Monday, February 13, 2023

The Energy News Digest for February 13, 2023

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

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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Extreme Northwest Weather -- Hot & Cold -- Drives New Record at Only WA Nuclear Plant (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/extreme-northwest-weather----hot-and-cold----drives-new-record/article_9c0b721f-6b9b-5aba-83ca-7f3dcbbc9f1b.html

Western Power Pool Announces FERC Approval of Western Region Adequacy Program Tariff (Western Power Pool)

https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/wpp-announces-ferc-approval-of-wrap-tariff

Oregon Churns Out Renewable Energy But Needs Batteries to Store It (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.ijpr.org/environment-energy-and-transportation/2023-02-12/oregon-churns-out-renewable-energy-but-needs-batteries-to-store-it

Most U.S. States Lag Behind California in Electrical Vehicles Adoption by at Least Five Years (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/most-us-states-lag-california-ev-adoption-5-years-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure/642521/

Spring Chinook Salmon Bound for Snake River Forecast to Be Up from Last Year (Billings Gazette, MT - Paywall Advisory)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/spring-chinook-salmon-bound-for-snake-river-forecast-to-be-up-from-last-year/article_5d057f3c-a723-11ed-8e1c-fb85efe0d896.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Extreme Northwest Weather -- Hot & Cold -- Drives New Record at Only WA Nuclear Plant

2.      Clean Energy Solution? Tri-Cities Lawmaker Wants WA Support for New Nuclear Sources

3.      Western Power Pool Announces FERC Approval of Western Region Adequacy Program Tariff

4.      Alaska: Railbelt Utilities Again Scramble to Fill Expected Cook Inlet Gas Shortages

5.      WA Lawmakers Seek to Ban Some Utility Shutoffs During Extreme Heat

6.      New Mexico: Local Choice Energy Act Passes Senate Conservation Committee

7.      California’s Surging Energy Bills Are Its Own Fault

8.      South Africa Invokes Disaster Law to Tackle Energy Crisis

9.      Energy Australia Fined $1.5 Million for ‘Preventable’ Death of Power Worker Exposed to Live Wires

10.   Editorial: Call Attacks on the U.S. Power Grid What They Are: Domestic Terrorism

11.   Oregon Churns Out Renewable Energy But Needs Batteries to Store It

12.   WA State Officials Ready to Recommend Approval of Two Yakima County Solar Projects

13.   Solar Panels Are the Midwest’s New Cash Crop as Green Energy Booms

14.   Whale Deaths Exploited in ‘Cynical Disinformation’ Campaign Against Offshore Wind Power, Advocates Say

15.   Biden Administration Proposes More Stringent Efficiency Standards for Refrigerators, Clothes Washers

16.   Chart: Americans Bought More Heat Pumps Than Gas Furnaces Last Year

17.   Bonneville Power Administration Launches New Energy Efficiency Tracking System, Expediting Processing Times by 25%

18.   British Columbian Couples Quarrel Over Home Energy Use

19.   Spring Chinook Salmon Bound for Snake River Forecast to Be Up from Last Year

20.   Olympic Peninsula Trout Species Under Consideration for Endangered Species List

21.   ‘Rights of Nature’ Movement Gains Steam in Pacific Northwest. Can It Help Species on the Brink?

22.   How Extreme Heat Scorched Pacific Northwest’s Evergreen Trees

23.   California Bill Would Protect Native Western Joshua Tree

24.   For First Time, Glen Canyon Dam Alternatives Addressed by Federal Government

25.   Washington Bill Could Allow Department of Natural Resources to Sell Carbon Credits

26.   Supporters of a Controversial Climate Solution Say It Could Be Key. Critics Believe It Is the Path to Catastrophe

27.   Comcast Becomes the Latest ISP Caught Providing False Coverage Data to the FCC

28.   Why Northwest Officials Are Only Now Deciding How to Regulate Crypto Mining

29.   Most U.S. States Lag Behind California in Electrical Vehicles Adoption by at Least Five Years

30.   Exclusive: To Tap U.S. Government Billions, Tesla Must Unlock Electric Vehicle Chargers

31.   As Electric Car Sales Surge, Their Benefits Are Increasingly Criticized

32.   Twitter’s Plan to Charge for Crucial Tool Prompts Outcry

33.   TV Take: Super Bowl Commercials Were Mostly a Letdown, But a Few Stole the Show

34.   Lisa Brown Stepping Down as WA Commerce Director. Is That a Precursor to Running for Spokane Mayor?

35.   Snow Expected in Western Oregon as Cold Front Moves into the Region

36.   Snow a Possibility Across Puget Sound on Valentine’s Day

37.   Here’s Why Mysterious Flying Objects Are Suddenly Popping Up All Over the Place

WORD OF THE DAY

Magniloquent /mag-NILL-uh-kwunt/ Adjective – Language intended to sound very impressive and important, or a person who uses such language.

