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ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE ENERGY NEWS DIGEST
Winter solstice 2022 brings the longest night of the year to
Northern Hemisphere
https://www.space.com/winter-solstice-longest-night-northern-hemisphere--dec-21-2022
HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
‘Life-Threatening’ Cold, Bomb Cyclone Blizzard to Sweep U.S.
This Week (Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2022/12/20/blizzard-cold-weather-forecast-bomb-cyclone
Communities Still without Power After California Earthquake
(Associated Press)
Utilities Sound Alarm Over Distribution Transformer Shortage
as Procurement Times Surpass 1 Year & Costs Triple (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/distribution-transformer-shortage-appa-casten/639059/
Douglas County PUD Selects Contractor for $18.2 Million
Hydrogen Plant (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/douglas-county-pud-selects-contractor-for-18-2-million-hydrogen-plant/
Over 140,000 Northern Pikeminnow Removed from Columbia and
Snake Rivers in 2022, Earning Anglers More Than $1.3 Million (Big Country News,
Clarkston, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Communities Still without Power After California
Earthquake
2.
Utilities Sound Alarm Over Distribution
Transformer Shortage as Procurement Times Surpass 1 Year & Costs Triple
3.
What’s Next for WA Aluminum Manufacturing? The
Fight Goes On
4.
Wyoming: Kemmerer Hopes Nuclear Delay Will Help,
Not Hurt, Its Future
5.
Alaska: Owner Charged After Lineman Attacked By
5 Pit Bulls at Work, Sheriff’s Office Says
6.
Flathead Electric Co-op Urges Members to Prepare
for Historic Cold Weather
7.
California: Pacific Gas & Electric Wildfire
& Catastrophe Proposal May Trigger Higher Monthly Bills
8.
Bonneville Power Administration Crew Clears
Thousands of Trees After Bolt Creek Fire
9.
DC Circuit Throws Out 50-Year License for
Maryland Dam
10.
West Virginia: Raleigh County Power Outage
Caused by Electrocution after Attempted Copper Theft
11.
American Public Power Association ‘Beyond
Disappointed’ Transformer Production Funding Not Included in Bill
12.
Guest Essay: To Lead on Climate, Lean on Nuclear
13.
Guest Essay: Clean Energy Policies Hamper
Industrial Development
14.
Douglas County PUD Selects Contractor for $18.2
Million Hydrogen Plant
15.
These Rules Could Improve Views of an Eastern WA
Wind, Solar Project. What Are Your Thoughts?
16.
This Little-Known Bottleneck Is Blocking Clean
Energy for Millions
17.
Lots of Whales Spotted Around Offshore Wind Farm
Zones Along West Coast
18.
‘Proceed with Caution’: Key Takeaways from
California’s First Offshore Wind Energy Auction
19.
Space Heating Accounted for Nearly One-Third of
U.S. Energy Consumption in Commercial Buildings in 2018
20.
Energy Efficiency Benefits Are Now Available to
These Washington Residents
21.
Over 140,000 Northern Pikeminnow Removed from
Columbia and Snake Rivers in 2022, Earning Anglers More Than $1.3 Million
22.
Report Raises Question of Hunting Seals to Save
Washington Salmon
23.
Chelan County PUD to Acquire Peshastin Water
District Water System
24.
FCC Has Received ‘Thousands’ of Consumer
Challenges to Broadband Map
25.
Montana Reaches for Next Pot of Federal
Broadband Money
26.
Beacon Broadband, Electric Cooperative Broadband
Subsidiary, Begins Oregon Port Build
27.
REC Silicon Targeted by Ransomware Attack
28.
Oregon, Washington State Panels Approve
Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles
29.
Nevada: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Ordinance Could Mandate Charging Capabilities in Most New Developments
30.
Chevy Recalls 111,000 Bolt EVs Over Fire Risks
31.
In The Southeast, Power Company Money Flows to
News Sites That Attack Their Critics
32.
She Was an ABC News Producer. She Also Was a
Corporate Operative
33.
How to Use ChatGPT and Still Be a Good Person
34.
Four Things We Can Learn from Artificial
Storytelling
35.
NASA Robot Sends One of the Saddest Tweets I
Have Ever Seen
36.
What Congress’s Spending Bill Includes for
Energy, Sustainability
37.
$300 Million in Fisheries Disaster Relief Makes
It into Federal Spending Bill
38.
WA State: Pend Oreille PUD Announces Resignation
of Colin Willenbrock as General Manager
39.
