Monday, May 22, 2023

The Energy News Digest for May 22, 2023

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

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HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

U.S. States Reach Colorado River Water Conservation Deal (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/us-states-reach-colorado-river-145543430.html

NERC Urges Power Plant, Transmission Owners to Prepare for Winter in Highest-Level Alert Ever Issued (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nerc-winter-preparedness-extreme-weather-ourages-power-plants-alert/650380/

Bipartisan Senate Bill Aims to Preserve Hydropower Fleet, Spur Gigawatts of Pumped Storage (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/senate-bill-hydro-dam-pumped-storage-permitting-reform-cantwell-daines/650473/

How Solar Farms Took Over the California Desert: ‘An Oasis Has Become a Dead Sea’ (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/21/solar-farms-energy-power-california-mojave-desert

AI Data-Center Boom Will Spur Energy Crisis, Chip CEO Warns (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-18/ai-data-center-boom-will-spur-energy-crisis-ampere-computing-ceo-says

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      NERC Urges Power Plant, Transmission Owners to Prepare for Winter in Highest-Level Alert Ever Issued

2.      Bipartisan Senate Bill Aims to Preserve Hydropower Fleet, Spur Gigawatts of Pumped Storage

3.      California Has a New $7.3 Billion Plan to Fix Its Transmission Problems

4.      Growth, Drought, Aging Infrastructure: Here’s Why Idaho Utility Prices Are Rising

5.      Despite Decades of Warning, Looming Natural Gas Shortage Threatens to Drive Up Alaska Energy Prices

6.      Virtual Listening Session Following The 17th Round of Negotiations to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty Regime

7.      California: Huntington Beach Pulls Out of Troubled Orange County Power Authority

8.      First Nuclear Fusion Plants to Need $7 Billion Supply Chain, Survey Shows

9.      How Solar Farms Took Over the California Desert: ‘An Oasis Has Become a Dead Sea’

10.   Pacific Northwest Partnership to Study Hydrogen Production from Hydropower

11.   Lake Elsinore Hydroelectric Project Again Denied License Application

12.   DOE Report Outlines 10 Actions Needed to Achieve 100% Clean Electricity

13.   Problematic Wind Turbines Stump Experts

14.   Most Newly Built Homes in Washington Include Air Conditioning – A Change from Decades Past

15.   Amid a Battle Over Snake River Dams, a Look at How the Salmon Are Doing

16.   Seattle City Light Seeks Dam License Renewal with Focus on Fish Passage

17.   Chile’s Firefighting Goats Protect a Native Forest from Deadly Blazes

18.   U.S. States Reach Colorado River Water Conservation Deal

19.   Incredible Shrinking Lakes: Humans, Climate Change, Diversion Costs Trillions of Gallons Annually

20.   Global Temperatures Could Soon Briefly Breach Climate Threshold, Scientists Warn

21.   Hot Summer Ahead for Much of the U.S.

22.   Trevi Fountain Water Turned Black by Climate Activists Protesting Fossil Fuels

23.   Grays Harbor PUD, Other Public Utilities Among $121 Million in Broadband Infrastructure Investments Statewide

24.   Jill Biden Touts Efforts to Bring Better Internet to Alaska Native Villages

25.   Congressional Republicans Aim to Streamline Broadband Expansion

26.   AI Data-Center Boom Will Spur Energy Crisis, Chip CEO Warns

27.   Facebook Parent Meta Hit with Record Fine for Transferring European User Data to U.S.

28.   Meta Blames Tech Issue for Widespread Instagram Disruption

29.   Gov. Newsom Unveils Sweeping Plan to Speed Up California Infrastructure Projects

30.   Ukraine Restores Power to Russia-Occupied Nuclear Plant

31.   Editorial: Time for Tri-Citians Opposed to Horse Heaven Wind Farm to Rally. Here’s What’s Needed

32.   Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Priorities for Building America’s Energy Infrastructure Faster, Safer, & Cleaner

WORD OF THE DAY

Nadir \NAY-deer\ Noun – 1: the point of the celestial sphere that is directly opposite the zenith and vertically downward from the observer 2: the lowest point.

