Monday, January 23, 2023

The Energy News Digest for January 23, 2023

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

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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Can a $42 Billion Internet Expansion Plan Close WA’s Digital Divide? (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/news/2023/01/can-42b-internet-expansion-plan-close-was-digital-divide

Electricity Prices Surged 14.3% in 2022, Double Overall Inflation: U.S. Report (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electricity-prices-inflation-consumer-price-index/640656/

FBI Warns of Neo-Nazi Plots as Attacks on Pacific Northwest Power Grid Spike (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/01/19/surge-in-oregon-washington-substation-attacks-as-fbi-warns-neo-nazi-plots/

‘Concerning’ Map Reveals Where Fish Caught in the U.S. Are Full of Hazardous ‘Forever Chemicals’ (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/concerning-map-reveals-where-fish-154209122.html

Environmental Rules Stoke Anger as California Lets Precious Stormwater Wash Out to Sea (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-01-20/anger-flares-as-california-stormwater-washes-out-to-sea

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Electricity Prices Surged 14.3% in 2022, Double Overall Inflation: U.S. Report

2.      U.S. Approves Design for NuScale Small Modular Nuclear Reactor

3.      FBI Warns of Neo-Nazi Plots as Attacks on Pacific Northwest Power Grid Spike

4.      Oregon & Washington Explore Options to Strengthen Grid, Other States Propose Legislation

5.      Oregon: Gas Fight Continues as Students Plan Protest of Teacher Training Sponsored by NW Natural

6.      VP Harris Touts Arizona-California Power Transmission Line

7.      Western Area Power Administration Celebrates 45 Years Powering the West

8.      Mapped: Biggest Sources of Electricity by State and Province

9.      Pakistan Begins Restoring Power After Second Major Grid Breakdown in Months

10.   Editorial: Nuclear Power Gets Another Look in ‘All-Of-The-Above’ Energy Approach as Climate Worries Mount

11.   Guest Essay: This Is ‘Once-In-A-Generation Opportunity’ to Help Reconnect Salmon Habitat

12.   Idaho: BLM Seeks Public Input on Proposed Lava Ridge Wind Project

13.   How an Alaska Village’s Switch to Renewable Energy Helps Local Native Economies

14.   Washington State Offering $35 Million in Grants for Solar Power

15.   USDA $9.7 Billion Program for Rural Electric Cooperatives Will Focus on Renewables

16.   How Solar Panels Might Help Fix California’s Drought

17.   Giant Wind Turbines Keep Mysteriously Falling Over – This Shouldn’t Be Happening

18.   Generating Solar Power in Space Just Took a Major Leap Forward

19.   Idaho Power to Rebuild Oxbow Fish Hatchery

20.   Should Orcas Have Rights? Port Townsend Says Yes

21.   Feds: Offshore Wind Not to Blame for East Coast Whale Deaths

22.   WA State: A Chef, a Creek, & a Salmon Revival

23.   ‘Concerning’ Map Reveals Where Fish Caught in the U.S. Are Full of Hazardous ‘Forever Chemicals’

24.   Environmental Rules Stoke Anger as California Lets Precious Stormwater Wash Out to Sea

25.   Scientists ‘Optimistic’ About Improving Drought Conditions in Washington

26.   How Arizona, California & Other States Are Trying to Generate a Whole New Water Supply

27.   Washington’s Carbon ‘Cap-And-Invest’ Plan Is Here. How Does It Work?

28.   Idaho: Can Boise’s Foothills Help Fight Climate Change? Boise State Researchers Look at How Much

29.   Can a $42 Billion Internet Expansion Plan Close WA’s Digital Divide?

30.   Oregon Not Ready to Make Best Use of Millions in Federal Broadband Money, Says Audit

31.   T-Mobile Says Hacker Stole Data for 37 Million Customers

32.   CNET Pauses Publication of Artificial Intelligence-Written Stories Amid Controversy – Errors & a Lack of Disclosure Created an Uproar

33.   Oregon-Based Newspaper Group Plans to Open Newsroom in Medford, Following Mail Tribune’s Shutdown

34.   A Rare Green Comet Can Be Seen in the Sky, And It May Be Our Last Chance

35.   Twinkle, Twinkle Fading Stars: Hiding in Our Brighter Skies

36.   Feds Send $930 Million to Curb ‘Crisis’ of U.S. West Wildfires

37.   Study: Apprenticeships Lead to Fewer Injuries

WORD OF THE DAY – THE HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Tomb \toom\ Noun – 1a: an excavation in which a corpse is buried: grave b: a place of interment 2: a house, chamber, or vault for the dead 3: a building or structure resembling a tomb.