WA State: Mason PUD 3 Commission Appoints Jeff
McHargue to Fill Vacancy Left by Commissioner Bruce Jorgenson
40.
‘Life-Threatening’ Cold, Bomb Cyclone Blizzard
to Sweep U.S. This Week
41.
Pacific Northwest Braces for Freezing
Temperatures
42.
Spokane Braces for Lowest Temps in 14 Years as
‘Life-Threatening Cold’ Sets In
43. Portland’s First Day of Winter Dawns Cold, Sunny; Snow, Freezing Rain Strike Later Thursday
WORD OF THE DAY
Symposium • \sim-POSE-ee-um\ • Noun – 1a: a convivial party (as after a banquet in ancient Greece) with music & conversation b: a social gathering at which there is free interchange of ideas 2a: a formal meeting at which several specialists deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics b: a collection of opinions on a subject; especially: one published by a periodical.
Dagwood, Liberian’s new online college institute linguist was excited about attending a conference in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico on the plural use of symposium. “Which session? Symposium, symposiums, or symposia,” he mused. “Or the blockbuster presentation on Elvis, Elvises, or Elvi?”
ENERGY &
UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Communities Still without Power After California
Earthquake (Associated Press)
2.
Utilities Sound Alarm Over Distribution
Transformer Shortage as Procurement Times Surpass 1 Year & Costs Triple
(Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/distribution-transformer-shortage-appa-casten/639059/
3.
What’s Next for WA Aluminum Manufacturing? The
Fight Goes On (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
4.
Wyoming: Kemmerer Hopes Nuclear Delay Will Help,
Not Hurt, Its Future (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
5.
Alaska: Owner Charged After Lineman Attacked By
5 Pit Bulls at Work, Sheriff’s Office Says (KTUU-TV, Anchorage, AK)
6.
Flathead Electric Co-op Urges Members to Prepare
for Historic Cold Weather (Western News, Libby MT)
https://thewesternnews.com/news/2022/dec/20/flathead-electric-co-op-urges-members-prepare-hist/
7.
California: Pacific Gas & Electric Wildfire
& Catastrophe Proposal May Trigger Higher Monthly Bills (Bay Area News
Group, CA)
8.
Bonneville Power Administration Crew Clears
Thousands of Trees After Bolt Creek Fire (Bonneville Power Administration)
9.
DC Circuit Throws Out 50-Year License for
Maryland Dam (Courthouse News Service)
https://www.courthousenews.com/dc-circuit-throws-out-50-year-license-for-maryland-dam/
10.
West Virginia: Raleigh County Power Outage
Caused by Electrocution after Attempted Copper Theft (WNVS-TV, Lewisburg, WV)
SOAPBOX SERENADE
– VOX POPULI
11.
American Public Power Association ‘Beyond
Disappointed’ Transformer Production Funding Not Included in Bill (American
Public Power Association)
12.
Guest Essay: To Lead on Climate, Lean on Nuclear
(Tri Cities Business News, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/2022/12/energy-schuetz-col-dec22/
13.
Guest Essay: Clean Energy Policies Hamper
Industrial Development (Tri Cities Business News, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/2022/12/energu-dunn-col-dec22/
RENEWABLE ENERGY
& SELF STORAGE
14.
Douglas County PUD Selects Contractor for $18.2
Million Hydrogen Plant (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/douglas-county-pud-selects-contractor-for-18-2-million-hydrogen-plant/
15.
These Rules Could Improve Views of an Eastern WA
Wind, Solar Project. What Are Your Thoughts? (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article270182932.html
16.
This Little-Known Bottleneck Is Blocking Clean
Energy for Millions (Washington Post, DC – Paywall Advisory)
17.
Lots of Whales Spotted Around Offshore Wind Farm
Zones Along West Coast (Northwest News Network)
18.
‘Proceed with Caution’: Key Takeaways from
California’s First Offshore Wind Energy Auction (Utility Dive)
CONSERVATION
& EFFICIENCY
19.
Space Heating Accounted for Nearly One-Third of U.S.
Energy Consumption in Commercial Buildings in 2018 (U.S. Energy Information
Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/releases/press523.php
20.
Energy Efficiency Benefits Are Now Available to
These Washington Residents (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.theolympian.com/article270123432.html
FISH &
WILDLIFE
21.
Over 140,000 Northern Pikeminnow Removed from
Columbia and Snake Rivers in 2022, Earning Anglers More Than $1.3 Million (Big
Country News, Clarkston, WA)
22.
