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ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE NORTHWEST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION
If you work directly with customers at your utility, join NWPPA instructor Debra Ballard for Handling High Bill Inquiries, a short two-hour webinar on Jan. 11 that will give you strategies to approach the difficult subject of high bills and better serve your customers in understanding their bill.
HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Historic Agreement
Seen as a Harbinger to Snake River Dam Removal (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
https://www.nwpb.org/2023/12/15/historic-agreement-seen-as-a-harbinger-to-snake-river-dam-removal/
U.S. Grids Face
Greater Risks as Generators Retire, Demand Rises – NERC (Reuters)
California
Regulators Vote to Extend Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Operations Through 2030
(Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/diablo-canyon-nuclear-plant-california-b794aa745348ae1ac6e8e5c330a11cd9
Cantwell, Risch
Urge Biden, Trudeau to Prioritize Negotiations on Critical Columbia River
Treaty Provisions (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/dec/13/cantwell-risch-urge-biden-trudeau-to-prioritize-ne/
Washington Lags
Behind in Water-Pollution Oversight (High Country News)
https://www.hcn.org/articles/water-washington-lags-behind-in-water-pollution-oversight
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. U.S.
Grids Face Greater Risks as Generators Retire, Demand Rises – NERC
2. Why
the U.S. Needs a Grid That’s ‘Bigger Than the Weather’
3. California
Regulators Vote to Extend Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Operations Through 2030
4. Cantwell,
Risch Urge Biden, Trudeau to Prioritize Negotiations on Critical Columbia River
Treaty Provisions
5. Oregon
Lawmakers, Advocates Ask State to Investigate NW Natural for Misleading Claims
About Natural Gas
6. California:
Clean Energy Group Calls for Permitting Reform to Advance Transmission Projects
7. Alaska
Regulators Want Utilities to Address Emergency Plans as They Face Gas Shortage
8. U.S.
Power Tracker: Western Prices Falling on Above-Normal Temperature Forecast
9. Bonneville
Power Administration Reaches Compliance Milestone with Industry Reliability
Audit
10. Lewis
County PUD Continues Rollout of 30,000 Advanced Meters
11. Tacoma
Uses $2.5 Million to Electrify Solid Waste Utilities; Expand Outreach
12. La
Plata Electric Association Sues Tri-State Over Exit Terms
13. Looking
Back: Grand Coulee – Water & Power
14. Historic
Agreement Seen as a Harbinger to Snake River Dam Removal
15. FACT
SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces
10-Year Partnership with Tribes and States to Restore Wild Salmon, Expand Clean
Energy Production, Increase Resilience, and Provide Energy Stability in the
Columbia River Basin
16. Montana:
Flathead Electric Blasts Dam Removal Proposal
17. Nearly
20,000 Co-op Members Urge Biden to Preserve Snake River Dams
18. ‘Insane,’
‘Reckless’: Stakeholders Respond to Snake River Dam Plan
19. Ag
to WA Gov. Inslee: ‘Assert True Leadership’ on Dams
20. U.S.
Senator Risch (ID) Chastises Biden Administration’s Dam Breaching Attempt
21. News
Release: Northwestern Communities Threatened by Agreement Between U.S.
Government & Plaintiffs
22. Deadline
Approaches for Decision on Controversial Wind Farm Project
23. Proposal
for WA’s Largest Renewable Energy Project Shows Challenges for Future
24. Montana
Rancher – Puget Sound Energy’s Wind Farm Will Help Landowners
25. Washington
State Explores Offshore Wind While Neighbors Charge Ahead
26. Three
Easy Ways for Idahoans to Save on Their Winter Heating Bill
27. The
Decline of Pacific Salmon Is ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts,’ Expert Says
28. Salmon,
Rivers Hit Hard by Recent Washington Floods
29. Fifty
Years Later, Does the Endangered Species Act Go Too Far, or Not Far Enough?