     Designed to confuse

     The magniloquent word fog

     Baffles with B-S

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Extreme Northwest Weather -- Hot & Cold -- Drives New Record at Only WA Nuclear Plant (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/northwest/extreme-northwest-weather----hot-and-cold----drives-new-record/article_9c0b721f-6b9b-5aba-83ca-7f3dcbbc9f1b.html

2.      Clean Energy Solution? Tri-Cities Lawmaker Wants WA Support for New Nuclear Sources (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/politics-government/article272242253.html

3.      Western Power Pool Announces FERC Approval of Western Region Adequacy Program Tariff (Western Power Pool)

https://www.westernpowerpool.org/news/wpp-announces-ferc-approval-of-wrap-tariff

4.      Alaska: Railbelt Utilities Again Scramble to Fill Expected Cook Inlet Gas Shortages (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

https://www.adn.com/business-economy/energy/2023/02/12/railbelt-utilities-again-scramble-to-fill-expected-cook-inlet-gas-shortages/

5.      WA Lawmakers Seek to Ban Some Utility Shutoffs During Extreme Heat (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/state-politics/lawmakers-seek-ban-some-utility-shutoffs/281-9eedf846-6009-4563-8b62-fefbefde0603

6.      New Mexico: Local Choice Energy Act Passes Senate Conservation Committee (New Mexico Political Report)

https://nmpoliticalreport.com/2023/02/10/local-choice-energy-act-passes-senate-conservation-committee/

7.      California’s Surging Energy Bills Are Its Own Fault (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/california-surging-energy-bills-problem-150025225.html

8.      South Africa Invokes Disaster Law to Tackle Energy Crisis (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-african-president-declares-state-disaster-over-power-crisis-2023-02-09/

9.      Energy Australia Fined $1.5 Million for ‘Preventable’ Death of Power Worker Exposed to Live Wires (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/13/energy-australia-fined-15m-for-preventable-death-of-power-worker-exposed-to-live-wires

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

10.   Editorial: Call Attacks on the U.S. Power Grid What They Are: Domestic Terrorism (Las Vegas Sun, NV – Paywall Advisory)

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2023/feb/12/call-attacks-on-the-us-power-grid-what-they-are-do/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

11.   Oregon Churns Out Renewable Energy But Needs Batteries to Store It (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.ijpr.org/environment-energy-and-transportation/2023-02-12/oregon-churns-out-renewable-energy-but-needs-batteries-to-store-it

12.   WA State Officials Ready to Recommend Approval of Two Yakima County Solar Projects (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/state-officials-ready-to-recommend-approval-of-two-yakima-county-solar-projects/article_7f27252a-a8a9-11ed-9732-9304dbcd94fa.html

13.   Solar Panels Are the Midwest’s New Cash Crop as Green Energy Booms (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-07/solar-power-booms-in-coal-dependent-republican-us-states

14.   Whale Deaths Exploited in ‘Cynical Disinformation’ Campaign Against Offshore Wind Power, Advocates Say (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/11/whale-deaths-and-windmills/11178432002/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

15.   Biden Administration Proposes More Stringent Efficiency Standards for Refrigerators, Clothes Washers (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3853321-biden-administration-proposes-more-stringent-efficiency-standards-for-refrigerators-clothes-washers/

16.   Chart: Americans Bought More Heat Pumps Than Gas Furnaces Last Year (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/chart-americans-bought-more-heat-pumps-than-gas-furnaces-last-year

17.   Bonneville Power Administration Launches New Energy Efficiency Tracking System, Expediting Processing Times by 25% (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20230209-bpa-launches-new-ee-tracking-system-expediting-processing-times-by-25

18.   British Columbian Couples Quarrel Over Home Energy Use (E-Know Canada)

https://www.e-know.ca/regions/east-kootenay/british-columbians-quarrel-over-home-energy-use/

