The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association.
The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring you breaking news throughout the week.
Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.
ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE NORTHWEST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION
The deadline to nominate an exceptional Public Power employee for NWPPA’s 2023 Annual Awards has been extended to Friday, Feb. 10. Honor a colleague by submitting a nomination today at www.nwppa.org/members/awards-nominations/,
HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
By 2050, Washington Might Need to Buy Energy from Other
States (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/politics/2023/02/2050-washington-might-need-buy-energy-other-states
Maryland: Suspects Arrested in Plot to Attack Power
Stations, Destroy Baltimore: Prosecutors (ABC News)
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/suspects-arrested-plot-attack-power-161809772.html
Alaska: Judge to Decide Orca/Chinook Suit (Ketchikan Daily
News, AK)
Amazon Fuel Cells Would Use Natural Gas to Power Oregon Data
Centers, Increasing Carbon Footprint (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
‘Too Close, Too Big.’ Strong Opposition for Huge Tri-Cities
Wind Farm, Despite Jobs (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://news.yahoo.com/too-close-too-big-strong-205845648.html
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
By 2050, Washington Might Need to Buy Energy
from Other States
2.
Maryland: Suspects Arrested in Plot to Attack
Power Stations, Destroy Baltimore: Prosecutors
3.
Neo-Nazi Leader, Maryland Woman Charged with
Conspiracy to Destroy Energy Facilities
4.
Terror Suspect Charged for Damaging Power Plant
Outside Las Vegas Found Incompetent
5.
Registered Entities: Expect a Significant
Increase in NERC’s Focus on Physical Security
6.
Avista Files for New Electric, Natural Gas Rate
Plan in Idaho to Recover Investment, Operating Costs
7.
California Regulators Deliver Climate Credits
Early to Offer Relief from High Utility Bills
8.
Angry About Your Gas Bill? Spikes Follow Big
Raises for California Utility Executives
9.
Oregon Electrical Co-op Workers Volunteer to
Electrify Village in Guatemala
10.
WA State: Chelan County PUD Customers to Receive
New Meters Soon
11.
Columbia River Treaty Renewal Won’t Just Go with
the Flow: Salmon, Environment, First Nation Interests on the Table
12.
Western Energy Imbalance Market Tops $3B in
Benefits
13.
Poor Rural Connectivity Costs Lives
14.
‘Too Close, Too Big.’ Strong Opposition for Huge
Tri-Cities Wind Farm, Despite Jobs
15.
Can Bighorn Sheep, a Bullet Train & a Huge
Solar Farm Coexist in the Mojave Desert?
16.
How Art Lovers Helped Defeat America’s Largest
Solar Farm
17.
Oregon: First U.S. Grid-Connected Wave Energy
Test Site Reaches Key Construction Milestones
18.
Massive Green Energy Company Reports Nearly $1
Billion in Losses, Calls For ‘Further Governmental Action’
19.
Um… How Much Can You Save by Using a Space
Heater? We Do the Math
20.
Counterpoint: Space Heaters May Be the Number
One Culprit of High Energy Bills in Mason County
21.
Alaska: Judge to Decide Orca/Chinook Suit
22.
With Runs Rising, State Questions How to Manage
Smelt in the Columbia, Cowlitz Rivers
23.
California: Two Bald Eagles Nested in a Pine for
Years. A Utility Company Tried to Chop It Down
24.
California Threatens to Blow Up a Deal to Save
the Colorado River
25.
As Climate Change & Overuse Shrink Lake
Powell, The Emergent Landscape Is Coming Back to Life – And Posing New
Challenges
26.
Partnership Between Spokane Public Schools,
Gonzaga Pushes Climate Science for Elementary Students
27.
Climate Denial Campaign Goes Retro with New
Textbook
28.
Idaho Broadband Advisory Board Announces Funding
Awards
29.
Amazon Fuel Cells Would Use Natural Gas to Power
Oregon Data Centers, Increasing Carbon Footprint
30.
Facebook Now Has 2 Billion Users
31.
‘Eyesore.’ First Vote on WA Bill to Stop Wind
Turbine Lights from Blinking All Night
32. Bill Looks to Encourage Nuclear Tech in WA State Energy Goals
WORD OF THE DAY
Auteur • \AWT-ur\ • Noun - 1: a film director whose practice accords with the auteur theory; broadly: director 2: an artist (as a musician or writer) whose style and practice are distinctive
Used in a literal sense, “Tiny Tim” was a ukulele auteur. As an artist, perhaps not.
ENERGY &
UTILITY ISSUES
1.
By 2050, Washington Might Need to Buy Energy from
Other States (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/politics/2023/02/2050-washington-might-need-buy-energy-other-states
2.
Maryland: Suspects Arrested in Plot to Attack
Power Stations, Destroy Baltimore: Prosecutors (ABC News)
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/suspects-arrested-plot-attack-power-161809772.html
3.
Neo-Nazi Leader, Maryland Woman Charged with
Conspiracy to Destroy Energy Facilities (Courthouse News Service)
4.
Terror Suspect Charged for Damaging Power Plant
Outside Las Vegas Found Incompetent (Associated Press)
5.
Registered Entities: Expect a Significant
Increase in NERC’s Focus on Physical Security (JD Supra)
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/registered-entities-expect-a-3442803/
6.
