The Energy News Digest for April 25, 2022

Programming Note: The Energy News Digest will be getting sand in its shoes, car, and everywhere else this Wednesday. It will return, gritless, May 2. 

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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

Utility Shutoffs Loom as Energy Prices Soar & Moratoriums End. Help Is Available. (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/24/politics/us-gas-electric-moratoriums-end-liheap/index.html

Washington Council Significantly Restricts Use of Natural Gas Heating in New Commercial Buildings (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/apr/22/washington-council-significantly-restricts-use-of-/

Lots of Broadband Money, But U.S. Expansion Finds Speed Bumps (Associated Press)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/apr/13/lots-of-broadband-money-but-us-expansion-finds-spe/

Canada: Conservation Groups Allege B.C. Hydro Is Not Allocating Enough Funding to Habitat Restoration at Its Dams (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/conservation-groups-allege-bc-hydro-is-not-allocating-enough-funding-to-habitat-restoration-at-its-dams-5277743

Olympic Peninsula Glaciers Expected to Disappear in 50 Years (Associated Press)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/olympic-peninsula-glaciers-expected-to-disappear-in-50-years/article_4a74b3b8-c4a9-11ec-bba7-93f7f5deadee.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Utility Shutoffs Loom as Energy Prices Soar & Moratoriums End. Help Is Available.

2.      Washington Council Significantly Restricts Use of Natural Gas Heating in New Commercial Buildings

3.      WA State: Future Power Demand Looks ‘Insanely Large’ for Grant County

4.      Pacific Power Announces Cost Increase for Washington State Customers

5.      Portland General Electric Offers Price Cuts After Oregon Approves First Income-Qualified Utility Discount

6.      Idaho: Green Light for Project Pele, Defense Department’s Mobile Nuclear Microreactor Demonstration

7.      Snake River Dam Breaching Debate Divides the Pacific Northwest

8.      PacifiCorp Files with FERC to Study Three Pumped Storage Projects

9.      Transmission Line Approved to Bring Canadian Hydropower to New York City

10.   The United States Ended the Winter with the Least Natural Gas in Storage in Three Years

11.   Editorial: Connect Rural Washingtonians Who Lack Broadband Access

12.   News Release: Northwest RiverPartners Urges President Biden to Prioritize Hydropower, Lower Snake River Dams in Effort to Keep Utility Costs & Greenhouse Gases Low

13.   Commentary: Replacing Snake River Dams’ Power Will Take Smart Planning

14.   Editorial: Another Voice on Lower Snake Dams

15.   With Yakima Valley’s Abundant Sunshine, More Homeowners Turning to Solar Energy

16.   Wind Power’s ‘Colossal Market Failure’ Threatens Climate Fight

17.   California: Commercial Fishers Talk Offshore Wind Concerns

18.   British Columbia Company Looks to Mountains North of Lillooet for Future Wind Farms

19.   New Microgrid in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Neighborhood to Power Community Center During Outages

20.   San Jose, California Mayor Again Pushes for Energy Independence with Support of Google Microgrid

21.   New Grid Storage Launchpad Coming to Richland Can Create New Energy Sources from WA to the World

22.   Your Spring Home Maintenance Should Include an Energy Audit

23.   Canada: Conservation Groups Allege B.C. Hydro Is Not Allocating Enough Funding to Habitat Restoration at Its Dams

24.   British Columbia Conservation Group Moves Thousands of Salmon — By Hand — So Fish Can Produce Millions of Eggs

25.   New Fish Passage Measures in the Works at Ice Harbor Dam

26.   California Salmon Are at Risk of Extinction. A Plan to Save Them Stirs Hope & Controversy

27.   Puget Sound Orca Whales Struggle with Inbreeding as Scientists Search for Answers

28.   April Precipitation Boosted Snowpack, But Southwest Washington Fire Season Unclear

29.   Olympic Peninsula Glaciers Expected to Disappear in 50 Years

30.   Lots of Broadband Money, But U.S. Expansion Finds Speed Bumps

31.   Douglas County, Oregon Creates $28 Million Economic Impact with Fiber Each Year

32.   WA State: Hood Canal Communications Awarded $10.1 Million to Work with Mason PUD 1 to Expand Internet Access in Jefferson County