30. Washington
Lags Behind in Water Pollution Oversight
31. California
Wants Farms to Capture Methane from Cow Manure. Neighbors Say It’s Killing Them
32. Western
States Are Brawling Over the Colorado River. That Could Spell Trouble for
President Biden.
33. Lake
Mead to Rise 10+ Feet After Feds Agree to Pay California Water Districts
Millions
34. Tracking
WA 2023, 2024 Snowpack Through Maps & Charts
35. California
Prepares to Transform Sewage into Pure Drinking Water Under New Rules
36. The
Price of Pollution in Washington State Hits $2 Billion
37. NOAA
"Virtually Certain" 2023 Will Be the Warmest Year on Record
38. DEQ
Is Working on a Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Idaho
39. Oregon:
Portland City Commissioner Proposes $540 Million of Climate Action Funds Toward
City Bureaus
40. FCC
Issues Final Denial of $885 Million StarLink Subsidy
41. Q&A:
WA’s Broadband Director on the $1.2 Billion Expansion Challenge Ahead
42. Electric
Vehicles Owners & Solar Rooftops Find Mutual Attraction
43. California
Leads the United States in Electric Vehicles & Charging Locations
44. The
Rise of Artificial Intelligence Fake News Is Creating a ‘Misinformation
Superspreader’
45. Engaging
Gen Z with Public Power Websites
46. Biggest
Solar Flare in Years Temporarily Disrupts Radio Signals on Earth
47. Three
Washington Groups Allegedly Ran ‘Coordinated Intimidation Campaign’ Against
Signature Drive
48. Idaho
Power Appoints Amy Shaw as its New Vice President
49. Three
People Dead in Small Plane Crash into Oregon Power Lines Identified, Police Say
50. El
Nino Weather Ahead
51. Guest
Essay: Ditch Secret Backroom Dam Breaching Deals. Let’s Focus on Common Ground.
52. Guest
Essay: We Face Deepening Dependence on Pacific Northwest Hydropower for Grid
Reliability
53. Guest
Essay: Bold, Innovative Solutions Are Needed Now More Than Ever
54.
Opinion: David Horsey – Snake River Dams Block
Northwest Heritage
WORD OF THE DAY
Nonplussed \NON-plust\ Verb - To cause to be at a loss as to what to say, think, or do: perplex.
The attorney’s aggressive questioning during the trial left the hapless defense witness nonplussed. Although he was called as a character witness for the “Burger King,” Barty relentlessly peppered him with questions about “Ronald McDonald,” “Jack in the Box,” and the “Taco Time Cactus.” “I don’t know any of those guys,” whined the harried witness.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
U.S. Grids Face Greater Risks as Generators
Retire, Demand Rises – NERC (Reuters)
2.
Why the U.S. Needs a Grid That’s ‘Bigger Than
the Weather’ (E&E News)
https://www.eenews.net/articles/why-the-u-s-needs-a-grid-thats-bigger-than-the-weather/
3.
California Regulators Vote to Extend Diablo
Canyon Nuclear Plant Operations Through 2030 (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/diablo-canyon-nuclear-plant-california-b794aa745348ae1ac6e8e5c330a11cd9
4.
Cantwell, Risch Urge Biden, Trudeau to
Prioritize Negotiations on Critical Columbia River Treaty Provisions
(Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/dec/13/cantwell-risch-urge-biden-trudeau-to-prioritize-ne/
5.
Oregon Lawmakers, Advocates Ask State to
Investigate NW Natural for Misleading Claims About Natural Gas (Oregon Capital
Chronicle)
6.
California: Clean Energy Group Calls for
Permitting Reform to Advance Transmission Projects (Bakersfield Californian,
CA)
7.
Alaska Regulators Want Utilities to Address
Emergency Plans as They Face Gas Shortage (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/alaska-regulators-want-utilities-address-045900835.html
8.
U.S. Power Tracker: Western Prices Falling on
Above-Normal Temperature Forecast (S&P Global)
9.
Bonneville Power Administration Reaches
Compliance Milestone with Industry Reliability Audit (Bonneville Power
Administration)
10.
