The Energy News Digest for November 30, 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.

HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Possible Rail Strike Could Send Shockwaves Through Energy Industry (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3755262-possible-rail-strike-could-send-shockwaves-through-energy-industry/

California: Gas-Fired Plant in Fellows Wins Initial OK to Boost Power Generation (Bakersfield Californian, CA)

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/gas-fired-plant-in-fellows-wins-initial-ok-to-boost-power-generation/article_a0b8cbb0-704d-11ed-962d-83daf067c5b4.html

Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps Will Be Required for All New Homes in Washington (Popular Science)

https://www.popsci.com/environment/heat-pumps-washington-state/

U.S. Awards Millions to Move Tribes, Including the Quinault, Threatened by Climate Change (Seattle Times, Wa – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/u-s-awards-millions-to-move-tribes-including-quinaults-threatened-by-climate-change/

Competitors Chip Away at Tesla’s U.S. Electric Vehicle Share (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-electric-vehicles-climate-and-environment-9e6f2f773a5ed00f95debc87b15d17d1

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Possible Rail Strike Could Send Shockwaves Through Energy Industry

2.      California: Gas-Fired Plant in Fellows Wins Initial OK to Boost Power Generation

3.      Oregon: Eugene Officials Hear Feedback About Electric-Only Infrastructure Proposal for New Homes

4.      British Columbia: Despite Snowstorm, Continued Dry Conditions Forcing BC Hydro To Reduce Campbell River Flows

5.      NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor Design Draft Application Has Several ‘Significant’ Issues, NRC Staff Says

6.      GOP Releases ‘Power Washington’ Energy Plan for State’s 2023 Legislative Session

7.      New Mexico Court Denies Challenge of Utility Regulatory Reforms

8.      Republican States Take Drastic Measure in Latest Salvo Against Environmental, Social & Governance Movement

9.      APPA Approves Six New Projects for Grant Funding

10.   Commentary: Maine Should Welcome Clean, Reliable, Affordable Hydropower

11.   WA State: Hearing Postponed for Yakima County Solar Projects

12.   Delays Slow Clean Energy Installations by 55 Percent in Second Quarter

13.   California: Kern County Attracts Another ‘Green Hydrogen’ Energy Project

14.   Tomatoes & Solar Panels Could Go Well Together

15.   DOE to Test Rapidly Deployable, Portable Wind Turbines for Military Use, Disaster Relief

16.   Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps Will Be Required for All New Homes in Washington

17.   WA State: Douglas PUD Enters Agreement on Salmon Transfer with Colville Tribes

18.   California Cities Brace for Water Cuts and a Fourth Year of Drought

19.   U.S. Awards Millions to Move Tribes, Including the Quinault, Threatened by Climate Change

20.   Elon Musk’s Satellite Internet Is Slowing Down, Again

21.   Alexa, Is the Voice-Assistant Industry Doomed?

22.   Competitors Chip Away at Tesla’s U.S. Electric Vehicle Share

23.   Could Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Become Targets?

24.   Twitter Data Leak Exposes Over 5.4 Million Accounts

25.   Rain, High Wind, Pummel Portland Wednesday; Snow Possible Overnight

26.   Wintry Weather Continues in Seattle Area, with Wet Snow, Rain on the Way

27.   Winter Storm Warning in Place Starting Early Wednesday for Spokane, Coeur d’Alene

28.   Drought Is Killing Christmas Trees Across the U.S.

WORD OF THE DAY

Afflatus \ah-FLAYT-tuss\ Noun – A divine imparting of knowledge or power.