Avista Files for New Electric, Natural Gas Rate
Plan in Idaho to Recover Investment, Operating Costs (Daily Energy Insider)
7.
California Regulators Deliver Climate Credits
Early to Offer Relief from High Utility Bills (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)
8.
Angry About Your Gas Bill? Spikes Follow Big
Raises for California Utility Executives (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall
Advisory)
9.
Oregon Electrical Co-op Workers Volunteer to Electrify
Village in Guatemala (KTVL-TV, Medford, OR)
10.
WA State: Chelan County PUD Customers to Receive
New Meters Soon (KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/chelan-county-pud-customers-to-receive-new-meters-soon/
11.
Columbia River Treaty Renewal Won’t Just Go with
the Flow: Salmon, Environment, First Nation Interests on the Table (Vancouver
Sun, BC)
12.
Western Energy Imbalance Market Tops $3B in
Benefits (T&D World)
SOAPBOX SERENADE
– VOX POPULI
13.
Poor Rural Connectivity Costs Lives (Pots &
Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2023/02/06/poor-rural-connectivity-costs-lives/
RENEWABLE ENERGY
& SELF STORAGE
14.
‘Too Close, Too Big.’ Strong Opposition for Huge
Tri-Cities Wind Farm, Despite Jobs (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://news.yahoo.com/too-close-too-big-strong-205845648.html
15.
Can Bighorn Sheep, a Bullet Train & a Huge
Solar Farm Coexist in the Mojave Desert? (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall
Advisory)
16.
How Art Lovers Helped Defeat America’s Largest
Solar Farm (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)
17.
Oregon: First U.S. Grid-Connected Wave Energy
Test Site Reaches Key Construction Milestones (Offshore Energy)
18.
Massive Green Energy Company Reports Nearly $1
Billion in Losses, Calls For ‘Further Governmental Action’ (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/massive-green-energy-company-reports-161012872.html
CONSERVATION
& EFFICIENCY
19.
Um… How Much Can You Save by Using a Space
Heater? We Do the Math (C|Net)
https://www.cnet.com/home/energy-and-utilities/does-using-a-space-heater-save-money/
20.
Counterpoint: Space Heaters May Be the Number
One Culprit of High Energy Bills in Mason County (Mason PUD 3, Shelton, WA)
https://www.pud3.org/service/energy-efficiency-education/portable-electric-space-heaters
FISH &
WILDLIFE
21.
Alaska: Judge to Decide Orca/Chinook Suit (Ketchikan
Daily News, AK)
22.
With Runs Rising, State Questions How to Manage
Smelt in the Columbia, Cowlitz Rivers (Longview Daily News, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
23.
California: Two Bald Eagles Nested in a Pine for
Years. A Utility Company Tried to Chop It Down (The Guardian, UK)
WATER, WATER,
ANYWHERE?
24.
California Threatens to Blow Up a Deal to Save
the Colorado River (Gizmodo)
https://news.yahoo.com/california-threatens-blow-deal-save-153300465.html
25.
As Climate Change & Overuse Shrink Lake
Powell, The Emergent Landscape Is Coming Back to Life – And Posing New
Challenges (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/climate-change-overuse-shrink-lake-132756173.html
CLIMATE CHANGE
SEQUESTRATION VAULT
26.
Partnership Between Spokane Public Schools, Gonzaga
Pushes Climate Science for Elementary Students (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/feb/02/classroom-energy-partnership-between-spokane-publi/
27.
Climate Denial Campaign Goes Retro with New
Textbook (Grist Online)
https://grist.org/science/climate-denial-campaign-goes-retro-with-new-textbook/
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
28.
Idaho Broadband Advisory Board Announces Funding
Awards (Newswires)
BEAM ME UP,
SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY
29.
Amazon Fuel Cells Would Use Natural Gas to Power
Oregon Data Centers, Increasing Carbon Footprint (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
PUBLIC RELATIONS,
MARKETING & MEDIA
30.
Facebook Now Has 2 Billion Users (Engadget)
https://www.engadget.com/facebook-2-billion-meta-q4-2022-earnings-223814979.html
GOVERNMENT &
GOVERNANCE
31.
‘Eyesore.’ First Vote on WA Bill to Stop Wind
Turbine Lights from Blinking All Night (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article272079042.html
32.
Bill Looks to Encourage Nuclear Tech in WA State
Energy Goals (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2023/feb/03/bill-looks-encourage-nuclear-tech-state-energy-goa/
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
San Antonio Zoo Will Let You Name a Cockroach After an Ex &
Feed It to an Animal
How to Make a Mummy: Ancient Egyptian Workshop Has New Clues
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/how-to-make-a-mummy-ancient-egyptian-workshop-17756670.php
Police Arrest Man They Say Left Dead Fish at Astoria’s ‘Goonies’
House, Stole Yacht & Prompted Harrowing Coast Guard Rescue
Beyoncé Emerges as Grammys Queen; Styles Wins Album Honor
https://apnews.com/article/2023-grammys-show-0a4bad7a27caf90868621973a504f40d
SONG OF THE DAY
The Pretenders – Thin Line Between Love and Hate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k17CU1SAGVk
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. I try to choose stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, although individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regular clearing of your browser’s history and cookie files may help in accessing some paywall sites.
Please note that media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.