Lewis County PUD Continues Rollout of 30,000
Advanced Meters (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
https://www.chronline.com/stories/lewis-county-pud-continues-rollout-of-30000-advanced-meters,330970
11.
Tacoma Uses $2.5 Million to Electrify Solid
Waste Utilities; Expand Outreach (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_75ac4276-9b9e-11ee-a4ac-1bc5201ead63.html
12.
La Plata Electric Association Sues Tri-State
Over Exit Terms (Durango Herald, CO)
https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/lpea-sues-tri-state-over-exit-terms/
13.
Looking Back: Grand Coulee – Water & Power
(Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2023/dec/15/water-and-power1/
SNAKE RIVER SERENADE
14.
Historic Agreement Seen as a Harbinger to Snake
River Dam Removal (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
https://www.nwpb.org/2023/12/15/historic-agreement-seen-as-a-harbinger-to-snake-river-dam-removal/
15.
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris
Administration Announces 10-Year Partnership with Tribes and States to Restore
Wild Salmon, Expand Clean Energy Production, Increase Resilience, and Provide
Energy Stability in the Columbia River Basin (White House, Washington, DC)
16.
Montana: Flathead Electric Blasts Dam Removal
Proposal (The Western News, Libby, MT)
https://thewesternnews.com/news/2023/dec/15/flathead-electric-blasts-dam-removal-proposal/
17.
Nearly 20,000 Co-op Members Urge Biden to
Preserve Snake River Dams (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)
https://www.electric.coop/nearly-20000-co-op-members-urge-biden-to-preserve-snake-river-dams
18.
‘Insane,’ ‘Reckless’: Stakeholders Respond to
Snake River Dam Plan (Capital Press – Paywall Advisory)
19.
Ag to WA Gov. Inslee: ‘Assert True Leadership’
on Dams (Capital Press – Paywall Advisory)
20.
U.S. Senator Risch (ID) Chastises Biden
Administration’s Dam Breaching Attempt (U.S. Senator Jim Risch)
21.
News Release: Northwestern Communities
Threatened by Agreement Between U.S. Government & Plaintiffs (Pacific
Northwest Waterways Association – Links to PDF File)
https://www.pnwa.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/20231213-Press-Release-for-USG-Filing.pdf
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
22.
Deadline Approaches for Decision on
Controversial Wind Farm Project (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, WA)
23.
Proposal for WA’s Largest Renewable Energy
Project Shows Challenges for Future (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
24.
Montana Rancher – Puget Sound Energy’s Wind Farm
Will Help Landowners (KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)
25.
Washington State Explores Offshore Wind While
Neighbors Charge Ahead (Energy Portal)
https://www.energyportal.eu/washington-state-explores-offshore-wind-while-neighbors-charge-ahead/
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
26.
Three Easy Ways for Idahoans to Save on Their
Winter Heating Bill (KCIX Radio, Garden City, ID)
https://mix106radio.com/lowering-your-idaho-winter-heating-bill/
FISH & WILDLIFE
27.
The Decline of Pacific Salmon Is ‘Death by a
Thousand Cuts,’ Expert Says (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
28.
Salmon, Rivers Hit Hard by Recent Washington
Floods (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kuow.org/stories/salmon-rivers-hit-hard-by-recent-washington-floods
29.
Fifty Years Later, Does the Endangered Species
Act Go Too Far, or Not Far Enough? (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE
30.
Washington Lags Behind in Water Pollution
Oversight (High Country News)
https://www.hcn.org/articles/water-washington-lags-behind-in-water-pollution-oversight
31.
California Wants Farms to Capture Methane from
Cow Manure. Neighbors Say It’s Killing Them (Phys.Org)
https://phys.org/news/2023-12-california-farms-capture-methane-cow.html
WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?
32.
Western States Are Brawling Over the Colorado
River. That Could Spell Trouble for President Biden. (Politico)
33.