Wilbur had no experience with competitive fire-house chili contests. His grand champion award perplexed the grizzled culinary judges. Since the judges could find no evidence of cheating, Will’s unexpected knowledge about the skill could only be attributed to afflatus. As an aside, the judges agreed that the flatus quotient was “strong with this one.”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Possible Rail Strike Could Send Shockwaves Through Energy Industry (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3755262-possible-rail-strike-could-send-shockwaves-through-energy-industry/

2.      California: Gas-Fired Plant in Fellows Wins Initial OK to Boost Power Generation (Bakersfield Californian, CA)

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/gas-fired-plant-in-fellows-wins-initial-ok-to-boost-power-generation/article_a0b8cbb0-704d-11ed-962d-83daf067c5b4.html

3.      Oregon: Eugene Officials Hear Feedback About Electric-Only Infrastructure Proposal for New Homes (Eugene Register-Guard, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.registerguard.com/story/news/2022/11/24/eugene-oregon-fossil-free-natural-gas-electric-only-new-homes-ordinance-public-hearing/69675215007/

4.      British Columbia: Despite Snowstorm, Continued Dry Conditions Forcing BC Hydro To Reduce Campbell River Flows (Campbell River Mirror, BC)

https://www.campbellrivermirror.com/news/despite-snowstorm-continued-dry-conditions-forcing-bc-hydro-to-reduce-campbell-river-flows/

5.      NuScale’s Small Modular Reactor Design Draft Application Has Several ‘Significant’ Issues, NRC Staff Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nrc-nuscale-smr-small-modular-application-utah-uamps/637456/

6.      GOP Releases ‘Power Washington’ Energy Plan for State’s 2023 Legislative Session (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/gop-releases-power-washington-energy-plan-for-2023-legislative-session/article_6588671c-701b-11ed-955b-efa1b6809491.html

7.      New Mexico Court Denies Challenge of Utility Regulatory Reforms (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-new-mexico-albuquerque-constitutions-utilities-c393d95cba935124f072fc3e3b11e9d3

8.      Republican States Take Drastic Measure in Latest Salvo Against Environmental, Social & Governance Movement (FOX News)

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/republican-states-take-drastic-measure-latest-salvo-esg-movement

9.      APPA Approves Six New Projects for Grant Funding (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/appa-approves-six-new-projects-grant-funding

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

10.   Commentary: Maine Should Welcome Clean, Reliable, Affordable Hydropower (Kennebec Journal, Me)

https://www.centralmaine.com/2022/11/30/commentary-maine-should-welcome-clean-reliable-affordable-hydropower-2/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   WA State: Hearing Postponed for Yakima County Solar Projects (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/government/hearing-postponed-for-yakima-county-solar-projects/article_26fd8a50-6f52-11ed-9f37-473ea0bcd1b1.html

12.   Delays Slow Clean Energy Installations by 55 Percent in Second Quarter (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/delays-slow-clean-energy-installations-55-percent-second-quarter

13.   California: Kern County Attracts Another ‘Green Hydrogen’ Energy Project (Bakersfield Californian, CA)

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/kern-attracts-another-green-hydrogen-energy-project/article_f81029a2-6cf2-11ed-bf99-b7ed95da3873.html

14.   Tomatoes & Solar Panels Could Go Well Together (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/food-and-farms/agrivoltaics-and-tomatoes

15.   DOE to Test Rapidly Deployable, Portable Wind Turbines for Military Use, Disaster Relief (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/portable-wind-turbines-innovation-military-disaster-emergency/637387/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

16.   Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps Will Be Required for All New Homes in Washington (Popular Science)

https://www.popsci.com/environment/heat-pumps-washington-state/

FISH & WILDLIFE

17.   WA State: Douglas PUD Enters Agreement on Salmon Transfer with Colville Tribes (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/douglas-pud-enters-agreement-on-salmon-transfer-with-colville-tribes/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

18.   California Cities Brace for Water Cuts and a Fourth Year of Drought (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/california-drought-water-cuts-2023-1849831396

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

19.   U.S. Awards Millions to Move Tribes, Including the Quinault, Threatened by Climate Change (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/u-s-awards-millions-to-move-tribes-including-quinaults-threatened-by-climate-change/

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

20.   Elon Musk’s Satellite Internet Is Slowing Down, Again (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/article/starlink-ookla-q4-2022-speed-down

BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY

21.   Alexa, Is the Voice-Assistant Industry Doomed? (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/alexa-voice-assistant-industry-future-1.6668142?cmp=rss

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

22.   Competitors Chip Away at Tesla’s U.S. Electric Vehicle Share (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-electric-vehicles-climate-and-environment-9e6f2f773a5ed00f95debc87b15d17d1

23.   Could Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Become Targets? (Albuquerque Journal, NM)

https://www.abqjournal.com/2554039/could-ev-charging-stations-become-targets.html

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

24.   Twitter Data Leak Exposes Over 5.4 Million Accounts (Engadget)

https://www.engadget.com/twitter-data-for-54-million-users-leaked-online-095040426.html

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

25.   Rain, High Wind, Pummel Portland Wednesday; Snow Possible Overnight (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2022/11/rain-high-wind-pummel-portland-wednesday-snow-possible-overnight.html

26.   Wintry Weather Continues in Seattle Area, with Wet Snow, Rain on the Way (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/wintry-weather-continues-in-seattle-area-with-wet-snow-rain-on-way/

27.   Winter Storm Warning in Place Starting Early Wednesday for Spokane, Coeur d’Alene (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/winter-storm-warning-in-place-starting-early-wednesday-for-spokane-cda/article_655f7f96-6f3a-11ed-a7b8-5be7d3c90bbf.html

28.   Drought Is Killing Christmas Trees Across the U.S. (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/christmas-trees-drought-inflation-higher-prices-1849826219

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

We All Use Phones on the Toilet. Just Don’t Sit More Than Ten Minutes

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/we-all-use-phones-on-the-toilet-just-dont-sit-more-than-10-minutes/

Egyptians Call on British Museum to Return Rosetta Stone

https://apnews.com/article/travel-middle-east-africa-fb5af71b4a8b75d6f99f08fce9743cf3

French Baguette Gets UNESCO Heritage Status

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63800674

Workers Dig Through Trash to Recover Lost Wedding Rings

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/11/29/Windham-New-Hampshire-wedding-rings-trash/4011669759020/

SONG OF THE DAY

Camille - Le Festin (The Feast) – Ratatouille Soundtrack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_hdmt4vpBo

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. I try to choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, although individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regular clearing of your browser’s history and cookie files may help in accessing some paywall sites.

Please note that media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

The Energy News Digest for November 28, 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.

HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

More Snow & Bitter Cold Expected to Hit the Region This Week After Monday Snow Showers (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/nov/28/more-snow-and-bitter-cold-expected-to-hit-the-regi/

Snared in Power Lines, Two Rescued from Small Plane Crash Near Washington, DC Authorities Say (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/small-plane-crash-causes-mass-power-outages-near-washington-2022-11-28/

Want to Buy into a Nuclear Power Project? This Utah Group Would Like to Talk. (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

https://www.sltrib.com/renewable-energy/2022/11/24/want-buy-into-nuclear-power/

WA State: Public Meeting Set for Yakima County Solar Farms (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/business/public-meeting-set-for-yakima-county-solar-farms/article_e8dd9748-6ab9-11ed-ae84-333e1058acf2.html

Scientists: Let’s Test Removing Salmon-Eating Seals, Sea Lions (Capital Press)

https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/water/scientists-lets-test-removing-salmon-eating-seals-sea-lions/article_783dbfc0-6b7e-11ed-8ed8-bb959553b443.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Snared in Power Lines, Two Rescued from Small Plane Crash Near Washington, DC Authorities Say

2.      Want to Buy into a Nuclear Power Project? This Utah Group Would Like to Talk.

3.      Managing NuScale, Other Small Modular Reactor Waste Will Be ‘Roughly Comparable’ with Conventional Reactors, DOE Labs Find