33.   A Quarter of All the Electricity in This County Is Powering Bitcoin Mining

34.   Microsoft Intends to Buy Central Washington Land in Malaga

35.   Washington, Oregon Among Best States in U.S. For Owning an Electric Vehicle: Survey

36.   Hubble Telescope Finds Largest Comet Ever Discovered — It’s Bigger Than Rhode Island

37.   Wisconsin Couple Electrocuted While Using Dangerous Art Method Popular on Social Media

WORD OF THE DAY – A Supergirl Story

Microcosm \MY-kru-cozz-um\ Noun - 1: a little world; especially: the human race or human nature seen as an epitome of the world or the universe 2: a community or other unity that is an epitome of a larger unity

“What’s your favorite microcosm Kal-El?” Chirped Kara Zel-El. “Well, that would have to be Argo City,” Kal-El answered absently, while flipping through an old comic book.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Utility Shutoffs Loom as Energy Prices Soar & Moratoriums End. Help Is Available. (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/24/politics/us-gas-electric-moratoriums-end-liheap/index.html

2.      Washington Council Significantly Restricts Use of Natural Gas Heating in New Commercial Buildings (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/apr/22/washington-council-significantly-restricts-use-of-/

3.      WA State: Future Power Demand Looks ‘Insanely Large’ for Grant County (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2022/apr/21/future-power-demand-looks-insanely-large-grant-co/

4.      Pacific Power Announces Cost Increase for Washington State Customers (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Yakima & Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/pacific-power-announces-cost-increase-for-washington-customers/article_cfbe6a70-c295-11ec-a791-8f599ef60f4c.html

5.      Portland General Electric Offers Price Cuts After Oregon Approves First Income-Qualified Utility Discount (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/news/pge-offers-price-cuts-after-oregon-approves-first-income-qualified-utility-discount/

6.      Idaho: Green Light for Project Pele, Defense Department’s Mobile Nuclear Microreactor Demonstration (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/green-light-for-project-pele-defense-departments-mobile-nuclear-microreactor-demonstration/

7.      Snake River Dam Breaching Debate Divides the Pacific Northwest (Agri-Pulse)

https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/17517-pacific-northwest-divided-over-snake-river-dam-breaching-debate

8.      PacifiCorp Files with FERC to Study Three Pumped Storage Projects (Hydro Review)

https://www.hydroreview.com/regulation-and-policy/pacificorp-files-with-ferc-to-study-three-pumped-storage-projects/

9.      Transmission Line Approved to Bring Canadian Hydropower to New York City (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/transmission-line-approved-to-bring-canadian-hydropower-to-new-york-city/2022/04/15/c627ec7a-bca5-11ec-b7ee-6fc790764b5a_story.html

10.   The United States Ended the Winter with the Least Natural Gas in Storage in Three Years (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=52058&utm_medium=email

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

11.   Editorial: Connect Rural Washingtonians Who Lack Broadband Access (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/connect-washingtonians-who-lack-broadband-access/

12.   News Release: Northwest RiverPartners Urges President Biden to Prioritize Hydropower, Lower Snake River Dams in Effort to Keep Utility Costs & Greenhouse Gases Low (Northwest RiverPartners)

https://nwriverpartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-NWRP-Biden-Visit-PressStatement.pdf

13.   Commentary: Replacing Snake River Dams’ Power Will Take Smart Planning (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/commentary-replacing-dams-power-will-take-smart-planning/article_33c56e11-5ec6-572f-98ed-1d1eff5d6900.html

14.   Editorial: Another Voice on Lower Snake Dams (Baker City Herald, OR)

https://www.bakercityherald.com/another-voice-on-lower-snake-dams/article_0c71f658-c1ab-11ec-9f44-370f49ffab79.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