A fall at the wastewater treatment plant’s intake, and the succeeding journey would live forever in Ambrose’ memory. After careening down pipes and through trenches, he thought he had reached the nadir of his sloppy, gut-wrenching journey through the bowels of the facility. Upon hearing the whirling sounds emanating from the upcoming digesting tanks, he knew he was wrong.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.    NERC Urges Power Plant, Transmission Owners to Prepare for Winter in Highest-Level Alert Ever Issued (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/nerc-winter-preparedness-extreme-weather-ourages-power-plants-alert/650380/

2.    Bipartisan Senate Bill Aims to Preserve Hydropower Fleet, Spur Gigawatts of Pumped Storage (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/senate-bill-hydro-dam-pumped-storage-permitting-reform-cantwell-daines/650473/

3.    California Has a New $7.3 Billion Plan to Fix Its Transmission Problems (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/transmission/california-has-a-new-7-3b-plan-to-fix-its-transmission-problems

4.    Growth, Drought, Aging Infrastructure: Here’s Why Idaho Utility Prices Are Rising (Investigate Northwest)

https://www.invw.org/2023/05/18/growth-drought-aging-infrastructure-heres-why-idaho-utility-prices-are-rising/

5.    Despite Decades of Warning, Looming Natural Gas Shortage Threatens to Drive Up Alaska Energy Prices (KDLL Radio, Kenai, AK)

https://www.kdll.org/local-news/2023-05-18/despite-decades-of-warning-looming-natural-gas-shortage-threatens-to-drive-up-alaska-energy-prices

6.    Virtual Listening Session Following The 17th Round of Negotiations to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty Regime (U.S. Department Of State)

https://www.state.gov/virtual-listening-session-following-the-17th-round-of-negotiations-to-modernize-the-columbia-river-treaty-regime/

7.    California: Huntington Beach Pulls Out of Troubled Orange County Power Authority (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/story/2023-05-17/huntington-beach-withdraws-from-orange-county-power-authority

8.    First Nuclear Fusion Plants to Need $7 Billion Supply Chain, Survey Shows (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/first-nuclear-fusion-plants-need-7-bln-supply-chain-survey-2023-05-17/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

9.    How Solar Farms Took Over the California Desert: ‘An Oasis Has Become a Dead Sea’ (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/21/solar-farms-energy-power-california-mojave-desert

10. Pacific Northwest Partnership to Study Hydrogen Production from Hydropower (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/pacific-northwest-partnership-study-hydrogen-production-hydropower

11. Lake Elsinore Hydroelectric Project Again Denied License Application (Press-Enterprise, Riverside, CA)

https://www.pressenterprise.com/2023/05/19/lake-elsinore-hydroelectric-project-again-denied-license-application/

12. DOE Report Outlines 10 Actions Needed to Achieve 100% Clean Electricity (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/department-energy-report-clean-electricity-ten-actions/650655/

13. Problematic Wind Turbines Stump Experts (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/problematic-wind-turbines-stump-experts-154600692.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

14. Most Newly Built Homes in Washington Include Air Conditioning – A Change from Decades Past (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/air-conditioning-homes-real-estate-western-washington/281-325c85b7-ef4f-47e1-8614-ce2d87003abb

FISH & WILDLIFE

15. Amid a Battle Over Snake River Dams, a Look at How the Salmon Are Doing (Capital Press)

https://www.capitalpress.com/ag_sectors/grains/amid-a-battle-over-snake-river-dams-a-look-at-how-the-salmon-are-doing/article_c76c740a-dadd-11ed-ad18-9fb96a214c52.html

16. Seattle City Light Seeks Dam License Renewal with Focus on Fish Passage (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/city-light-seeks-dam-license-renewal-with-focus-on-fish-passage/