4.      New Mexico Court Asked to Reconsider Electricity Rate Case

5.      Oregon: Hydropower Project Proposed for Applegate Dam

6.      Western Day-Ahead Market Could Save $1.2 Billion a Year, Boost Renewables Output 1,800+ GWh: CAISO Report

7.      Canada: Blackouts After Muskrat Falls Transmission Line Test in Labrador Fails

8.      Sober or Bright? Europe Faces Holidays During Energy Crunch

9.      U.S. Senator Manchin’s Spat with FERC Chair Glick Splits Energy Industry Groups

10.   Superlative States: The US’s Top Energy Producers Ranked

11.   WA State: Public Meeting Set for Yakima County Solar Farms

12.   Alaska Power Companies Look at Building Community Solar Farms That Households Can Invest In

13.   Scientists: Let’s Test Removing Salmon-Eating Seals, Sea Lions

14.   Lawsuit Looms Over Tiny Rare Fish in Drought-Stricken West

15.   WA State: Cle Elum Fish Passage Facilities & Fish Reintroduction Project

16.   Arizona: Fish Herding Prepares Mesa Canal for Maintenance Work

17.   A Shrinking Lake Powell Is Causing Costly Problems for Page, Arizona

18.   New Research: 2021 Pacific Northwest Heatwave Had Multiple Causes, Including Climate Change

19.   WA Gov. Inslee Plans to Ban Gas-Powered Cars by 2035. Is It Doable?

20.   Musk Plans Twitter Check Mark Feature Again, This Time with More Colors

21.   More Snow & Bitter Cold Expected to Hit the Region This Week After Monday Snow Showers

22.   Oregon: Heavy Snow, Wind Make Travel on Cascade Passes Hazardous Through Monday

23.   WA State: Weather Around Puget Sound Will Be a ‘Doozy’ with Chances of Snow

24.   Cyber Monday Sales to Touch Up to $11.6 Billion as Shoppers Go Discount Hunting

25.   World’s Largest Active Volcano, Mauna Loa, Erupts in Hawaii

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Auriferous \aw-RIFF-fuh-russ\ Adjective – Containing gold.

Gold’s evil glitter

Midas’ touch, king’s unwise choice

Auriferous curse

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Snared in Power Lines, Two Rescued from Small Plane Crash Near Washington, DC Authorities Say (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/small-plane-crash-causes-mass-power-outages-near-washington-2022-11-28/

2.      Want to Buy into a Nuclear Power Project? This Utah Group Would Like to Talk. (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

https://www.sltrib.com/renewable-energy/2022/11/24/want-buy-into-nuclear-power/

3.      Managing NuScale, Other Small Modular Reactor Waste Will Be ‘Roughly Comparable’ with Conventional Reactors, DOE Labs Find (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/smr-modular-reactor-nuclear-waste-doe-stanford-study-nuscale/637185/

4.      New Mexico Court Asked to Reconsider Electricity Rate Case (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-new-mexico-supreme-court-climate-and-environment-d81d641fdea18177014b833528bceda5

5.      Oregon: Hydropower Project Proposed for Applegate Dam (Medford Mail-Tribune, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.mailtribune.com/top-stories/2022/11/25/hydropower-project-proposed-for-applegate-dam/

6.      Western Day-Ahead Market Could Save $1.2 Billion a Year, Boost Renewables Output 1,800+ GWh: CAISO Report (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/day-ahead-market-caiso-west-edam-spp/637266/

7.      Canada: Blackouts After Muskrat Falls Transmission Line Test in Labrador Fails (Hamilton Spectator, Ontario, Canada)

https://www.thespec.com/ts/news/canada/2022/11/25/blackouts-after-muskrat-falls-transmission-line-test-in-labrador-fails.html

8.      Sober or Bright? Europe Faces Holidays During Energy Crunch (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-wrestling-europe-8cb163439782aea4260b525270b142d9

9.      U.S. Senator Manchin’s Spat with FERC Chair Glick Splits Energy Industry Groups (Bloomberg News)

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/manchin-spat-with-ferc-chair-glick-splits-energy-industry-groups

10.   Superlative States: The US’s Top Energy Producers Ranked (Washington Examiner, DC)

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-environment/where-states-rank-in-production-of-energy

