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.
HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Environmental Groups Urge Regulators to Shut Down California
Reactor Over Safety, Testing Concerns (Associated Press)
Proposal to Fill Lake Mead by Draining Lake Powell Gets
Growing Support & Opposition (KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV)
Lawsuit Against Washington Cap-And-Trade Program Set for
Hearing (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/briefs/2023/09/lawsuit-against-washington-cap-and-trade-program-set-hearing
Washington’s Reworked Heat Pump Rules Get a Cool Reception
from Critics (Washington State Standard)
Appeals Court Will Hear Challenge to California’s New
Rooftop Solar Rules (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)
https://www.kpbs.org/news/environment/2023/09/14/legal-challenge-california-new-rooftop-solar-rules
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See
Stories Below)
1.
Environmental Groups Urge Regulators to Shut
Down California Reactor Over Safety, Testing Concerns
2.
Proposal to Fill Lake Mead by Draining Lake
Powell Gets Growing Support & Opposition
3.
California Regulators Propose Higher Rates for
Pacific Gas & Electric Customers to Reduce Wildfire Risk
4.
California Legislature Approves Plan Allowing
the State to Buy Power
5.
A $695K Salary? Overtime Pay at Snohomish County
PUD Has Soared
6.
Pacific Power Bills Could Increase for
Washington State Customers Starting in October
7.
WA State:
Kittitas PUD Commissioners Respond to Anonymous Threat Against Workers
8.
Southwest Power Pool Expands Western Reach with
Commitments from WAPA, Basin Electric
9.
Does Hydropower Have an Invisibility Problem?
10.
Wildfires Knocked Out Power to an Entire
California County. The Unprecedented Fight to Bring It Back
11.
Aberdeen Resident Selected to Lead WA PUD
Association; First Female to Hold Position in 87-Year History
12.
Financing the Expansion of the Electrical Grid –
It Won’t Be Easy or Cheap.
13.
Appeals Court Will Hear Challenge to
California’s New Rooftop Solar Rules
14.
Can Farms & Solar Energy Installations
Coexist?
15.
Sacramento Utility Rolls Out Its First
Long-Duration Grid Batteries
16.
Washington’s Reworked Heat Pump Rules Get a Cool
Reception from Critics
17.
Manufacturers, Efficiency Advocates Reach
Agreement on Rules for Refrigerators, Other Appliances
18.
As WA Heats Up, Thousands Have Received Free Air
Conditioners. But Challenges Remain
19.
APPA Voices Support for Bill That Calls for
Delaying DOE Plan Tied to Transformers
20.
Recreational Boaters to See New Rules for
Southern Resident Killer Whales Soon
21.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Selects Yakama
Nation in Chinook Salmon Hatchery Contract Shift
22.
Biden Administration Restores the Power of
States & Tribes to Review Projects to Protect Waterways
23.
Public Meetings to Show Vision for Completing
Columbia Basin Project
24.
Lawsuit Against Washington Cap-And-Trade Program
Set for Hearing
25.
How ‘Carbon Farming’ Could Help Oregon Reach Its
Climate Goals
26.
Tens of Thousands March to Demand End to Fossil
Fuels Ahead of U.N. Climate Summit
27.
AT&T Once Again Wants ‘Big Tech’ to Pay for
Broadband Upgrades
28.
Electrify America Charging Network Must Navigate
Patchwork of Utility Rates, Government Regulations
29.
America Passed the Electric Vehicle ‘Tipping
Point’ — But Many Buyers Still Want Gas
30.
U.S. House Passes Bill in Bid to Stop States
from Banning Gas-Powered Cars
31.
Power Up: What to Know About Electric Vehicle
Home Charging
32.
New Report Examines Benefits of Utility High
Brand Approval
33.
Sneaker Waves Possible Along Oregon Coast This
Week
34.
Washington Fish & Wildlife Biologist
Tragically Drowns During Steelhead Survey in Skamania County
35.
Preventable Flood? Experts In Libya Warned of
Dam Collapse for Years.
36.
Guest Essay: Herald Editorial Got Facts Wrong on
Dams’ Reliability
37.
News Release: U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA) Urges for
Transparency During Snake River Dam Mediation Process
WORD OF THE DAY
Uvula \YOU-view-lah\ Noun – That little fleshy lobe that hangs down in the back of the mouth.
Gary Larson Cartoon: (Medical Test) “For extra credit, name that thing that hangs down in the back of the mouth”
ENERGY &
UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Environmental Groups Urge Regulators to Shut
Down California Reactor Over Safety, Testing Concerns (Associated Press)
2.
Proposal to Fill Lake Mead by Draining Lake
Powell Gets Growing Support & Opposition (KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV)
3.
California Regulators Propose Higher Rates for Pacific
Gas & Electric Customers to Reduce Wildfire Risk (Associated Press)
4.
California Legislature Approves Plan Allowing the
State to Buy Power (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/california-electricity-offshore-wind-c876d0117171312758aea05f3505f4ef
5.
A $695K Salary? Overtime Pay at Snohomish County
PUD Has Soared (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/a-695k-salary-overtime-pay-at-the-snohomish-county-pud-has-soared/
6.
Pacific Power Bills Could Increase for Washington
State Customers Starting in October (Apple Valley News, Yakima, WA)
7.
WA State:
Kittitas PUD Commissioners Respond to Anonymous Threat Against Workers (Ellensburg
Daily Record, WA – Paywall Advisory)
8.