15.   With Yakima Valley’s Abundant Sunshine, More Homeowners Turning to Solar Energy (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/with-yakima-valleys-abundant-sunshine-more-homeowners-turning-to-solar-energy/article_3e311af7-0cde-5539-95c6-63b7b9b918b6.html

16.   Wind Power’s ‘Colossal Market Failure’ Threatens Climate Fight (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-25/wind-power-s-colossal-market-failure-threatens-climate-fight

17.   California: Commercial Fishers Talk Offshore Wind Concerns (The News-Times, San Luis Obispo, CA)

https://www.newtimesslo.com/sanluisobispo/commercial-fishers-talk-offshore-wind-concerns/Content?oid=12399965

18.   British Columbia Company Looks to Mountains North of Lillooet for Future Wind Farms (Info.CA)

https://infotel.ca/newsitem/bc-company-looks-to-mountains-north-of-lillooet-for-future-wind-farms/it90239

19.   New Microgrid in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Neighborhood to Power Community Center During Outages (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-microgrid-earth-day/281-e9516848-6e78-4305-83c0-40edcc58b9c5

20.   San Jose, California Mayor Again Pushes for Energy Independence with Support of Google Microgrid (Microgrid Knowledge)

https://microgridknowledge.com/googel-microgrid-san-jose/

21.   New Grid Storage Launchpad Coming to Richland Can Create New Energy Sources from WA to the World (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Yakima & Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/tricities/new-grid-storage-launchpad-coming-to-richland-can-create-new-energy-sources-from-wa-to/article_b8897db6-c1d4-11ec-b59b-53551267e5e5.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

22.   Your Spring Home Maintenance Should Include an Energy Audit (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/04/21/your-spring-home-maintenance-should-include-an-energy-audit/

FISH & WILDLIFE

23.   Canada: Conservation Groups Allege B.C. Hydro Is Not Allocating Enough Funding to Habitat Restoration at Its Dams (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/conservation-groups-allege-bc-hydro-is-not-allocating-enough-funding-to-habitat-restoration-at-its-dams-5277743

24.   British Columbia Conservation Group Moves Thousands of Salmon — By Hand — So Fish Can Produce Millions of Eggs (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-conservation-group-moves-salmon-by-hand-1.6424714

25.   New Fish Passage Measures in the Works at Ice Harbor Dam (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

https://keprtv.com/news/local/new-fish-passage-measures-in-the-works-at-ice-harbor-dam

26.   California Salmon Are at Risk of Extinction. A Plan to Save Them Stirs Hope & Controversy (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/projects/can-endangered-california-chinook-salmon-be-saved-from-extinction/

27.   Puget Sound Orca Whales Struggle with Inbreeding as Scientists Search for Answers (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3445136/puget-sound-orca-whales-inbreeding-scientists-search-answers/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

28.   April Precipitation Boosted Snowpack, But Southwest Washington Fire Season Unclear (Longview Daily News, WA)

https://tdn.com/news/local/april-precipitation-boosted-snowpack-but-southwest-washington-fire-season-unclear/article_a41ea0dd-5195-522a-96f8-e741142305ea.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

29.   Olympic Peninsula Glaciers Expected to Disappear in 50 Years (Associated Press)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/olympic-peninsula-glaciers-expected-to-disappear-in-50-years/article_4a74b3b8-c4a9-11ec-bba7-93f7f5deadee.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

30.   Lots of Broadband Money, But U.S. Expansion Finds Speed Bumps (Associated Press)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/apr/13/lots-of-broadband-money-but-us-expansion-finds-spe/

31.   Douglas County, Oregon Creates $28 Million Economic Impact with Fiber Each Year (Fiber Broadband Association)

https://www.fiberbroadband.org/blog/douglas-county,-oregon-creates-$28m-economic-impact-with-fiber-each-year

