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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
California Interior Swelters; Electricity Conservation Urged
(Associated Press)
U.S. Spares Western States from Colorado River Water Cuts -
For Now (Reuters)
President Biden Signs $740 Billion Tax, Climate & Health
Care Bill into Law (Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2022/08/16/biden-reconciliation-inflation-reduction-act
Will Federal Climate Legislation Help Reopen Ferndale
Aluminum Plant? (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
Wind Energy Boom & Golden Eagles Collide in the U.S.
West (Associated Press)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
California Interior Swelters; Electricity
Conservation Urged
2.
The West’s Historic Drought Is Threatening
Hydropower at Hoover Dam
3.
How the Western Drought Is Pushing the Power
Grid to the Brink
4.
Surging Gas-Fired Power Demand Propels Southern
California Spot Gas Prices to Fresh Highs
5.
Will Federal Climate Legislation Help Reopen
Ferndale Aluminum Plant?
6.
Pend Oreille PUD Agrees to Contract with Cascade
Digital Mining, LLC
7.
Conclusion of Round 13 of Columbia River Treaty
Negotiations
8.
Utility Leaders Hail Clean Energy Tax Incentives
as House Sends Historic Climate Bill to Biden’s Desk
9.
Electric Utilities Around the U.S. are Running
Out of Transformers
10.
Nuclear Energy Company Co-Founded by Bill Gates
Raises $750 Million, One of the Largest Rounds in Seattle Tech History
11.
Germany Mulls Postponing Nuclear Exit
12.
Podcast Pronouncement: FERC Chair Richard Glick!
Featured in Part 4 of Our Electric Market Enthusiasm Series
13.
Wind Energy Boom & Golden Eagles Collide in
the U.S. West
14.
Idaho: Minidoka Commissioners Go on Record
Opposing the Lava Ridge Wind Project
15.
Wind Power Gets a Boost from Government. But It
Faces Challenges from Landowners
16.
Construction of Alaska’s Largest Solar Project
Gets Underway in Houston
17.
DOE Outlines Challenges for Wind. Will the
Inflation Reduction Act Help?
18.
EIA Expects Renewables to Account for 22% of
U.S. Electricity Generation in 2022
19.
Can Renewables & Energy Justice Coexist?
What DOE Found.
20.
How a Camping Trip Led to One of Central
Oregon’s Biggest Companies
21.
California: Fishing & Conservation Groups
Sue FERC Over ‘Fish-Killing’ Potter Valley Project
22.
River Chief Imprisoned for Fishing Fights Over
Sacred Rights
23.
U.S. Spares Western States from Colorado River
Water Cuts - For Now
24.
WA State: What the Nooksack River’s Climate
Tailspin Means for People & Fish
25.
Alaska Bill Establishes New State Broadband
Office
26.
Blaine County Among 4 Idaho Counties Receiving
Funds for Better Internet Access
27.
Washington State University Expanding Broadband
Access & Equity Across State
28.
Senators Want to Tap U.S. Electric Grid for
Broadband Rollouts
29.
Leveraging Smart Grid Upgrades for Broadband
Buildout
30.
Frustration for Electric Car Drivers: Finding a
Charger That Works
31.
The Electric Vehicle Charger That Drops from the
Sky
32.
President Biden Signs $740 Billion Tax, Climate
& Health Care Bill into Law
33.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 – Summary of
Energy & Climate Provisions
34. Third La Niña Winter Might Be Headed for Seattle
WORD OF THE DAY
Posthaste \POHST-HAYST\ Adverb – With all possible speed.
“I want those orders for Barry Manilow CDs placed posthaste,” shouted the floor manager, glowering at his under-twenty crowd of warehouse employees. “Golly,” squeaked one, “I thought that was a euphemism for a marshmallow and berry flavored treat, nor music!”
ENERGY &
UTILITY ISSUES
1.
California Interior Swelters; Electricity
Conservation Urged (Associated Press)
2.
The West’s Historic Drought Is Threatening
Hydropower at Hoover Dam (Cable News Network)
3.
How the Western Drought Is Pushing the Power
Grid to the Brink (Vox)
https://www.vox.com/23292669/drought-2022-power-energy-grid-lake-mead-climate-heat-hoover-dam
4.
Surging Gas-Fired Power Demand Propels Southern
California Spot Gas Prices to Fresh Highs (S&P Global)
5.
Will Federal Climate Legislation Help Reopen Ferndale
Aluminum Plant? (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
6.
Pend Oreille PUD Agrees to Contract with Cascade
Digital Mining, LLC (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)
https://www.kxly.com/pend-oreille-pud-agrees-to-contract-with-cascade-digital-mining-llc/
7.
Conclusion of Round 13 of Columbia River Treaty
Negotiations (U.S. Department of State)
https://www.state.gov/conclusion-of-round-13-of-columbia-river-treaty-negotiations/
8.