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   WA State: Public Meeting Set for Yakima County Solar Farms (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/business/public-meeting-set-for-yakima-county-solar-farms/article_e8dd9748-6ab9-11ed-ae84-333e1058acf2.html

12.   Alaska Power Companies Look at Building Community Solar Farms That Households Can Invest In (Anchorage Daily News, AK – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2022/11/27/alaska-power-companies-look-at-building-community-solar-farms-that-households-can-invest-in/

FISH & WILDLIFE

13.   Scientists: Let’s Test Removing Salmon-Eating Seals, Sea Lions (Capital Press)

https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/water/scientists-lets-test-removing-salmon-eating-seals-sea-lions/article_783dbfc0-6b7e-11ed-8ed8-bb959553b443.html

14.   Lawsuit Looms Over Tiny Rare Fish in Drought-Stricken West (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/nevada/articles/2022-11-23/lawsuit-looms-over-tiny-fish-in-drought-stricken-west

15.   WA State: Cle Elum Fish Passage Facilities & Fish Reintroduction Project (Bureau of Reclamation)

https://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/eis/cle-elum/

16.   Arizona: Fish Herding Prepares Mesa Canal for Maintenance Work (Phoenix Daily Independent, AZ)

https://yourvalley.net/stories/fish-herding-prepares-mesa-canal-for-maintenance-work,345266

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

17.   A Shrinking Lake Powell Is Causing Costly Problems for Page, Arizona (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2022/11/28/1139388793/a-shrinking-lake-powell-is-causing-costly-problems-for-page-arizona

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

18.   New Research: 2021 Pacific Northwest Heatwave Had Multiple Causes, Including Climate Change (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/new-research-2021-pacific-northwest-heatwave-had-multiple-causes-including-climate-change/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

19.   WA Gov. Inslee Plans to Ban Gas-Powered Cars by 2035. Is It Doable? (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/11/gov-inslee-plans-ban-gas-powered-cars-2035-it-doable

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

20.   Musk Plans Twitter Check Mark Feature Again, This Time with More Colors (Washington Post, DC – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/25/musk-twitter-verified-check-marks/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

21.   More Snow & Bitter Cold Expected to Hit the Region This Week After Monday Snow Showers (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/nov/28/more-snow-and-bitter-cold-expected-to-hit-the-regi/

22.   Oregon: Heavy Snow, Wind Make Travel on Cascade Passes Hazardous Through Monday (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2022/11/heavy-snow-wind-make-travel-on-cascade-passes-hazardous-through-monday.html

23.   WA State: Weather Around Puget Sound Will Be a ‘Doozy’ with Chances of Snow (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3730331/weather-around-the-sound-this-week-will-be-a-doozy-snow/

24.   Cyber Monday Sales to Touch Up to $11.6 Billion as Shoppers Go Discount Hunting (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/cyber-monday-set-record-sales-112-bln-shoppers-wait-discounts-2022-11-28/

25.   World’s Largest Active Volcano, Mauna Loa, Erupts in Hawaii (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/worlds-largest-active-volcano-mauna-loa-erupts-in-hawaii/article_d637e380-6f43-11ed-bd2b-137fef4f50a9.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Fisherman Catches 67-Pound Goldfish

https://nbc-2.com/news/weird/2022/11/24/fisherman-catches-67-pound-goldfish/

Seattle Man Visiting Qatar Finds Solution to World Cup Alcohol Ban

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/seattle-man-visiting-qatar-finds-solution-world-cup-alcohol-ban/MHWXQW3BMNCW5BX76CQF2BSF6U/

‘Gaslighting’ Is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2022

https://apnews.com/article/word-of-the-year-2022-80d02a3e0a347e542466571ca9cdb2ef

Letter from Holy Roman Emperor Written in Secret Code Finally Cracked After 5 Centuries to Reveal He Was Worried About Being Assassinated

https://www.businessinsider.com/france-emperors-secret-code-cracked-to-reveal-he-feared-assassination-2022-11

SONG OF THE DAY

Willie Nelson - Whiskey River

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSYEvTni79M

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. I try to choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, although individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regular clearing of your browser’s history and cookie files may help in accessing some paywall sites.