32.   WA State: Hood Canal Communications Awarded $10.1 Million to Work with Mason PUD 1 to Expand Internet Access in Jefferson County (Mason Web TV, Shelton, WA)

https://masonwebtv.com/archives/48018

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

33.   A Quarter of All the Electricity in This County Is Powering Bitcoin Mining (KPVI-TV, Pocatello, ID)

https://www.kpvi.com/interests/a-quarter-of-all-the-electricity-in-this-county-is-powering-bitcoin-mining/video_0f7c755c-a6a9-50b1-9368-6a76339dc486.html

34.   Microsoft Intends to Buy Central Washington Land in Malaga (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/microsoft-intends-to-buy-land-in-malaga/article_25ac6c86-c285-11ec-a466-970c6490aba1.html

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

35.   Washington, Oregon Among Best States in U.S. For Owning an Electric Vehicle: Survey (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

https://katu.com/news/local/washington-oregon-among-best-states-in-us-for-owning-an-electric-vehicle-survey

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

36.   Hubble Telescope Finds Largest Comet Ever Discovered — It’s Bigger Than Rhode Island (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/comet-largest-hubble-space-telescope-nasa/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

37.   Wisconsin Couple Electrocuted While Using Dangerous Art Method Popular on Social Media (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiktok-electroute-tanya-rodriguez-james-carolfi-art-fractal-burning-wisconsin/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

First ‘Plane Swap’ Stunt Unsuccessful as Plane Spirals Out of Control in Arizona; FAA Investigating

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/04/24/plane-swap-stunt-unsuccessful-arizona/7434361001/

Woman Rescued After Falling into Olympic National Forest Toilet Trying to Get Phone

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/woman-rescued-falling-toilet-trying-get-phone-rcna25769

Dumpster Find Leads to Rediscovery of Artist Francis Hines

https://apnews.com/article/arts-and-entertainment-new-york-city-painting-connecticut-64b200190d15f8e15edd435c4fa3a424

Brains & Brawn Helped Crows & Ravens Take Over the World

https://phys.org/news/2022-04-brains-brawn-crows-ravens-world.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Tom Petty – Free Fallin’

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

The Energy News Digest for April 11, 2022

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

Snow Falls on Much of the Region, Creating School Closures & Delays, Traffic Accidents & Power Outages (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/04/11/snow-falls-on-much-of-the-region-creating-school-closures-and-delays-traffic-accidents-and-power-outages/

Idaho Power Faces $1 Million Fine After Reporting Violations (Associated Press)

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2022/04/idaho-power-faces-1-million-fine-after-reporting-violations/

Montana: Colstrip Operator Talen Energy Reportedly Preparing for Bankruptcy (Billings Gazette, MT)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/colstrip-operator-talen-energy-reportedly-preparing-for-bankruptcy/article_38f4706e-50b4-5675-a173-b307d14e7114.html

California: Coastal Commission Votes to Move Forward with Humboldt Offshore Wind Exploration (North Coast Journal, Eureka, CA)

https://www.northcoastjournal.com/NewsBlog/archives/2022/04/07/coastal-commission-votes-to-move-forward-with-humboldt-offshore-wind-exploration

An Epic Forecast for Bristol Bay Salmon Has Industry Leaders Worried It Will Be Too Much to Handle (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2022/04/06/an-epic-forecast-for-bristol-bay-salmon-has-industry-leaders-worried-it-will-be-too-much-to-handle/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Idaho Power Faces $1 Million Fine After Reporting Violations

