/over-24000-residents-without-power-because-of-a-squirrel/
8.
Come Hail or High Water, Transmission’s Construction
Crews Persevere (Bonneville Power Administration)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
9.
Guest Essay: Hydropower Provides Many Benefits in
Changing Energy Environment (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)
10.
Guest Essay: To Recover Salmon Populations, We
Need to Think Bigger (Portland Business Journal, OR – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2022/03/25/kurt-miller-oped.html
11.
Guest Opinion: Lower Snake River Dam Removal Has
Two Sides (The Orcasian, Eastsound, WA)
https://theorcasonian.com/guest-opinion-lower-snake-river-dam-removal-has-two-sides/
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
12.
Gov. Inslee Guts Legislation to Look at How
Wind, Solar Projects Would Change Eastern Washington (The Chronicle, Centralia,
WA)
13.
One Big Detail Could Derail the Pacific Northwest’s
Clean-Energy Goals (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/25/one-big-detail-could-derail-northwests-clean-energ/
14.
Misinformation Is Derailing Renewable Energy
Projects Across the United States (National Public Radio)
15.
Frustrated with Utilities, Some Are Leaving the
Grid (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
16.
WA Gov. Jay Inslee Has Solar Panels Installed at
His Home on Bainbridge Island (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA – Paywall Advisory)
17.
Once The Epicenter of the Oilpatch, Texas Now
Humming with Wind & Solar Power (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bakx-texas-wind-solar-1.6390107?cmp=rss
18.
Bountiful Wind, Sun Boost German Renewable Power
This Year (Associated Press)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
19.
U.S. Energy Dept. Pushes Heat Pumps to Reduce
Greenhouse Emissions (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/03/28/heat-pumps-energy/
FISH & WILDLIFE
20.
Lewis River Fish Passages Back on Track in New
Plan from PacifiCorp (Longview Daily News, WA)
21.
Fishing Seasons on Clearwater, Salmon, & Snake
Rivers Begin in Less Than a Month (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/27/seasons-on-clearwater-salmon-and-snake-rivers-begi/
22.
Holding Out Hope on the Upper Columbia River (Yahoo!
News)
https://news.yahoo.com/holding-hope-upper-columbia-122100214.html
23.
New Orca Listening Post Installed in Puget Sound
(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2022/03/26/new-orca-listening-post-installed-in-puget-sound/
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
24.
California’s Snowpack Is ‘Roasting in the Dry &
Sunny Conditions’ (San Francisco Chronicle, CA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Snowpack-melting-in-heat-wave-17028307.php
25.
Race to the Bottom: Draining Oregon’s Summer
Lake (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2022/03/28/race-to-the-bottom-draining-summer-lake/
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
26.
Some Cities Have Outlawed New Natural Gas
Hookups – There’s No Nationwide Ban (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
27.
Huge Ice Shelf Collapses Amid Antarctic Heat
Wave (Courthouse News Service)
https://www.courthousenews.com/huge-ice-shelf-collapses-amid-antarctic-heat-wave/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
28.
Alaska Internet ‘Gold Rush’: Billions Could Be
Headed to Rural Communities to Close the Digital Divide (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
29.
Should States Fund Municipal Broadband &
Cooperatives? (Governing)
https://www.governing.com/now/should-states-fund-municipal-broadband-and-cooperatives
30.
Mark Vasconi Appointed to Lead Washington State
Broadband Office (Washington State Dept. of Commerce)
https://www.commerce.wa.gov/news/mark-vasconi-appointed-to-lead-washington-state-broadband-office/
THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
31.
WA State: Chelan PUD Commissioners Defer Higher
Rates for Five Crypto Customers — For Two Months (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
32.
WA State: An Electric Vehicle Future Is on the Horizon
– Here’s How It Could Affect Spokane (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/mar/28/an-electric-vehicle-future-is-on-the-horizon-heres/
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
33.
Three Ways REI Shapes Its Co-op Story (Pioneer
Utility Resources)
https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/three-ways-rei-shapes-its-co-op-story/
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
34.
Move Ahead Washington Plan Takes a Completely
new Approach to Transportation in Washington (The Daily Fly)
35.
Supreme Court Agrees to Review California Law on
Pork Sales (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-california-pork-sales-31d24e59608b7cb517918325a1977d31
36.
The New National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles Glows
with Nostalgia (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Supersized Goldfish Could Become Superinvaders
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/supersized-goldfish-could-become-superinvaders/
‘CODA’, DeBose, Campion Big Winners on Dramatic Oscars Night
All-Blue-Blood Final Four: Only Elite Programs Left After
Upset-Laden NCAA Tournament
Rare Copy of First Marvel Comic Sells for $2.4 Million
SONG OF THE DAY
Jerry Goldsmith – Hoosiers (Main Theme, Soundtrack)