Silence of the tomb

Shelob waits in the shadows

She sees you, precious

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Electricity Prices Surged 14.3% in 2022, Double Overall Inflation: U.S. Report (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electricity-prices-inflation-consumer-price-index/640656/

2.      U.S. Approves Design for NuScale Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-approves-design-nuscale-small-modular-nuclear-reactor-2023-01-20/

3.      FBI Warns of Neo-Nazi Plots as Attacks on Pacific Northwest Power Grid Spike (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/01/19/surge-in-oregon-washington-substation-attacks-as-fbi-warns-neo-nazi-plots/

4.      Oregon & Washington Explore Options to Strengthen Grid, Other States Propose Legislation (Associated Press)

https://ktvl.com/news/nation-world/state-lawmakers-propose-power-grid-protections-after-attacks-oregon-washington-north-carolina-nevada-south

5.      Oregon: Gas Fight Continues as Students Plan Protest of Teacher Training Sponsored by NW Natural (Willamette Week)

https://www.wweek.com/news/schools/2023/01/20/gas-fight-continues-as-students-plan-protest-of-teacher-training-sponsored-by-nw-natural/

6.      VP Harris Touts Arizona-California Power Transmission Line (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-kamala-harris-arizona-california-3edbf4a66a9ff06fa240b53d5815e6f0

7.      Western Area Power Administration Celebrates 45 Years Powering the West (Western Area Power Administration)

https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsFeatures/2022/Pages/tracey-lebeau-45th-anniversary-letter.aspx

8.      Mapped: Biggest Sources of Electricity by State and Province (Visual Capitalist)

https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/biggest-sources-of-electricity-by-state-and-province/

9.      Pakistan Begins Restoring Power After Second Major Grid Breakdown in Months (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistan-suffers-major-power-outage-after-grid-failure-2023-01-23/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

10.   Editorial: Nuclear Power Gets Another Look in ‘All-Of-The-Above’ Energy Approach as Climate Worries Mount (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nuclear-power-smr-climate-ira-omnibus-spending/639484/

11.   Guest Essay: This Is ‘Once-In-A-Generation Opportunity’ to Help Reconnect Salmon Habitat (Bellingham Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/opinion/op-ed/article271404527.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

12.   Idaho: BLM Seeks Public Input on Proposed Lava Ridge Wind Project (KMVT-TV, Twin Falls, ID)

https://www.kmvt.com/2023/01/19/blm-seeks-public-input-proposed-lava-ridge-wind-project/

13.   How an Alaska Village’s Switch to Renewable Energy Helps Local Native Economies (PBS Newshour)

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-an-alaska-villages-switch-to-renewable-energy-helps-local-native-economies

14.   Washington State Offering $35 Million in Grants for Solar Power (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/jan/20/state-offering-35m-in-grants-for-solar-power/

15.   USDA $9.7 Billion Program for Rural Electric Cooperatives Will Focus on Renewables (PV Magazine)

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2023/01/23/usda-9-7-billion-program-for-rural-electric-cooperatives-will-focus-on-renewables/

16.   How Solar Panels Might Help Fix California’s Drought (Marketplace)

https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-tech/how-solar-panels-might-help-fix-californias-drought/amp/

17.   Giant Wind Turbines Keep Mysteriously Falling Over – This Shouldn’t Be Happening (Popular Mechanics)

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/a42622565/wind-turbines-falling-over/

18.   Generating Solar Power in Space Just Took a Major Leap Forward (Yahoo! News)

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/generating-solar-power-space-just-204822544.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

19.   Idaho Power to Rebuild Oxbow Fish Hatchery (Big Country News, Clarkston, WA)

https://www.bigcountrynewsconnection.com/idaho/idaho-power-to-rebuild-oxbow-fish-hatchery/article_131b35b6-2bb3-5356-8020-4ba95d15835b.html