Lake Mead to Rise 10+ Feet After Feds Agree to
Pay California Water Districts Millions (MSN News)
34.
Tracking WA 2023, 2024 Snowpack Through Maps &
Charts (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
35.
California Prepares to Transform Sewage into
Pure Drinking Water Under New Rules (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2023-12-17/california-sewage-potable-reuse
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
36.
The Price of Pollution in Washington State Hits
$2 Billion (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
https://www.kuow.org/stories/the-price-of-pollution-in-washington-state-hits-2-billion
37.
NOAA "Virtually Certain" 2023 Will Be
the Warmest Year on Record (Axios)
https://www.axios.com/2023/12/14/noaa-2023-warmest-year-on-record
38.
DEQ Is Working on a Plan to Reduce Greenhouse
Gas Emissions in Idaho (Boise State Public Radio, ID)
39.
Oregon: Portland City Commissioner Proposes $540
Million of Climate Action Funds Toward City Bureaus (Oregon Public
Broadcasting)
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
40.
FCC Issues Final Denial of $885 Million StarLink
Subsidy (TechCrunch)
https://techcrunch.com/2023/12/12/fcc-issues-final-denial-of-885m-starlink-subsidy/
41.
Q&A: WA’s Broadband Director on the $1.2 Billion
Expansion Challenge Ahead (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/investigations/2023/12/qa-was-broadband-director-12b-expansion-challenge-ahead
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
42.
Electric Vehicles Owners & Solar Rooftops
Find Mutual Attraction (Associated Press)
43.
California Leads the United States in Electric
Vehicles & Charging Locations (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=61082
PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA
44.
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence Fake News Is
Creating a ‘Misinformation Superspreader’ (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/12/17/ai-fake-news-misinformation/
45.
Engaging Gen Z with Public Power Websites
(Powerful Web)
https://www.powerfulweb.com/2023/12/engaging-gen-z-with-public-power-websites/
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE
46.
Biggest Solar Flare in Years Temporarily
Disrupts Radio Signals on Earth (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/solar-flare-sun-nasa-eb3389b4e41955c3292b9c917a5667dc
GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
47.
Three Washington Groups Allegedly Ran ‘Coordinated
Intimidation Campaign’ Against Signature Drive (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_721bc066-9b97-11ee-b382-a71af192a598.html
48.
Idaho Power Appoints Amy Shaw as its New Vice
President (Energetica)
https://www.energetica-india.net/news/idaho-power-appoints-amy-shaw-as-its-new-vice-president
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
49.
Three People Dead in Small Plane Crash into Oregon
Power Lines Identified, Police Say (Yahoo! News)
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/3-people-dead-small-plane-073244161.html
50.
El Nino Weather Ahead (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2023/12/el-nino-weather-ahead.html
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
51.
Guest Essay: Ditch Secret Backroom Dam Breaching
Deals. Let’s Focus on Common Ground. (Capital Press – Paywall Advisory)
52.
Guest Essay: We Face Deepening Dependence on Pacific
Northwest Hydropower for Grid Reliability (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business,
WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/4798-dunn-2023
53.
Guest Essay: Bold, Innovative Solutions Are
Needed Now More Than Ever (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, WA)
https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/4820-rhees-2023
54.
Opinion: David Horsey – Snake River Dams Block
Northwest Heritage (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/snake-river-dams-block-northwest-heritage/
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Squirrels Just
Wanna Have Fun: Thieving Rodents Steal Outdoor Lights in East Vancouver
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/squirrels-stealing-lights-1.7056080
We Finally Saw That
Missing Space Tomato & Wish We Hadn’t
https://gizmodo.com/nasa-iss-lost-tomato-frank-rubio-space-food-1851103736
‘Snowmen Bring Joy’:
Wyoming Woman Creates Hundreds of Personalized Snowmen for Town
Project Salmon
Claus Delivers Christmas Along the Columbia River
SONG OF THE DAY
Journey – Lights
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CtnJgQKAFw
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
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.
