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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Hackers Are ‘Increasingly Bold,’ NERC Warns, as Dragos
Report Identifies New Grid Threats (Utility Dive)
The U.S. Has Billions for Wind & Solar Projects. Good
Luck Plugging Them In. (NY Times – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/climate/renewable-energy-us-electrical-grid.html
KIRO 7 Uncovers Security Concerns & More Substation
Attacks in Washington (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
Yakama Nation Worries Huge Proposed Tri-Cities Wind Farm
Will Harm Antelope & the Land (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article272564982.html
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Is ‘Inadequate
& Plagued with Non-Functioning Stations’: J.D. Power (Utility Dive)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1.
Hackers Are ‘Increasingly Bold,’ NERC Warns, as
Dragos Report Identifies New Grid Threats
2.
KIRO 7 Uncovers Security Concerns & More
Substation Attacks in Washington
3.
Hydropower in Western U.S. Resurges after
Hitting 20-Year Low
4.
Electricity Production Costs Rose with Fuel
Costs in 2021, Delivery Cost Remained Elevated
5.
Montana: NorthWestern Eyes First Dibs on
Transmission Line Construction
6.
Bonneville Power Administration Will Contribute
Funds to SW Power Pool Markets+ Phase 1 Development
7.
Western Area Power Administration Powers Forward
with New Strategic Plan
8.
Xcel Energy Played a Leading Role in a Stealthy
Plan to Defend Natural Gas in Colorado
9.
Portland General Electric Utility Worker Arrested
on Allegations of DUI
10.
Guest Essay: Nation Needs Navy’s Nuclear
Knowledge – Nuclear Power May Not Be Popular, But It’s Essential
11.
Columnist: Why a U.S. National Electric Grid
Would Be Great for the Climate — And Is Nearly Impossible
12.
The U.S. Has Billions for Wind & Solar
Projects. Good Luck Plugging Them In.
13.
Yakama Nation Worries Huge Proposed Tri-Cities
Wind Farm Will Harm Antelope & the Land
14.
WA State: New Sunnyside-Area Solar Farm Draws
Support & Objections
15.
Clean Hydrogen Power Industry Seeks WA State Tax
Breaks
16.
WA State: REC Silicon on Track for 2023 Restart,
Posts Loss for Fourth Quarter of 2022
17.
Wind Farms Could Store Power in Pumped
Hydropower Reservoir
18.
Washington’s Salmon Population Struggling
Against Climate Change
19.
Rift in Idaho GOP Exposed Amid Multistate Water
Rule Lawsuit
20.
U.S. 2022 Power Plant Emissions Fell on Switch
from Coal to Gas – EPA
21.
Emitting Greenhouse Gases in WA? Here’s Who Will
Need to Pay Up to Pollute
22.
Pipeline Debate at Center of California Carbon
Capture Plans
23.
Fiber Networks as Community Development
24.
As Crypto Mines Aim for Climate Action, Critics
Call Greenwashing
25.
Massachusetts: Crypto Mining Operation Found in
School Crawl Space
26.
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Is
‘Inadequate & Plagued with Non-Functioning Stations’: J.D. Power
27.
E-Bike Batteries Blamed for 22 NYC Fires, Two
Deaths This Year
28.
WA State Support Advances First Mode Proving
Grounds for Mining Trucks at Former Centralia Coal Mine
29.
Stronger Geomagnetic Storm Now Expected;
Warnings & Watches Elevated
30.
‘We Can’t Find People to Work’: The Newest
Threat to Biden’s Climate Policies
31.
Washington State Considering Tax on Any Wi-Fi
Device
32.
Storm Brings Snow, Heavy Rain to Southern
California, Tornadoes to Oklahoma
33. U.S. Energy Department Assesses With ‘Low Confidence’ COVID May Have Originated from Chinese Lab Leak
WORD OF THE DAY - HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Divine /deh-VINE/ Adjective – 1a: of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God or a god b: being a deity c: directed to a deity 2a: supremely good: superb b: heavenly, godlike.
Rhapsody in Blue...
Gershwin’s piano.
Wood, ebony,
ivory
Made divine music
https://joelshorriblehaiku.blogspot.com/2020/02/rhapsody-in-blue.html
ENERGY &
UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Hackers Are ‘Increasingly Bold,’ NERC Warns, as Dragos
Report Identifies New Grid Threats (Utility Dive)
2.
KIRO 7 Uncovers Security Concerns & More
Substation Attacks in Washington (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
3.
Hydropower in Western U.S. Resurges after Hitting
20-Year Low (KUOW News, Seattle, WA)
4.
Electricity Production Costs Rose with Fuel
Costs in 2021, Delivery Cost Remained Elevated (U.S. Energy Information
Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=55639
5.
Montana: NorthWestern Eyes First Dibs on
Transmission Line Construction (Longview News-Journal, TX)
6.
Bonneville Power Administration Will Contribute
Funds to SW Power Pool Markets+ Phase 1 Development (Bonneville Power
Administration)
7.
Western Area Power Administration Powers Forward
with New Strategic Plan (Western Area Power Administration)
https://www.wapa.gov/newsroom/NewsReleases/2023/Pages/wapa-releases-new-strategic-plan.aspx
8.