Report Raises Question of Hunting Seals to Save
Washington Salmon (The Center Square)
WATER, WATER,
ANYWHERE?
23.
Chelan County PUD to Acquire Peshastin Water
District Water System (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
24.
FCC Has Received ‘Thousands’ of Consumer
Challenges to Broadband Map (Light Reading)
25.
Montana Reaches for Next Pot of Federal Broadband
Money (Helena Independent-Record, MT)
26.
Beacon Broadband, Electric Cooperative Broadband
Subsidiary, Begins Oregon Port Build (Telecompetitor)
https://www.telecompetitor.com/electric-cooperative-broadband-subsidiary-begins-oregon-port-build/
BEAM ME UP,
SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY
27.
REC Silicon Targeted by Ransomware Attack
(Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/rec-silicon-targeted-ransomware-attack-045900880.html
I SING THE CAR
ELECTRIC
28.
Oregon, Washington State Panels Approve
Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles (The Hill, Washington, DC)
29.
Nevada: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Ordinance Could Mandate Charging Capabilities in Most New Developments (KLAS-TV,
Las Vegas, NV)
30.
Chevy Recalls 111,000 Bolt EVs Over Fire Risks
(C|NET News)
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/chevrolet-bolt-ev-seat-belt-pretensioner-recall/
PUBLIC RELATIONS,
MARKETING & MEDIA
31.
In The Southeast, Power Company Money Flows to
News Sites That Attack Their Critics (National Public Radio)
32.
She Was an ABC News Producer. She Also Was a
Corporate Operative (National Public Radio)
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/21/1142575872/abc-news-producer-corporate-operative-investigation
33.
How to Use ChatGPT and Still Be a Good Person
(NY Times – Paywall Advisory)
https://dnyuz.com/2022/12/21/how-to-use-chatgpt-and-still-be-a-good-person/
34.
Four Things We Can Learn from Artificial
Storytelling (Pioneer Utility Resources)
https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/aistorytelling/
BARREL O’ GREEN
POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
35.
NASA Robot Sends One of the Saddest Tweets I
Have Ever Seen (Kotaku)
https://kotaku.com/nasa-insight-rover-mars-sad-tweet-rip-goodbye-esa-1849913028
GOVERNMENT &
GOVERNANCE
36.
What Congress’s Spending Bill Includes for Energy,
Sustainability (The Hill, Washington, DC)
37.
$300 Million in Fisheries Disaster Relief Makes
It into Federal Spending Bill (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
38.
WA State: Pend Oreille PUD Announces Resignation
of Colin Willenbrock as General Manager (Pend Oreille PUD, Newport, WA – Links to
PDF File)
39.
WA State: Mason PUD 3 Commission Appoints Jeff
McHargue to Fill Vacancy Left by Commissioner Bruce Jorgenson (Mason PUD 3,
Shelton, WA)
OTHER THINGS TO
KNOW ABOUT TODAY
40.
‘Life-Threatening’ Cold, Bomb Cyclone Blizzard to
Sweep U.S. This Week (Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2022/12/20/blizzard-cold-weather-forecast-bomb-cyclone
41.
Pacific Northwest Braces for Freezing
Temperatures (Associated Press)
42.
Spokane Braces for Lowest Temps in 14 Years as ‘Life-Threatening
Cold’ Sets In (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2022/dec/21/spokane-braces-for-lowest-temps-in-14-years-as-lif/
43.
Portland’s First Day of Winter Dawns Cold,
Sunny; Snow, Freezing Rain Strike Later Thursday (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Posing Coach Shares Tips on What to Do with Your Hands in
Photos: ‘Me Always Saving These’
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/posing-coach-shares-tips-hands-211509955.html
Wanapum Dam – Bald Eagle Snatches Canada Goose in Talons
Before Feasting in Surreal Photo
https://www.newsweek.com/bald-eagle-snatches-canada-goose-talons-surreal-photo-washington-1768315
Art Collector Cliff Schorer Locates Stolen $10 Million Painting
with the Help of a $18 Throw Pillow
Airline Mix-Up Sends Couple’s Dog to Saudi Arabia Instead of
Nashville
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dog-flight-tennessee-saudi-arabia_n_639de408e4b0f4895adbe637
SONG OF THE DAY
Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Instrumental)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvI_FNrczzQ
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
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Media organizations update their websites regularly, which
may result in broken links.