20.   Should Orcas Have Rights? Port Townsend Says Yes (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/port-townsend-recognizes-rights-of-southern-resident-orcas/281-f823de77-9d1a-4177-968c-bf81853d39f2

21.   Feds: Offshore Wind Not to Blame for East Coast Whale Deaths (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/animals-atlantic-city-new-jersey-climate-and-environment-whales-5b3a46ca7f3a0331aa912c990693e55e

22.   WA State: A Chef, a Creek, & a Salmon Revival (Christian Science Monitor)

https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2023/0123/A-chef-a-creek-and-a-salmon-revival?icid=rss

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

23.   ‘Concerning’ Map Reveals Where Fish Caught in the U.S. Are Full of Hazardous ‘Forever Chemicals’ (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/concerning-map-reveals-where-fish-154209122.html

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

24.   Environmental Rules Stoke Anger as California Lets Precious Stormwater Wash Out to Sea (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-01-20/anger-flares-as-california-stormwater-washes-out-to-sea

25.   Scientists ‘Optimistic’ About Improving Drought Conditions in Washington (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/jan/22/washington-state-scientists-optimistic-about-droug/

26.   How Arizona, California & Other States Are Trying to Generate a Whole New Water Supply (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/arizona-california-other-states-trying-220000809.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

27.   Washington’s Carbon ‘Cap-And-Invest’ Plan Is Here. How Does It Work? (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/washingtons-carbon-cap-invest-plan-190015086.html

28.   Idaho: Can Boise’s Foothills Help Fight Climate Change? Boise State Researchers Look at How Much (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article271282827.html

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

29.   Can a $42 Billion Internet Expansion Plan Close WA’s Digital Divide? (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/news/2023/01/can-42b-internet-expansion-plan-close-was-digital-divide

30.   Oregon Not Ready to Make Best Use of Millions in Federal Broadband Money, Says Audit (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/01/18/oregon-not-ready-to-make-best-use-of-millions-in-federal-broadband-money-says-audit/

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

31.   T-Mobile Says Hacker Stole Data for 37 Million Customers (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-19/t-mobile-tmus-says-hacker-stole-data-for-37-million-customers

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

32.   CNET Pauses Publication of Artificial Intelligence-Written Stories Amid Controversy – Errors & a Lack of Disclosure Created an Uproar (Engadget)

https://www.engadget.com/cnet-pauses-ai-written-stories-211548131.html

33.   Oregon-Based Newspaper Group Plans to Open Newsroom in Medford, Following Mail Tribune’s Shutdown (Yachats News, OR)

https://yachatsnews.com/oregon-based-newspaper-group-plans-to-open-newsroom-in-medford-following-mail-tribunes-shutdown/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

34.   A Rare Green Comet Can Be Seen in the Sky, And It May Be Our Last Chance (Science Alert)

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-rare-green-comet-can-be-seen-in-the-sky-and-it-may-be-our-last-chance/amp

35.   Twinkle, Twinkle Fading Stars: Hiding in Our Brighter Skies (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/science-e8ff324175e57a7de092859941f57499

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

36.   Feds Send $930 Million to Curb ‘Crisis’ of U.S. West Wildfires (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-science-politics-health-oregon-fd0b4b56e97fca9a6e083096f2bc97f4

37.   Study: Apprenticeships Lead to Fewer Injuries (South Sound Business)

https://www.southsoundbiz.com/news/apprenticeships-study-fewer-injuries/article_3d1dc298-96c4-11ed-89c9-1bb5a1238a61.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Close British Columbia Mayoral Race Wasn’t Bought with Cinnamon Rolls, Court Rules

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/pouce-coupe-mayoral-race-cinnamon-rolls

Planters Searches for Next Class of Peanutters to Drive the Nutmobile

https://www.wowt.com/2023/01/17/planters-searches-next-class-peanutters-drive-nutmobile/

A Moment That Changed Me: I Began Wearing Skirts with Pockets Big Enough to Hold a Wine Bottle

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/jan/18/moment-that-changed-me-i-began-wearing-skirts-with-pockets-big-enough-to-hold-wine-bottle

AP Photos: East Asia Marks Lunar New Year of the Rabbit

https://apnews.com/article/beijing-china-covid-e4e5a798eccc66fdc59eba5b5809e373

SONG OF THE DAY

The Pretenders – Brass in Pocket

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6W0clIT-zA

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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