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ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE NORTHWEST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION
Power Supply Conference – December 5, 2023, in Portland, OR
Conference Overview: The NWPPA Power Supply Conference provides the expertise and insight to inform power supply decisions.
Who Should Attend: Power supply professionals; policymakers; general managers and CEOs; and finance, rate, and risk department managers.
HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
California: Santa
Ana Winds Trigger Power Shutoffs, Red Flag Alert (KTTV-TV, Los Angeles, CA)
https://www.foxla.com/news/red-flag-warning-santa-ana-winds-fire-danger-weather-california
Solar & Wind
Power Curtailments Are Rising in California (U.S. Energy Information
Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60822
Federal Officials
Say Plan for Water Cuts from Three Western States Is Enough to Protect Colorado
River (Associated Press)
As Washington Gas
Prices Stay Higher Than Almost Any Other State’s, Debate Over State Climate
Legislation Rages (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/oct/27/as-washington-gas-prices-stay-higher-than-almost-a/
Billions Of Crabs
Went Missing Around Alaska. Scientists Now Know What Happened to Them (Cable
News Network)
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/us/alaska-crabs-ocean-heat-climate
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. California:
Santa Ana Winds Trigger Power Shutoffs, Red Flag Alert
2. Avista
Will Have Smaller Rate Increases, Can’t Use Customer Money for Lawsuit Under
Settlement
3. Which
States Have the Cheapest Electricity in the U.S.?
4. Three
Key Transmission Links Get $1.3 Billion Boost with Federal Capacity Contracts
5. DOE
Issues Draft Plan for Speeding Up, Improving Grid Interconnections
6. Congress
Considering Hydropower Expansion in Washington State
7. Arizona:
Salt River Project Outlines Its Hydropower Investments, Plans to Expand
Capacity
8. WA
State: Presentation Shows Challenges Ahead for Douglas County PUD
9. Lawmakers,
Co-op Leaders Warn That Electricity Demand Could Outpace Supply
10. October
18 Info Session on Columbia River Treaty Now Available to Watch Online
11. Neo-Nazi
Domestic Terrorists Are Targeting Critical Power Stations in the U.S. with Guns
& Explosives in Coordinated Attacks, Watchdog Warns
12. Is
Gas ‘Clean’? States Rebrand Energy to Meet Electricity Targets
13. Artificial
Intelligence Threats Are Here. Are Biden & the Energy Industry Ready?
14. Solar
& Wind Power Curtailments Are Rising in California
15. Wind
Farm – Idaho Politicians Are Saying ‘Don’t Do It’ to Department of Interior
16. California:
Shasta County Fights Back, Plans Media Campaign Against Fountain Wind Project
17. Electrifying
Non-Powered Dams to Produce Renewable Energy
18. Portland
State Receives Federal Funding to Lead Regional Innovation in Smart Energy
Storage
19. This
Guy Climbs Wind Turbines to Keep Them Spinning
20. This
Energy Efficiency Engineer Uses His Old Portland Home as a Test Lab to Cut His
Utility Bills
21. Public
Power Utilities Address Smart Meter Supply Chain Constraints – Features EWEB,
Snohomish PUD, & Tacoma Power
22. Billions
Of Crabs Went Missing Around Alaska. Scientists Now Know What Happened to Them
23. Washington’s
Baker River Sockeye Salmon Run Smashes Record, Despite Hydroelectric Dams
24. As
Skagit Valley Waterways Get Warmer, the Swinomish Tribe Pushes to Save Fish
25. In
Seattle, Phones Ding. Killer Whales Could Be Close
26. Landfills
in Washington & Oregon Leaked ‘Explosive’ Levels of Methane Last Year
27. Federal
Officials Say Plan for Water Cuts from Three Western States Is Enough to
Protect Colorado River
28. As
Washington Gas Prices Stay Higher Than Almost Any Other State’s, Debate Over
State Climate Legislation Rages
29. Wyoming:
Part of Huge Electricity Rate Hike Is to Pay for Washington State Carbon Tax
30. Idaho
Congressional Delegation Wants to Give States a Veto on Public Energy Projects
31. Oregon
Cascades, Western States Losing Glaciers, New Analysis Finds
32. WA
Public Works Board Approves $4.3 Million in Broadband & Emergency
Construction Grants & Loans
33. Open
Access Networks Forecasted to Disrupt U.S. Broadband Market
34. President
Biden Issues Sweeping Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence
35. One
Year After Musk Acquired Twitter: Traffic, Revenue Down Across the Board
36. Taco
Bell Wins Legal Battle to Free ‘Taco Tuesday’
37. Energy
Legislation: House Republicans Pass First Government Funding Bill Under New
Speaker
38. Mainers
Will Vote on Replacing For-Profit Utilities with Public Power
39. Gross
Domestic Product Surges Past Expectations in Q3, Recession Less Likely
40. How
Extreme Weather in the U.S. May Have Affected the Pumpkins You Picked This Year
for Halloween
41. A
Glut of Potatoes Means Big Spud Dump Across the Pacific Northwest
42. Guest
Essay: More Action Needed to Keep the Spokane River on Road to Recovery
43.