2.      Montana: Colstrip Operator Talen Energy Reportedly Preparing for Bankruptcy

3.      Arizona: A Power Plant’s Expansion Plan Galls Environmentalists — And Sows Dread in a Black Enclave Next Door

4.      Utah: Logan City Considers Outsourcing Coal to Meet Power Demands

5.      Portland General Electric Moves to Condemn Property at Willamette Falls, Intensifying Tribal Dispute

6.      WA State Funds Research on Enloe Dam Removal

7.      WA State: Chelan PUD Plans for Growth in Wenatchee, Chelan, Leavenworth

8.      Oregon: La Pine Man Delivering Concrete Blocks Electrocuted When Boom Hits Power Lines

9.      U.S. Residential Electricity Expenditures Increased by $5 Per Month in 2021

10.   These Charts Show Where Electricity Costs Are Rising the Most

11.   U.S. Nuclear Electricity Generation Continues to Decline as More Reactors Retire

12.   Here Is Joe Biden’s Plan to Build a 21st-Century Power Grid

13.   Power Restored to 1.3 Million in Puerto Rico Amid Blackout

14.   Ukraine Nuclear Power Operator Says All Russian Forces Have Left Chernobyl

15.   Bonneville Power Administration Launches New Customer Portal Website

16.   News Release: Tapping Hydropower’s Potential: New Hydropower Prize Challenges Innovators to Improve Grid Reliability & Resiliency

17.   Guest Essay: Three Key Initiatives in Oregon’s Fight Against Climate Change

18.   Editorial: Override Inslee’s Snub of Bipartisanship & Rural WA State

19.   Earmarks – A New Source of Broadband Funding?

20.   California: Coastal Commission Votes to Move Forward with Humboldt Offshore Wind Exploration

21.   Seattle Developer Pushes for WA’s First Floating Offshore Wind Farm Off Olympic Peninsula

22.   Special Report: U.S. Solar Expansion Stalled by Rural Land-Use Protests

23.   Alaska: Assembly Considers Tax Exemption for Power Producers

24.   ORPC Partnering with Matanuska-Susitna Borough to Trial RivGen® Power System in Upper Cook Inlet

25.   WA State: Here’s How Affordable Housing & Affordable Solar Power Are Coming Together in Olympia

26.   Report By NERC & WECC Says Reduction of Solar Resources Could Cause Reliability Risks

27.   WA State: Snohomish PUD to Install High-Tech New Power Meters in 2023

28.   California Injects $40 Million Into Heat Pump Water Heater Effort Amid Broader Push to Decarbonize Buildings

29.   How Much Can You Really Save on Electricity by Unplugging Appliances?

30.   An Epic Forecast for Bristol Bay Salmon Has Industry Leaders Worried It Will Be Too Much to Handle

31.   $3 Million Will Help Tribes Study Salmon Reintroduction in the Upper Columbia Basin

32.   Fearing a Threat to Shellfish Industry, Washington Legislature Provides Funds for Kelp, Eelgrass Protection

33.   Latest UN Climate Change Report Shines New Light on Well-Documented Urban Mitigation Strategies

34.   Video: Crypto Industry Helps Write & Pass Its Own Agenda in State Capitols

35.   Microsoft’s CEO Warns of the Impact of All Those Late-Night Emails

36.   Elon Musk Isn’t Joining Twitter’s Board of Directors After All

37.   Snow Falls on Much of the Region, Creating School Closures & Delays, Traffic Accidents & Power Outages

38.   Workers Are Suing Their Bosses to Get Their Work-From-Home Costs Reimbursed

39.   Oregon’s Senators, Jeff Merkley & Ron Wyden, Score Federal Funding for 149 Home-State Projects, More Than All But 1 Other Senator

WORD OF THE DAY

Spelunking \spuh-LUNK-king\ Noun – The hobby or practice of exploring caves.

Howdy folks! Let’s go spelunking in Cave Junction Oregon!

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Idaho Power Faces $1 Million Fine After Reporting Violations (Associated Press)

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2022/04/idaho-power-faces-1-million-fine-after-reporting-violations/

2.      Montana: Colstrip Operator Talen Energy Reportedly Preparing for Bankruptcy (Billings Gazette, MT)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/colstrip-operator-talen-energy-reportedly-preparing-for-bankruptcy/article_38f4706e-50b4-5675-a173-b307d14e7114.html

3.      Arizona: A Power Plant’s Expansion Plan Galls Environmentalists — And Sows Dread in a Black Enclave Next Door (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/arizona-power-plant-expansion-rcna23520