Please note that media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.

The Energy News Digest for November 23, 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.

ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE NORTHWEST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION

Powerful Lineup for NWPPA’s December 7 Power Supply Conference (Northwest Public Power Association)

https://bit.ly/3fOQ6Ci

HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

A Rail Strike Looms & Impact on U.S. Economy Could Be Broad (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e

The Power Grid Faced Heat Waves, Record Demand & Tight Conditions in 2022. What Happens Next? (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electric-reliability-power-outage-extreme-weather-california-texas-pacific-northwest-ercot-caiso/637065/

California’s Climate Plan Calls for No New Gas-Burning Power Plants (Washington Post, DC – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/11/16/california-natural-gas-plants/

Unchecked Pollution Is Contaminating the Salmon That Pacific Northwest Tribes Eat (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/22/pollution-contamination-threat-salmon-columbia-basin-pacific-northwest-tribes/

Montana’s Largest Wind Farm Fires Up (Ravalli Republic, MT)

https://ravallirepublic.com/news/states-largest-wind-farm-fires-up/article_9aef22cd-1458-5a6d-9396-6b6cca4a8a87.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      The Power Grid Faced Heat Waves, Record Demand & Tight Conditions in 2022. What Happens Next?

2.      California’s Climate Plan Calls for No New Gas-Burning Power Plants

3.      Pend Oreille PUD and Clark Public Utilities Sign Long-Term Hydropower Agreement

4.      WA State: Commerce Offers $1.8 Million to Help Spokane with Delinquent Utility Bills

5.      The White House Is Ready to Shell Out $13 Billion to Modernize U.S. Power Grid

6.      Managing NuScale, Other Small Modular Reactor Waste Will Be ‘Roughly Comparable’ with Conventional Reactors, DOE Labs Find

7.      Fish Friendly Hydro: Natel Energy Is Proving It’s Possible

8.      Why Is It So Hard to Build in America? Blame Red Tape

9.      Montana’s Largest Wind Farm Fires Up

10.   California: Solar Company’s Conservation Deal Troubles Kern Ranchers

11.   California: Morro Bay Residents Voice Questions, Concerns About Battery Storage Proposal

12.   Western States Ponder Regional Grid as Renewables Grow

13.   Biden Administration Approves $550 Million for Community-Based Clean Energy

14.   Tampa Tries Sidewalk Solar Panels as Backup Power for Traffic Lights

15.   Public Power Utilities Earn Smart Energy Provider Designation

16.   Waistlines Aren’t the Only Things That Expand on Thanksgiving Day

17.   Baby Killer Whale Is Spotted Swimming with Mom Off Washington Coast, Photos Show

18.   Several Humpback Whales Found Dead on British Columbia’s Coast in a Matter of Weeks

19.   Unchecked Pollution Is Contaminating the Salmon That Pacific Northwest Tribes Eat

20.   Oregon Cities Sue State Government Over Parking Reform, Climate Mandate

21.   Researchers Are Studying How Climate Change Affects a Bird That Only Lives in Idaho

22.   Junk Carbon Offsets Are What Make These Big Companies ‘Carbon Neutral’

23.   CenturyLink Penalized by Washington State for Rate Increases

24.   Senator Murray Announces Over $8 Million in Funding for Cowlitz County Rural Broadband Access in Washington State

25.   Washington Commerce Dept. to Award $120M in Stimulus Money for Broadband Grants

26.   California Resident Rallies Neighbors to Build Fiber Network

27.   Generating Broadband Buzz

28.   Hochul Signs Partial Cryptocurrency Mining Ban Into New York Law

29.   What Elon Musk Is Doing to Twitter Is What He Did at Tesla & SpaceX

30.   Public Power Utilities, Organizations Earn Public Power Communications Awards

31.   Five Conversation Starters for Thanksgiving Dinner

32.   A Rail Strike Looms & Impact on U.S. Economy Could Be Broad

33.   Experts Are Concerned Thanksgiving Gatherings Could Accelerate A ‘Tripledemic’

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Give Thanks for All Your Blessings...

