Wednesday, March 2, 2022

The Energy News Digest for March 2, 2022

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

Russian Hacking Threat Hovers Over U.S. Gas Pipelines (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/02/gas-pipelines-cyber-risk-00011898

Utilities Urge Supreme Court to Dismiss Challenge to EPA’s Fleetwide Carbon Emissions Approach (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-supreme-court-dismiss-challenge-to-epa-carbon-ghg-power-plant/619594/

Oregon: Pacific Power Seeking 12.2% Rate Increase in 2023 (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2022/03/pacific-power-seeking-122-rate-increase-in-2023.html

California: Nearly Nine Percent Pacific Gas & Electric Rate Hike for Residential Electricity Customers Takes Effect (KNTV-TV, San Jose, CA)

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/making-it-in-the-bay/pge-rate-hike-for-residential-electricity-customers-takes-effect/2825335/

Major Hurdle Cleared in Plan to Demolish Four California Klamath Basin Dams (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-health-environment-and-nature-oregon-c755ed4480e64f9f1f4edc64023a8adc

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Oregon: Pacific Power Seeking 12.2% Rate Increase in 2023

2.      California: Nearly Nine Percent Pacific Gas & Electric Rate Hike for Residential Electricity Customers Takes Effect

3.      California: Higher Electric Bills Expected as Pacific Gas & Electric Fast-Tracks Burying Powerlines

4.      During 2021, U.S. Retail Electricity Prices Rose at Fastest Rate Since 2008

5.      Major Hurdle Cleared in Plan to Demolish Four California Klamath Basin Dams

6.      News Release: Generators Like New Again at Nation’s Largest Hydroelectric Producer

7.      Avista Joins Western Energy Imbalance Market to Enhance Grid Efficiencies

8.      Arizona Utilities Maintain Support for House-Approved Bill Repealing State’s Competition Provisions

9.      Exclusive: U.S. Utilities Push White House Not to Sanction Russian Uranium

10.   Do Salmon Have Rights?

11.   Guest Essay: Drop Assault on Natural Gas

12.   Water Under the Bridge Solar Panel

13.   New Calf Born to Endangered Southern Resident Orcas

14.   Fish & Game Partners with Idaho Power Company to Test Fertility of Snake River White Sturgeon

15.   Utilities Urge Supreme Court to Dismiss Challenge to EPA’s Fleetwide Carbon Emissions Approach

16.   NRECA: Supreme Court Should Preserve States’ Power to Set Fossil Plant Emissions

17.   California Debates Naming Heatwaves to Underscore Deadly Risk of Extreme Heat

18.   Alaska, California: NTIA Awards Two Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Grants

19.   WA State: Okanogan PUD Focuses on Broadband Grant

20.   Montana Cuts to the Chase with Broadband Mapping Project

21.   Russian Hacking Threat Hovers Over U.S. Gas Pipelines

22.   Russian Cyber Threats: What You Need to Know

23.   Flush Oregon Budget Boosts Electric Vehicle & Solar Rebates, Electric Truck Charging

24.   Ukraine’s Everyday Heroes Are Owning Social Media

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Pistanthrophobia /pist-ANTH-throw-foe-bee-uh/ Noun – Fear of trusting people due to past experience and relationships gone wrong.

The sting of lost love

Sad Pistanthrophobia

True love will return

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Oregon: Pacific Power Seeking 12.2% Rate Increase in 2023 (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2022/03/pacific-power-seeking-122-rate-increase-in-2023.html

2.      California: Nearly Nine Percent Pacific Gas & Electric Rate Hike for Residential Electricity Customers Takes Effect (KNTV-TV, San Jose, CA)

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/making-it-in-the-bay/pge-rate-hike-for-residential-electricity-customers-takes-effect/2825335/

3.      California: Higher Electric Bills Expected as Pacific Gas & Electric Fast-Tracks Burying Powerlines (KRCR-TV, Redding, CA)

https://krcrtv.com/news/local/higher-electric-bills-expected-as-pge-fast-tracks-burying-powerlines

4.      During 2021, U.S. Retail Electricity Prices Rose at Fastest Rate Since 2008 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=51438

5.      Major Hurdle Cleared in Plan to Demolish Four California Klamath Basin Dams (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-sports-health-environment-and-nature-oregon-c755ed4480e64f9f1f4edc64023a8adc