FISH & WILDLIFE

19.   Spring Chinook Salmon Bound for Snake River Forecast to Be Up from Last Year (Billings Gazette, MT - Paywall Advisory)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/spring-chinook-salmon-bound-for-snake-river-forecast-to-be-up-from-last-year/article_5d057f3c-a723-11ed-8e1c-fb85efe0d896.html

20.   Olympic Peninsula Trout Species Under Consideration for Endangered Species List (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/trout-species-under-consideration-for-endangered-species-list/

21.   ‘Rights of Nature’ Movement Gains Steam in Pacific Northwest. Can It Help Species on the Brink? (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/rights-of-nature-movement-gains-steam-in-pacific-northwest-can-it-help-species-on-the-brink/

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

22.   How Extreme Heat Scorched Pacific Northwest’s Evergreen Trees (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/how-extreme-heat-scorched-pacific-northwests-evergreen-trees/

23.   California Bill Would Protect Native Western Joshua Tree (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/politics-miami-marlins-gavin-newsom-california-plants-921a35bb24748cc037f588ac6dbf8948

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

24.   For First Time, Glen Canyon Dam Alternatives Addressed by Federal Government (KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV)

https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/for-first-time-glen-canyon-dam-alternatives-addressed-by-federal-government/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

25.   Washington Bill Could Allow Department of Natural Resources to Sell Carbon Credits (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/02/13/washington-bill-could-allow-department-of-natural-resources-to-sell-carbon-credits/

26.   Supporters of a Controversial Climate Solution Say It Could Be Key. Critics Believe It Is the Path to Catastrophe (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/12/world/solar-dimming-geoengineering-climate-solution-intl/index.html

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

27.   Comcast Becomes the Latest ISP Caught Providing False Coverage Data to the FCC (TechSpot)

https://www.techspot.com/news/97569-comcast-becomes-latest-isp-caught-providing-false-coverage.html

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

28.   Why Northwest Officials Are Only Now Deciding How to Regulate Crypto Mining (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/feb/10/why-northwest-officials-are-only-now-deciding-how-/

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

29.   Most U.S. States Lag Behind California in Electrical Vehicles Adoption by at Least Five Years (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/most-us-states-lag-california-ev-adoption-5-years-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure/642521/

30.   Exclusive: To Tap U.S. Government Billions, Tesla Must Unlock Electric Vehicle Chargers (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/technology/tap-us-government-billions-tesla-must-unlock-ev-chargers-2023-02-10/

31.   As Electric Car Sales Surge, Their Benefits Are Increasingly Criticized (New York Post, NY)

https://nypost.com/2023/02/11/as-electric-car-sales-surge-their-benefits-are-increasingly-criticized/

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

32.   Twitter’s Plan to Charge for Crucial Tool Prompts Outcry (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2023-02-13/twitters-plan-to-charge-for-crucial-tool-prompts-outcry

33.   TV Take: Super Bowl Commercials Were Mostly a Letdown, But a Few Stole the Show (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/feb/12/tv-take-super-bowl-commercials-were-mostly-a-let-d/

GOVERNMENT & GOVERNANCE

34.   Lisa Brown Stepping Down as WA Commerce Director. Is That a Precursor to Running for Spokane Mayor? (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/feb/13/lisa-brown-to-step-down-in-march-as-commerce-direc/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

35.   Snow Expected in Western Oregon as Cold Front Moves into the Region (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/02/13/snow-expected-in-western-oregon-as-cold-front-moves-into-the-region/

36.   Snow a Possibility Across Puget Sound on Valentine’s Day (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3822409/scattered-snow-across-puget-sound-a-possibility-for-valentines-day/

37.   Here’s Why Mysterious Flying Objects Are Suddenly Popping Up All Over the Place (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/heres-why-mysterious-flying-objects-173547135.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Mahomes, Chiefs Beat Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII

https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95

Australia-Bound NYC Man Accidentally Books Flight to Sidney, Montana

https://pix11.com/news/australia-bound-nyc-man-accidentally-books-flight-to-sidney-montana/

Ghost the Dog Found Living with a Pack of Coyotes for Months in Nevada

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/2023/02/09/dog-rescued-nevada-desert-after-living-pack-coyotes/11219405002/

1908 Harley-Davidson Sells for a Record $935,000

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/02/13/1908-Harley-Davidson-auctioned-record-price/4361676323367/

SONG OF THE DAY

Paul Pena – Jet Airliner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9XoIUGseMs

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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