Thanksgiving /thanks-GIVE-ing/ Noun – 1a capitalized: Thanksgiving Day b: a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness 2: the act of giving thanks 3: a prayer expressing gratitude.

Blessed Thanksgiving

Family, friends, and colleagues

Glad thanks for them all

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      The Power Grid Faced Heat Waves, Record Demand & Tight Conditions in 2022. What Happens Next? (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electric-reliability-power-outage-extreme-weather-california-texas-pacific-northwest-ercot-caiso/637065/

2.      California’s Climate Plan Calls for No New Gas-Burning Power Plants (Washington Post, DC – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/11/16/california-natural-gas-plants/

3.      Pend Oreille PUD and Clark Public Utilities Sign Long-Term Hydropower Agreement (Pend Oreille PUD, Newport, WA)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2022/11/pend-oreille-pud-and-clark-public.html

4.      WA State: Commerce Offers $1.8 Million to Help Spokane with Delinquent Utility Bills (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/commerce-offers-1-8m-to-help-spokane-with-delinquent-utility-bills/article_4e1b35d4-69d4-11ed-ab91-fffaaf6efcc5.html

5.      The White House Is Ready to Shell Out $13 Billion to Modernize U.S. Power Grid (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/white-house-doe-ready-to-modernize-the-u-s-power-grid-1849816684

6.      Managing NuScale, Other Small Modular Reactor Waste Will Be ‘Roughly Comparable’ with Conventional Reactors, DOE Labs Find (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/smr-modular-reactor-nuclear-waste-doe-stanford-study-nuscale/637185/

7.      Fish Friendly Hydro: Natel Energy Is Proving It’s Possible (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/fish-friendly-hydro-natel-energy-is-proving-its-possible/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

8.      Why Is It So Hard to Build in America? Blame Red Tape (Washington Post, DC – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/why-is-it-so-hard-to-build-in-america-blame-red-tape/2022/11/22/1196561c-6a6e-11ed-8619-0b92f0565592_story.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

9.      Montana’s Largest Wind Farm Fires Up (Ravalli Republic, MT)

https://ravallirepublic.com/news/states-largest-wind-farm-fires-up/article_9aef22cd-1458-5a6d-9396-6b6cca4a8a87.html

10.   California: Solar Company’s Conservation Deal Troubles Kern Ranchers (Bakersfield Californian, CA)

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/solar-companys-conservation-deal-troubles-kern-ranchers/article_2191a1d6-6792-11ed-9457-03962d80ac17.html

11.   California: Morro Bay Residents Voice Questions, Concerns About Battery Storage Proposal (KSBY-TV, San Luis Obispo, CA)

https://www.ksby.com/news/local-news/morro-bay-residents-voice-questions-concerns-about-battery-storage-proposal

12.   Western States Ponder Regional Grid as Renewables Grow (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/western-states-ponder-regional-grid-as-renewables-grow/

13.   Biden Administration Approves $550 Million for Community-Based Clean Energy (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/3746240-biden-administration-approves-550m-for-community-based-clean-energy/

14.   Tampa Tries Sidewalk Solar Panels as Backup Power for Traffic Lights (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/tampa-solar-sidewalks-traffic-lights-hurricane-resilience/637159/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

15.   Public Power Utilities Earn Smart Energy Provider Designation (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/public-power-utilities-earn-smart-energy-provider-designation-0

16.   Waistlines Aren’t the Only Things That Expand on Thanksgiving Day (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20221117-waistlines-arent-the-only-things-that-expand-on-thanksgiving-day