Xcel Energy Played a Leading Role in a Stealthy
Plan to Defend Natural Gas in Colorado (Colorado Public Radio)
https://www.cpr.org/2023/02/27/xcel-energy-coloradans-for-energy-access/
9.
Portland General Electric Utility Worker
Arrested on Allegations of DUI (Oregonian, Portland, OR)
https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/02/pge-utility-worker-arrested-on-allegations-of-duii.html
SOAPBOX SERENADE
– VOX POPULI
10.
Guest Essay: Nation Needs Navy’s Nuclear
Knowledge – Nuclear Power May Not Be Popular, But It’s Essential (Bainbridge
Island Review, WA)
https://www.bainbridgereview.com/opinion/nation-needs-navys-nuclear-knowledge/
11.
Columnist: Why a U.S. National Electric Grid
Would Be Great for the Climate — And Is Nearly Impossible (CNBC)
RENEWABLE ENERGY
& SELF STORAGE
12.
The U.S. Has Billions for Wind & Solar
Projects. Good Luck Plugging Them In. (NY Times – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/climate/renewable-energy-us-electrical-grid.html
13.
Yakama Nation Worries Huge Proposed Tri-Cities Wind
Farm Will Harm Antelope & the Land (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article272564982.html
14.
WA State: New Sunnyside-Area Solar Farm Draws
Support & Objections (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)
15.
Clean Hydrogen Power Industry Seeks WA State Tax
Breaks (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)
https://nwnewsradio.com/northwest-news/clean-hydrogen-power-industry-seeks-state-tax-breaks/
16.
WA State: REC Silicon on Track for 2023 Restart,
Posts Loss for Fourth Quarter of 2022 (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2023/feb/23/rec-track-2023-restart-posts-loss-q4-2022/
17.
Wind Farms Could Store Power in Pumped
Hydropower Reservoir (Lewiston Morning Tribune, ID – Paywall Advisory)
FISH &
WILDLIFE
18.
Washington’s Salmon Population Struggling
Against Climate Change (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
WATER, WATER,
ANYWHERE?
19.
Rift in Idaho GOP Exposed Amid Multistate Water
Rule Lawsuit (Associated Press)
CLIMATE CHANGE
SEQUESTRATION VAULT
20.
U.S. 2022 Power Plant Emissions Fell on Switch from
Coal to Gas - EPA (Reuters)
21.
Emitting Greenhouse Gases in WA? Here’s Who Will
Need to Pay Up to Pollute (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
22.
Pipeline Debate at Center of California Carbon
Capture Plans (Associated Press)
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
23.
Fiber Networks as Community Development (Pots &
Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2023/02/27/fiber-networks-as-community-development/
BEAM ME UP,
SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY
24.
As Crypto Mines Aim for Climate Action, Critics
Call Greenwashing (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2023/02/crypto-mines-aim-climate-action-critics-call-greenwashing
25.
Massachusetts: Crypto Mining Operation Found in
School Crawl Space (Associated Press)
https://nowthisnews.com/news/police-crypto-mining-operation-found-in-school-crawl-space
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
26.
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Is ‘Inadequate
& Plagued with Non-Functioning Stations’: J.D. Power (Utility Dive)
27.
E-Bike Batteries Blamed for 22 NYC Fires, Two
Deaths This Year (Associated Press)
28.
WA State Support Advances First Mode Proving
Grounds for Mining Trucks at Former Centralia Coal Mine (South Sound Business)
BARREL O’ GREEN
POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
29.
Stronger Geomagnetic Storm Now Expected;
Warnings & Watches Elevated (Weatherboy)
https://weatherboy.com/stronger-geomagnetic-storm-now-expected-warnings-watches-elevated-g3-strong/
MANAGEMENT &
GOVERNANCE
30.
‘We Can’t Find People to Work’: The Newest
Threat to Biden’s Climate Policies (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/02/27/biden-climate-jobs-00080207
31.
Washington State Considering Tax on Any Wi-Fi Device
(KPQ-Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/washington-state-considering-tax-on-any-wifi-device/
OTHER THINGS TO
KNOW ABOUT TODAY
32.
Storm Brings Snow, Heavy Rain to Southern
California, Tornadoes to Oklahoma (NBC News)
33.
U.S. Energy Department Assesses With ‘Low
Confidence’ COVID May Have Originated from Chinese Lab Leak (NBC News)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Why Music Causes Memories to Flood Back
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/02/26/songs-music-memory-connection/
European Thirst for Tequila Aggravates Agave Crunch
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/european-thirst-tequila-aggravates-agave-crunch-2023-02-24/
Pilot Kept Flying Plane After Instructor Died, Thought He
Was Only ‘Joking’
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pilot-death-blackpool-airport-joke_n_63f66c9ae4b0a209e82b4138
Wisconsin Woman Breaks World Record with 118,791 Four-Leaf
Clovers
SONG OF THE DAY
George Gershwin - Rhapsody in Blue (Elmer Bernstein,
Conductor)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVh5cZ_ZvM
LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY
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