Southwest Power Pool Expands Western Reach with Commitments
from WAPA, Basin Electric (Utility Dive)
9.
Does Hydropower Have an Invisibility Problem? (National
Renewable Energy Laboratory)
https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2023/does-hydropower-have-an-invisibility-problem.html
10.
Wildfires Knocked Out Power to an Entire California
County. The Unprecedented Fight to Bring It Back (Los Angeles Times, CA –
Paywall Advisory)
11.
Aberdeen Resident Selected to Lead WA PUD Association;
First Female to Hold Position in 87-Year History (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
12.
Financing the Expansion of the Electrical Grid –
It Won’t Be Easy or Cheap. (Government Tech)
RENEWABLE ENERGY
& SELF STORAGE
13.
Appeals Court Will Hear Challenge to California’s
New Rooftop Solar Rules (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)
https://www.kpbs.org/news/environment/2023/09/14/legal-challenge-california-new-rooftop-solar-rules
14.
Can Farms & Solar Energy Installations
Coexist? (Columbia Insight)
https://columbiainsight.org/can-farms-and-solar-energy-installations-coexist/
15.
Sacramento Utility Rolls Out Its First
Long-Duration Grid Batteries (Canary Media)
CONSERVATION
& EFFICIENCY
16.
Washington’s Reworked Heat Pump Rules Get a Cool
Reception from Critics (Washington State Standard)
17.
Manufacturers, Efficiency Advocates Reach
Agreement on Rules for Refrigerators, Other Appliances (Utility Dive)
18.
As WA Heats Up, Thousands Have Received Free Air
Conditioners. But Challenges Remain (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
19.
APPA Voices Support for Bill That Calls for
Delaying DOE Plan Tied to Transformers (American Public Power Association)
FISH &
WILDLIFE
20.
Recreational Boaters to See New Rules for Southern
Resident Killer Whales Soon (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
21.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Selects Yakama
Nation in Chinook Salmon Hatchery Contract Shift (SeafoodSource)
WATER, WATER,
ANYWHERE?
22.
Biden Administration Restores the Power of
States & Tribes to Review Projects to Protect Waterways (Associated Press)
23.
Public Meetings to Show Vision for Completing Columbia
Basin Project (Capital Press)
CLIMATE CHANGE
SEQUESTRATION VAULT
24.
Lawsuit Against Washington Cap-And-Trade Program
Set for Hearing (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/briefs/2023/09/lawsuit-against-washington-cap-and-trade-program-set-hearing
25.
How ‘Carbon Farming’ Could Help Oregon Reach Its
Climate Goals (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2023/09/18/carbon-farming-oregon-climate-goals/
26.
Tens of Thousands March to Demand End to Fossil
Fuels Ahead of U.N. Climate Summit (NBC News)
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
27.
AT&T Once Again Wants ‘Big Tech’ to Pay for Broadband
Upgrades (TechDirt)
https://www.techdirt.com/2023/09/14/att-once-again-wants-big-tech-to-pay-for-broadband-upgrades/
I SING THE CAR
ELECTRIC
28.
Electrify America Charging Network Must Navigate
Patchwork of Utility Rates, Government Regulations (Associated Press)
29.
America Passed the Electric Vehicle ‘Tipping
Point’ — But Many Buyers Still Want Gas (Washington Post, DC – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/09/15/ev-tipping-point-electric-poll/
30.
U.S. House Passes Bill in Bid to Stop States from
Banning Gas-Powered Cars (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/sep/14/us-house-passes-bill-in-bid-to-stop-states-from-ba/
31.
Power Up: What to Know About Electric Vehicle Home
Charging (South Sound Business, WA)
https://www.southsoundbiz.com/lifestyle/power-up/article_37e23c61-396c-52b9-822e-3b6443bc1456.html
PUBLIC RELATIONS,
MARKETING & MEDIA
32.
New Report Examines Benefits of Utility High
Brand Approval (American Public Power Association)
OTHER THINGS TO
KNOW ABOUT TODAY
33.
Sneaker Waves Possible Along Oregon Coast This
Week (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
34.
Washington Fish & Wildlife Biologist
Tragically Drowns During Steelhead Survey in Skamania County (KOMO News, Seattle,
WA)
35.
Preventable Flood? Experts In Libya Warned of Dam
Collapse for Years. (Christian Science Monitor)
SOAPBOX SERENADE
– VOX POPULI
36.
Guest Essay: Herald Editorial Got Facts Wrong on
Dams’ Reliability (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-herald-editorial-got-facts-wrong-on-dams-reliability/
37.
News Release: U.S. Rep. Newhouse (WA) Urges for
Transparency During Snake River Dam Mediation Process (U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse,
WA)
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Brazilian Farmer’s Giant Rooster Hobby Hatches into
Profitable Business
Stolen Van Gogh Painting Worth Millions Recovered by Dutch Art
Detective
Are Southern Accents Disappearing? Linguists Say Yes
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/17/1200026181/are-southern-accents-disappearing-linguists-say-yes
Circus Performer Breaks World Record with Eight Flaming Hula
Hoops
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/09/14/Guinness-World-Records-hula-hoops-fire/5701694721670/
SONG OF THE DAY
Don McClean – Vincent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciLNMesqPh0
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.
I try to choose stories that are accessible without paying a
subscription. Individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes
information about possible paywall restrictions. Regular clearing of your
browser’s history and cookie files may help access some paywall sites.