FISH & WILDLIFE

17.   Baby Killer Whale Is Spotted Swimming with Mom Off Washington Coast, Photos Show (AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/baby-killer-whale-spotted-swimming-235936849.html

18.   Several Humpback Whales Found Dead on British Columbia’s Coast in a Matter of Weeks (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/several-humpback-whales-wash-up-on-bc-coast-1.6657962?cmp=rss

CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE – ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS

19.   Unchecked Pollution Is Contaminating the Salmon That Pacific Northwest Tribes Eat (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/22/pollution-contamination-threat-salmon-columbia-basin-pacific-northwest-tribes/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

20.   Oregon Cities Sue State Government Over Parking Reform, Climate Mandate (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/2022/11/oregon-cities-sue-state-government-over-parking-reform-climate-mandate.html

21.   Researchers Are Studying How Climate Change Affects a Bird That Only Lives in Idaho (Boise State Public Radio, ID)

https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2022-11-22/researchers-are-studying-how-climate-change-affects-a-bird-that-only-lives-in-idaho

22.   Junk Carbon Offsets Are What Make These Big Companies ‘Carbon Neutral’ (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2022-carbon-offsets-renewable-energy/

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

23.   CenturyLink Penalized by Washington State for Rate Increases (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/centurylink-penalized-rate-increases-045900388.html

24.   Senator Murray Announces Over $8 Million in Funding for Cowlitz County Rural Broadband Access in Washington state (U.S. Senator Patty Murray, WA)

https://www.murray.senate.gov/senator-murray-announces-over-8-million-in-funding-for-rural-broadband-access-in-washington-state/

25.   Washington Commerce Dept. to Award $120M in Stimulus Money for Broadband Grants (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/washington-commerce-dept-to-award-120m-in-stimulus-money-for-broadband-grants/article_c985cdd4-6aa5-11ed-b657-e7f7fb432b93.html

26.   California Resident Rallies Neighbors to Build Fiber Network (Government Technology)

https://www.govtech.com/network/california-resident-rallies-neighbors-to-build-fiber-network

27.   Generating Broadband Buzz (Pioneer Utility Resources)

https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/case-study/buzz/

BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY

28.   Hochul Signs Partial Cryptocurrency Mining Ban Into New York Law (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/22/cryptocurrency-mining-ban-new-york-00070613

29.   What Elon Musk Is Doing to Twitter Is What He Did at Tesla & SpaceX (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/what-elon-musk-is-doing-to-twitter-is-what-he-did-at-tesla-and-spacex/

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

30.   Public Power Utilities, Organizations Earn Public Power Communications Awards (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/public-power-utilities-organizations-earn-public-power-communications-awards

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

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20221117-five-conversation-starters-for-thanksgiving-dinner

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

32.   A Rail Strike Looms & Impact on U.S. Economy Could Be Broad (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e

33.   Experts Are Concerned Thanksgiving Gatherings Could Accelerate A ‘Tripledemic’ (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/11/22/experts-are-concerned-thanksgiving-gatherings-could-accelerate-a-tripledemic/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Parents Welcome Twins Born from Embryos Frozen 30 Years Ago

https://abc7ny.com/longest-frozen-embryos-twins-born-lydia-and-timothy-ridgeway-30-years-ago/12479248/

World Cup 2022: Budweiser Will Ship All the Beer Banned from Qatar Stadiums to Winning Country

https://sports.yahoo.com/world-cup-2022-budweiser-will-ship-all-the-beer-banned-from-qatar-stadiums-to-winning-country-233811449.html

Cartoonists Honor ‘Peanuts’ Creator in Saturday Funny Pages

https://apnews.com/article/cartoonists-honor-charles-schulz-3d3a048d66a4424b3a335d96ceb5aa90

TSA Agents Find Cat Stowed in Checked Luggage

https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/11/22/tsa-agents-find-cat-stowed-checked-luggage/#latvxgxc7bv1o83r7dp

SONG OF THE DAY

Vince Guaraldi – Linus & Lucy

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

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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