Owning Our Identity: Empowering Cooperatives in
Rural America
WORD OF THE DAY
Procrustean \pruh-KRUSS-tee-un\ Adjective – 1: of, relating to, or typical of Procrustes *2: marked by arbitrary, often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances.
Amber insisted that a dress imposed upon her by a nosy store clerk did NOT fit. In her best procrustean manner, the clerk urged Amber to suck in her gut, wiggle into the dress and “accept it for the size it is.” “After all, sniffed the snooty clerk, fashion knows no size.” “Tell that to Tyra Banks,” muttered the irritated Amber.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
California: Santa Ana Winds Trigger Power
Shutoffs, Red Flag Alert (KTTV-TV, Los Angeles, CA)
https://www.foxla.com/news/red-flag-warning-santa-ana-winds-fire-danger-weather-california
2.
Avista Will Have Smaller Rate Increases, Can’t
Use Customer Money for Lawsuit Under Settlement (Jefferson Public Radio,
Ashland, OR)
3.
Which States Have the Cheapest Electricity in
the U.S.? (Microsoft Network)
4.
Three Key Transmission Links Get $1.3 Billion
Boost with Federal Capacity Contracts (Power Magazine)
5.
DOE Issues Draft Plan for Speeding Up, Improving
Grid Interconnections (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-grid-interconnection-roadmap-transmission-ferc/697881/
6.
Congress Considering Hydropower Expansion in
Washington State (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/ixp/1130/p/congress-considering-hydropower-expansion-in-washington-state/
7.
Arizona: Salt River Project Outlines Its
Hydropower Investments, Plans to Expand Capacity (KTAR Radio, Phoenix, AZ)
https://ktar.com/story/5545693/srp-outlines-their-hydropower-investments-plans-to-expand-capacity/
8.
WA State: Presentation Shows Challenges Ahead
for Douglas County PUD (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/presentation-shows-challenges-ahead-for-douglas-county-pud/
9.
Lawmakers, Co-op Leaders Warn That Electricity
Demand Could Outpace Supply (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)
https://www.electric.coop/lawmakers-co-op-leaders-warn-that-electricity-demand-could-outpace-supply
10.
October 18 Info Session on Columbia River Treaty
Now Available to Watch Online (Rossland Telegraph, BC)
https://rosslandtelegraph.com/2023/10/25/89515/
11.
Neo-Nazi Domestic Terrorists Are Targeting
Critical Power Stations in the U.S. with Guns & Explosives in Coordinated
Attacks, Watchdog Warns (The Daily Mail, UK)
12.
Is Gas ‘Clean’? States Rebrand Energy to Meet
Electricity Targets. (E&E News)
https://www.eenews.net/articles/is-gas-clean-states-rebrand-energy-to-meet-electricity-targets/
13.
Artificial Intelligence Threats Are Here. Are
Biden & the Energy Industry Ready? (E&E News)
https://www.eenews.net/articles/ai-threats-are-here-are-biden-and-the-energy-industry-ready/
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
14.
Solar & Wind Power Curtailments Are Rising in
California (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60822
15.
Wind Farm – Idaho Politicians Are Saying ‘Don’t Do
It’ to Department of Interior (KTVB-TV, Boise, ID)
16.
California: Shasta County Fights Back, Plans
Media Campaign Against Fountain Wind Project (Redding Record-Searchlight, CA –
Paywall Advisory)
17.
Electrifying Non-Powered Dams to Produce
Renewable Energy (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
https://www.pnnl.gov/publications/electrifying-non-powered-dams-produce-renewable-energy
18.
Portland State Receives Federal Funding to Lead
Regional Innovation in Smart Energy Storage (Portland State University)
19.
This Guy Climbs Wind Turbines to Keep Them
Spinning (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-wind-turbine-repair-1.7008888
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
20.