6.      News Release: Generators Like New Again at Nation’s Largest Hydroelectric Producer (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220302-generators-like-new-again-at-nations-largest-hydroelectric-producer

7.      Avista Joins Western Energy Imbalance Market to Enhance Grid Efficiencies (Daily Fly)

https://lcvalley.dailyfly.com/Home/ArtMID/1352/ArticleID/62476/Avista-Joins-Western-Energy-Imbalance-Market-to-Enhance-Grid-Efficiencies

8.      Arizona Utilities Maintain Support for House-Approved Bill Repealing State’s Competition Provisions (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/policy/34044-arizona-utilities-maintain-support-for-house-approved-bill-repealing-states-competition-provisions/

9.      Exclusive: U.S. Utilities Push White House Not to Sanction Russian Uranium (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/exclusive-us-utilities-push-white-house-not-sanction-russian-uranium-2022-03-02/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

10.   Do Salmon Have Rights? (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/indigenous/do-salmon-have-rights/

11.   Guest Essay: Drop Assault on Natural Gas (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/wvbusiness/don-c-brunell-drop-assault-on-natural-gas/article_b1393c62-8f62-11ec-8517-bf05e21023db.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

12.   Water Under the Bridge Solar Panel (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/beacon/water-under-the-bridge-solar-panel/

FISH & WILDLIFE

13.   New Calf Born to Endangered Southern Resident Orcas (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2022-03-02/new-calf-born-to-endangered-southern-resident-orcas

14.   Fish & Game Partners with Idaho Power Company to Test Fertility of Snake River White Sturgeon (East Idaho News, Idaho Falls, ID)

https://www.eastidahonews.com/2022/02/fish-and-game-partners-with-idaho-power-company-to-test-fertility-of-snake-river-white-sturgeon/

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

15.   Utilities Urge Supreme Court to Dismiss Challenge to EPA’s Fleetwide Carbon Emissions Approach (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-supreme-court-dismiss-challenge-to-epa-carbon-ghg-power-plant/619594/

16.   NRECA: Supreme Court Should Preserve States’ Power to Set Fossil Plant Emissions (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.electric.coop/nreca-supreme-court-should-preserve-states-power-to-set-fossil-plant-emissions

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

17.   California Debates Naming Heatwaves to Underscore Deadly Risk of Extreme Heat (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/28/california-heatwaves-naming-system-climate-crisis

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

18.   Alaska, California: NTIA Awards Two Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program Grants (Telecompetitor)

https://www.telecompetitor.com/ntia-awards-two-tribal-broadband-connectivity-program-grants/

19.   WA State: Okanogan PUD Focuses on Broadband Grant (KOZI Radio, Chelan, WA)

https://www.kozi.com/okanogan-pud-focuses-on-broadband-grant/

20.   Montana Cuts to the Chase with Broadband Mapping Project (Government Technology)

https://www.govtech.com/network/montana-cuts-to-the-chase-with-broadband-mapping-project

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

21.   Russian Hacking Threat Hovers Over U.S. Gas Pipelines (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/02/gas-pipelines-cyber-risk-00011898

22.   Russian Cyber Threats: What You Need to Know (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/russian-cyber-threats-what-you-need-know

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

23.   Flush Oregon Budget Boosts Electric Vehicle & Solar Rebates, Electric Truck Charging (Portland Business Journal, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2022/03/02/ev-solar-rebate-boost.html?ana=RSS&s=article_search

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

24.   Ukraine’s Everyday Heroes Are Owning Social Media (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/article/ukraine-viral-heroes

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Ship Carrying 4,000 Luxury Cars Sinks Off the Azores

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60579640

A Three-Ton Chunk of Space Junk Is About to Smash into the Moon

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/space-junk-moon-1.6369650?cmp=rss

Major League Baseball Cancels Games – Lockout Will Delay 2022 Opening Day

https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb-lockout-will-postpone-2022-opening-day-league-officials-say-220753370.html

Michigan Men Visit 23 Ski Resorts in 24 Hours for World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/03/01/Guinness-World-Records-most-ski-resorts-visited-24-hours/7681646156573/

SONG OF THE DAY

Everything But the Girl – Driving

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wCsNnpU8_A