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

17. Chile’s Firefighting Goats Protect a Native Forest from Deadly Blazes (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/chiles-firefighting-goats-protect-native-forest-deadly-blazes-2023-05-14/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

18. U.S. States Reach Colorado River Water Conservation Deal (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/us-states-reach-colorado-river-145543430.html

19. Incredible Shrinking Lakes: Humans, Climate Change, Diversion Costs Trillions of Gallons Annually (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-shrinking-lakes-heat-consumption-fe6c692f7a5fe4b1eb719fa1cebaaca0

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

20. Global Temperatures Could Soon Briefly Breach Climate Threshold, Scientists Warn (Washington Post, DC – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/05/17/climate-change-threshold-el-nino-record-global-heat/

21. Hot Summer Ahead for Much of the U.S. (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/2023/05/19/hot-summer-ahead-us-climate-outlook

22. Trevi Fountain Water Turned Black by Climate Activists Protesting Fossil Fuels (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trevi-fountain-italy-water-turned-black-by-climate-activists-protesting-fossil-fuels/

LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS

23. Grays Harbor PUD, Other Public Utilities Among $121 Million in Broadband Infrastructure Investments Statewide (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

https://www.kxro.com/grays-harbor-pud-among-121-million-in-broadband-infrastructure-investments-statewide/

24. Jill Biden Touts Efforts to Bring Better Internet to Alaska Native Villages (Associated Press)

https://krdo.com/news/2023/05/18/jill-biden-touts-efforts-to-bring-better-internet-to-alaska-native-villages/

25. Congressional Republicans Aim to Streamline Broadband Expansion (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_7e38802e-f420-11ed-8fdc-4febfa62b961.html

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

26. AI Data-Center Boom Will Spur Energy Crisis, Chip CEO Warns (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-18/ai-data-center-boom-will-spur-energy-crisis-ampere-computing-ceo-says

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

27. Facebook Parent Meta Hit with Record Fine for Transferring European User Data to U.S. (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3891639/facebook-parent-meta-hit-with-record-fine-for-transferring-european-user-data-to-us/

28. Meta Blames Tech Issue for Widespread Instagram Disruption (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-22/instagram-suffers-brief-outage-affecting-hundred-of-thousands#xj4y7vzkg

MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE

29. Gov. Newsom Unveils Sweeping Plan to Speed Up California Infrastructure Projects (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2023-05-19/newsom-infrastructure-california-bridges-highways-water-projects-environment-development-ceqa

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

30. Ukraine Restores Power to Russia-Occupied Nuclear Plant (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zaporizhzhia-nuclear-plant-switched-standby-russia-installed-official-2023-05-22/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

31. Editorial: Time for Tri-Citians Opposed to Horse Heaven Wind Farm to Rally. Here’s What’s Needed (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/editorials/article275508466.html

32. Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Outlines Priorities for Building America’s Energy Infrastructure Faster, Safer, & Cleaner (White House)

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/10/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-outlines-priorities-for-building-americas-energy-infrastructure-faster-safer-and-cleaner/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

 

‘Taco Tuesday’ Trademark Tiff Flares Anew Between Fast Food Competitors

https://apnews.com/article/taco-tuesday-trademark-taco-bell-911e62f2dc664c2a428c6741a94955e5

 

Angler’s 118-Pound Catch Breaks Oklahoma Record — And Officials Are Thanking Him

https://news.yahoo.com/angler-118-pound-catch-breaks-155949373.html

 

Why Birds & Their Songs Are Good for Our Mental Health

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2023/birds-song-nature-mental-health-benefits/#

 

Philadelphia Restaurant Sets ‘Gold Standard’ with $700 Burger

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/05/19/drury-gold-standard-burger-philadelphia/1191684511499/

SONG OF THE DAY

Jimmy Buffett – Cheeseburger in Paradise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PfZ4QVqCs8

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

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