Utility Leaders Hail Clean Energy Tax Incentives
as House Sends Historic Climate Bill to Biden’s Desk (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/Congress-clean-energy-tax-climate-inflation-reduction-act/629643/
9.
Electric Utilities Around the U.S. are Running
Out of Transformers (Route Fifty)
10.
Nuclear Energy Company Co-Founded by Bill Gates Raises
$750 Million, One of the Largest Rounds in Seattle Tech History (Geekwire)
11.
Germany Mulls Postponing Nuclear Exit (Power
Magazine)
https://www.powermag.com/germany-is-mulling-a-postponed-nuclear-exit/
SOAPBOX SERENADE
– VOX POPULI
12.
Podcast Pronouncement: FERC Chair Richard Glick!
Featured in Part 4 of Our Electric Market Enthusiasm Series (Public Power
Underground)
https://publicpowerunderground.substack.com/p/ferc-chair-richard-glick-featured?
RENEWABLE ENERGY
& SELF STORAGE
13.
Wind Energy Boom & Golden Eagles Collide in
the U.S. West (Associated Press)
14.
Idaho: Minidoka Commissioners Go on Record
Opposing the Lava Ridge Wind Project (Twin Falls Times-News, ID)
15.
Wind Power Gets a Boost from Government. But It
Faces Challenges from Landowners (National Public Radio)
https://www.npr.org/2022/08/15/1117607516/wind-power-challenges-landowners-fed
16.
Construction of Alaska’s Largest Solar Project
Gets Underway in Houston (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
17.
DOE Outlines Challenges for Wind. Will the Inflation
Reduction Act Help? (E&E News)
https://www.eenews.net/articles/doe-outlines-challenges-for-wind-will-the-ira-help/
18.
EIA Expects Renewables to Account for 22% of U.S.
Electricity Generation in 2022 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=53459
19.
Can Renewables & Energy Justice Coexist? What
DOE Found. (Politico Pro – Subscription)
20.
How a Camping Trip Led to One of Central Oregon’s
Biggest Companies (Bend Bulletin, OR)
FISH &
WILDLIFE
21.
California: Fishing & Conservation Groups
Sue FERC Over ‘Fish-Killing’ Potter Valley Project (Mendocino Voice, CA)
22.
River Chief Imprisoned for Fishing Fights Over
Sacred Rights (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.theolympian.com/news/nation-world/national/article264550921.html
WATER, WATER,
ANYWHERE?
23.
U.S. Spares Western States from Colorado River Water
Cuts - For Now (Reuters)
24.
WA State: What the Nooksack River’s Climate
Tailspin Means for People & Fish (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/08/what-nooksack-rivers-climate-tailspin-means-people-and-fish
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
25.
Alaska Bill Establishes New State Broadband
Office (Government Technology)
https://www.govtech.com/network/alaska-bill-establishes-new-state-broadband-office
26.
Blaine County Among 4 Idaho Counties Receiving
Funds for Better Internet Access (KMVT-TV, Twin Falls, ID)
27.
Washington State University Expanding Broadband
Access & Equity Across State (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Yakima & Tri-Cities, WA)
28.
Senators Want to Tap U.S. Electric Grid for Broadband
Rollouts (Fierce Telecom)
https://www.fiercetelecom.com/telecom/senators-want-tap-us-electric-grid-broadband-rollouts
29.
Leveraging Smart Grid Upgrades for Broadband
Buildout (GCN)
I SING THE CAR
ELECTRIC
30.
Frustration for Electric Car Drivers: Finding a Charger
That Works (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
31.
The Electric Vehicle Charger That Drops from the
Sky (E&E News)
https://www.eenews.net/articles/the-ev-charger-that-drops-from-the-sky/
OTHER THINGS TO
KNOW ABOUT TODAY
32.
President Biden Signs $740 Billion Tax, Climate &
Health Care Bill into Law (Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2022/08/16/biden-reconciliation-inflation-reduction-act
33.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 – Summary of
Energy & Climate Provisions (JD Supra)
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/the-inflation-reduction-act-of-2022-1496322/
34.
Third La Niña Winter Might Be Headed for Seattle
(Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Couple Celebrates $360 Win in Washington Lottery — But They
Missed a Few Zeroes
https://www.theolympian.com/news/state/washington/article264566496.html
Why One Oregonian Is Traveling from Eugene to San Francisco by
Skateboard
Northern Lights May Be Visible in Western Washington Thru Thursday
Night
Man Finds Rare Purple Pearl in His Clam at Delaware Restaurant
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/08/17/pearl-clam-Salt-Air-Rehoboth-Beach-Delaware/1291660767300/
SONG OF THE DAY
Journey – Lights