This Energy Efficiency Engineer Uses His Old
Portland Home as a Test Lab to Cut His Utility Bills (The Oregonian, Portland,
OR – Paywall Advisory)
21.
Public Power Utilities Address Smart Meter
Supply Chain Constraints – Features EWEB, Snohomish PUD, & Tacoma Power
(American Public Power Association)
FISH & WILDLIFE
22.
Billions Of Crabs Went Missing Around Alaska.
Scientists Now Know What Happened to Them (Cable News Network)
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/19/us/alaska-crabs-ocean-heat-climate
23.
Washington’s Baker River Sockeye Salmon Run
Smashes Record, Despite Hydroelectric Dams (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
24.
As Skagit Valley Waterways Get Warmer, the Swinomish
Tribe Pushes to Save Fish (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
25.
In Seattle, Phones Ding. Killer Whales Could Be
Close (Associated Press)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
26.
Landfills in Washington & Oregon Leaked ‘Explosive’
Levels of Methane Last Year (Grist Online)
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
27.
Federal Officials Say Plan for Water Cuts from Three
Western States Is Enough to Protect Colorado River (Associated Press)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
28.
As Washington Gas Prices Stay Higher Than Almost
Any Other State’s, Debate Over State Climate Legislation Rages (Spokesman
Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/oct/27/as-washington-gas-prices-stay-higher-than-almost-a/
29.
Wyoming: Part of Huge Electricity Rate Hike Is
to Pay for Washington State Carbon Tax (Cowboy State Daily, WY)
30.
Idaho Congressional Delegation Wants to Give
States a Veto on Public Energy Projects (Boise State Public Radio, ID)
https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/2023-10-25/idaho-delegation-public-energy-projects
31.
Oregon Cascades, Western States Losing Glaciers,
New Analysis Finds (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2023/10/29/western-states-glacier-melting-research/
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
32.
WA Public Works Board Approves $4.3 Million in Broadband
& Emergency Construction Grants & Loans (WA Dept. Of Commerce)
33.
Open Access Networks Forecasted to Disrupt U.S.
Broadband Market (Broadband Communities)
https://bbcmag.com/open-access-networks-forecasted-to-disrupt-u-s-broadband-market/
BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF
TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY
34.
President Biden Issues Sweeping Executive Order on
Artificial Intelligence (The Hill, Washington, DC)
https://news.yahoo.com/biden-issues-sweeping-executive-order-090000880.html
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
35.
One Year After Musk Acquired Twitter: Traffic,
Revenue Down Across the Board (Mashablre)
https://mashable.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-x-one-year-numbers
36.
Taco Bell Wins Legal Battle to Free ‘Taco
Tuesday’ (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/oct/26/taco-bell-wins-legal-battle-to-free-taco-tuesday/
GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT
37.
Energy Legislation: House Republicans Pass First
Government Funding Bill Under New Speaker (The Hill, Washington, DC)
38.
Mainers Will Vote on Replacing For-Profit
Utilities with Public Power (Canary Media)
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
39.
Gross Domestic Product Surges Past Expectations in
Q3, Recession Less Likely (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
https://www.fox13seattle.com/money/gdp-q3-consumer-spending-recession
40.
How Extreme Weather in the U.S. May Have
Affected the Pumpkins You Picked This Year for Halloween (Associated Press)
41.
A Glut of Potatoes Means Big Spud Dump Across the
Pacific Northwest (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
https://www.nwpb.org/2023/10/26/a-glut-of-potatoes-means-big-spud-dump-across-the-northwest/
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
42.
Guest Essay: More Action Needed to Keep the
Spokane River on Road to Recovery (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/oct/29/jerry-white-jr-more-action-needed-to-keep-river-on/
43.
Owning Our Identity: Empowering Cooperatives in
Rural America (The Hill, Washington, DC)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Ancient Amazon
River Rock Carvings Exposed by Drought
Have You Ever
Experienced ‘Jamais Vu’? Here’s What It Is & Why It Happens.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jamais-vu-opposite-deja-vu_l_65303458e4b03b213b0870f4
14-Year-Old Who
Invented Soap to Treat Skin Cancer Named America’s Top Young Scientist
https://www.yahoo.com/news/14-old-invented-soap-treat-190640168.html?.tsrc=1013
Hundreds of People in
Spider-Man Costumes Gather in Argentina
SONG OF THE DAY
Crosby, Stills,
Nash, & Young - Deja Vu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCs6Tpd5sFQ
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links.
Although I choose
stories that are accessible without paying a subscription, individual
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