4.      Utah: Logan City Considers Outsourcing Coal to Meet Power Demands (Utah Public Radio)

https://www.upr.org/utah-news/2022-04-08/logan-city-considers-outsourcing-coal-to-meet-power-demands

5.      Portland General Electric Moves to Condemn Property at Willamette Falls, Intensifying Tribal Dispute (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/04/08/portland-general-electric-moves-to-condemn-property-at-willamette-falls-intensifying-tribal-dispute/

6.      WA State Funds Research on Enloe Dam Removal (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)

https://methowvalleynews.com/2022/04/06/state-funds-research-on-enloe-dam-removal/

7.      WA State: Chelan PUD Plans for Growth in Wenatchee, Chelan, Leavenworth (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/business/chelan-county-pud-plans-for-growth-in-wenatchee-chelan-leavenworth/article_92558eda-b53d-11ec-b184-fffebc4f2af5.html

8.      Oregon: La Pine Man Delivering Concrete Blocks Electrocuted When Boom Hits Power Lines (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

https://ktvz.com/news/accidents-crashes/2022/04/08/la-pine-man-electrocuted-while-delivering-concrete-blocks/

9.      U.S. Residential Electricity Expenditures Increased by $5 Per Month in 2021 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=51958

10.   These Charts Show Where Electricity Costs Are Rising the Most (NASDAQ)

https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/these-charts-show-where-electricity-costs-are-rising-the-most

11.   U.S. Nuclear Electricity Generation Continues to Decline as More Reactors Retire (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=51978

12.   Here Is Joe Biden’s Plan to Build a 21st-Century Power Grid (Energy Monitor)

https://www.energymonitor.ai/tech/networks-grids/here-is-joe-bidens-plan-to-build-a-21st-century-power-grid

13.   Power Restored to 1.3 Million in Puerto Rico Amid Blackout (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/international/3263251-power-restored-to-1-3m-in-puerto-rico-amid-blackout/

14.   Ukraine Nuclear Power Operator Says All Russian Forces Have Left Chernobyl (Radio Free Europe)

https://www.rferl.org/a/chernobyl-russian-forces-leave/31780044.html

15.   Bonneville Power Administration Launches New Customer Portal Website (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220410-bpa-launches-new-customer-website

16.   News Release: Tapping Hydropower’s Potential: New Hydropower Prize Challenges Innovators to Improve Grid Reliability & Resiliency (National Renewable Energy Lab)

https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2022/hydropower-operations-optimization-prize.html

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

17.   Guest Essay: Three Key Initiatives in Oregon’s Fight Against Climate Change (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2022/04/opinion-three-key-initiatives-in-oregons-fight-against-climate-change.html

18.   Editorial: Override Inslee’s Snub of Bipartisanship & Rural WA State (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/override-inslees-snub-of-bipartisanship-and-rural-wa/

19.   Earmarks – A New Source of Broadband Funding? (Pots & Pans)

https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2022/04/07/earmarks-a-new-source-of-broadband-funding/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

20.   California: Coastal Commission Votes to Move Forward with Humboldt Offshore Wind Exploration (North Coast Journal, Eureka, CA)

https://www.northcoastjournal.com/NewsBlog/archives/2022/04/07/coastal-commission-votes-to-move-forward-with-humboldt-offshore-wind-exploration

Offshore Wind Farm Off Olympic Peninsula (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/envirooff-olympic-peninsula/

 nment/seattle-developer-pushes-for-was-first-floating-offshore-wind-farm-

22.   Special Report: U.S. Solar Expansion Stalled by Rural Land-Use Protests (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-solar-expansion-stalled-by-rural-land-use-protests-2022-04-07/

23.   Alaska: Assembly Considers Tax Exemption for Power Producers (KDLL Radio, Kenai, AK)

https://www.kdll.org/local-news/2022-04-08/assembly-floats-tax-exemption-for-power-producers

