Wednesday, November 30, 2022

The Energy News Digest for November 30, 2022

The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association. 

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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

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