24.   ORPC Partnering with Matanuska-Susitna Borough to Trial RivGen® Power System in Upper Cook Inlet (Ocean Renewable Power Company)

https://www.orpc.co/media/news/orpc-partnering-with-matanuska-susitna-borough-to-trial-rivgen-power-system-in-upper-cook-inlet

25.   WA State: Here’s How Affordable Housing & Affordable Solar Power Are Coming Together in Olympia (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article260150895.html

26.   Report By NERC & WECC Says Reduction of Solar Resources Could Cause Reliability Risks (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/34552-report-by-nerc-and-wecc-says-reduction-of-solar-resources-could-cause-reliability-risks/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

27.   WA State: Snohomish PUD to Install High-Tech New Power Meters in 2023 (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.heraldnet.com/life/snohomish-pud-to-install-high-tech-new-power-meters-in-2023/

28.   California Injects $40 Million Into Heat Pump Water Heater Effort Amid Broader Push to Decarbonize Buildings (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/california-injects-40m-into-heat-pump-water-heater-effort-amid-broader-pus/621869/

29.   How Much Can You Really Save on Electricity by Unplugging Appliances? (C|Net)

https://www.cnet.com/home/energy-and-utilities/how-much-can-you-really-save-on-electricity-by-unplugging-appliances/

FISH & WILDLIFE

30.   An Epic Forecast for Bristol Bay Salmon Has Industry Leaders Worried It Will Be Too Much to Handle (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2022/04/06/an-epic-forecast-for-bristol-bay-salmon-has-industry-leaders-worried-it-will-be-too-much-to-handle/

31.   $3 Million Will Help Tribes Study Salmon Reintroduction in the Upper Columbia Basin (Northwest News Network)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/2022-04-08/3-million-will-help-tribes-study-salmon-reintroduction-in-the-upper-columbia-basin

32.   Fearing a Threat to Shellfish Industry, Washington Legislature Provides Funds for Kelp, Eelgrass Protection (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/apr/11/fearing-a-threat-to-shellfish-industry-washington-/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

33.   Latest UN Climate Change Report Shines New Light on Well-Documented Urban Mitigation Strategies (Utility Dive)

https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/ipcc-climate-mitigation-report-cities-transport-buildings/621543/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

34.   Video: Crypto Industry Helps Write & Pass Its Own Agenda in State Capitols (YouTube)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo-k-3P4Tlc

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

35.   Microsoft’s CEO Warns of the Impact of All Those Late-Night Emails (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-07/microsoft-ceo-warns-of-the-impact-of-all-those-late-night-emails

36.   Elon Musk Isn’t Joining Twitter’s Board of Directors After All (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-board-directors-join

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

37.   Snow Falls on Much of the Region, Creating School Closures & Delays, Traffic Accidents & Power Outages (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/04/11/snow-falls-on-much-of-the-region-creating-school-closures-and-delays-traffic-accidents-and-power-outages/

38.   Workers Are Suing Their Bosses to Get Their Work-From-Home Costs Reimbursed (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-04-07/covid-work-from-home-lawsuits-pandemic-business-expenses-litigation

39.   Oregon’s Senators, Jeff Merkley & Ron Wyden, Score Federal Funding for 149 Home-State Projects, More Than All But 1 Other Senator (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2022/04/oregons-senators-jeff-merkley-and-ron-wyden-score-federal-funding-for-149-home-state-projects-more-than-all-but-1-other-senator.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Comic Helvetic, an Unholy Combo of Comic Sans & Helvetica

https://kottke.org/22/04/comic-helvetic-comic-sans-and-helvetica

Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride Is Back This Summer

https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2022/04/portlands-world-naked-bike-ride-is-back-this-summer.html

Grays Harbor Designated as a ‘Sasquatch Protection & Refuge Area’

https://www.kxro.com/grays-harbor-designated-as-a-sasquatch-protection-and-refuge-area/

National Pet Day Started in 2006 to Celebrate Animals, Encourage Adoption

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/04/11/National-Pet-Day-started-2006/3851649692750/

SONG OF THE DAY

Cat Stevens – Wild World

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBA1jocMvnc