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ITEMS OF NOTE FROM THE NORTHWEST PUBLIC POWER ASSOCIATION
High bills are the number one concern or complaint of all utility customers. As a result, when consumers come calling with these concerns, it is the biggest opportunity that the utility has to serve, assist, and educate these customers. It is also one of the biggest challenges. Sign up for the Northwest Public Power Association’s January 11 webinar on handling high bill inquiries.
HOTSHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Wyoming: Historic
Electric Rate Hike Whittled to 5.5% After Utility Admits Error (Wyofile)
https://wyofile.com/historic-electric-rate-hike-whittled-to-5-5-after-utility-admits-error/
Low Winds, Winter
Sun, and Lots of Clouds Mean Little Renewable Energy over the Pacific Northwest
(Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2023/12/low-winds-winter-sun-and-lots-of-clouds.html
Oregon Appeals
Court Finds the Rules for the State’s Climate Program Are Invalid (Associated
Press)
https://apnews.com/article/oregon-climate-law-lawsuit-rules-invalid-1d0271c27233c39e89543b4e6d0c3049
Microsoft, OpenAI
Hit with Copyright Infringement Lawsuit from the New York Times (KING-TV,
Seattle, WA)
Range Anxiety: New
Testing Finds Electric Vehicles Fall Short of EPA Range Estimates (The Center
Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_cbd4f680-9de6-11ee-990e-87cef4d10920.html
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)
1. Wyoming:
Historic Electric Rate Hike Whittled to 5.5% After Utility Admits Error
2. Oregon:
Here’s How Much Portland General Electric, Pacific Power Electric Bills Will
Increase Starting January
3. Two
California Cities Have Among the Highest Utility Bills in the U.S.
4. Why
We’re Using More Electricity These Days – And Paying More for It
5. Idaho
Is the Latest to Join in Litigation Over Snake River Salmon, Dams
6. Oregon
Gov. Kotek Supports Further Study Before Dam Breach
7. In
a Major Shift, Northwest Tribes – Not U.S. Officials – Will Control Salmon
Recovery Funds
8. The
Pacific Northwest’s Only Commercial Nuclear Power Plant Enters New, 20-Year
Operational Phase
9. Bonneville
Power Administration Concludes FY 2023 Reserves Distribution Clause Process
10. Following
National Search, Mayor Harrell Announces Next Leader for Seattle City Light
11. Low
Winds, Winter Sun, and Lots of Clouds Mean Little Renewable Energy Over the
Pacific Northwest
12. Washington
Council Puts Horse Heaven Turbines on the Chopping Block
13. WA
State: Extension Granted for Sunnyside-Area Solar Facility Application
14. Richland
Offers Tax Breaks to Woo ‘Revolutionary’ Battery Parts Plant to Horn Rapids
15. New
Report Says Clean Energy Projects Cause Tax Shifts in Some Rural Communities
16. After
a Brutal 2023, Offshore Wind Looks to Overcome Growing Pains
17. WA
State: Richland Streetlights Upgraded to LED Fixtures
18. Corps
Refilling Willamette River Reservoirs After Drawdowns Meant to Help Migrating
Fish
19. Endangered
Species Act’s 50th Anniversary: What Six NW Animals Can Tell Us
20. ‘Killer
Whale Madness’ Continues Off Southern California Coast
21. Oregon
Appeals Court Finds the Rules for the State’s Climate Program Are Invalid
22. Pigeons
Can Be Faster Than the Internet
23. Microsoft,
OpenAI Hit with Copyright Infringement Lawsuit from the New York Times
24. Range
Anxiety: New Testing Finds Electric Vehicles Fall Short of EPA Range Estimates
25. Why
the Battle Over Electric Cars Is Primed to Take Off
26. No
One Wants Used Electric Vehicles, Making New Ones a Tougher Sell Too
27. High
Surf Warnings Issued for Southern Oregon, Other Parts of West Coast
28. Editorial:
Snake River Dam Pact Offers Path to Sustain Salmon, Clean Energy
29. Guest Essay: Washington Agriculture Can Lead the Fight Against Climate Change – And Make a Profit
WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION
Decembuary /dee-SEMM-byoo-air-ee/ Noun – The time between Christmas and New Year’s when nothing gets done. Some definitions place it between December 25 and January 25 where some people are too lazy to take down their Christmas decorations and lights.
Holidays, bowl games
Make us all couch potatoes
Decembuary
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
1.
Wyoming: Historic Electric Rate Hike Whittled to
5.5% After Utility Admits Error (Wyofile)
https://wyofile.com/historic-electric-rate-hike-whittled-to-5-5-after-utility-admits-error/
2.
Oregon: Here’s How Much Portland General
Electric, Pacific Power Electric Bills Will Increase Starting January (The
Oregonian, Portland, OR)
3.
Two California Cities Have Among the Highest
Utility Bills in the U.S. (KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA)
https://fox40.com/news/2-california-cities-have-among-the-highest-utility-bills-in-the-u-s/
4.
Why We’re Using More Electricity These Days – And
Paying More for It (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
5.
Idaho Is the Latest to Join in Litigation Over Snake
River Salmon, Dams (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/idaho/article_3b1d535e-9f98-11ee-9a0f-3b77da260416.html
6.
Oregon Gov. Kotek Supports Further Study Before
Dam Breach (Capital Press – Paywall Advisory)
7.
In a Major Shift, Northwest Tribes – Not U.S.
Officials – Will Control Salmon Recovery Funds (ProPublica)
8.
The Pacific Northwest’s Only Commercial Nuclear
Power Plant Enters New, 20-Year Operational Phase (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA –
Paywall Advisory)
https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article283350348.html
9.
Bonneville Power Administration Concludes FY 2023
Reserves Distribution Clause Process (Bonneville Power Administration)
10.
Following National Search, Mayor Harrell
Announces Next Leader for Seattle City Light (City of Seattle, WA)
RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE
11.
Low Winds, Winter Sun, and Lots of Clouds Mean
Little Renewable Energy over the Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)
https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2023/12/low-winds-winter-sun-and-lots-of-clouds.html
12.
Washington Council Puts Horse Heaven Turbines on
the Chopping Block (Capital Press – Paywall Advisory)
13.
WA State: Extension Granted for Sunnyside-Area
Solar Facility Application (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)
14.
Richland Offers Tax Breaks to Woo ‘Revolutionary’
Battery Parts Plant to Horn Rapids (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)
15.
New Report Says Clean Energy Projects Cause Tax
Shifts in Some Rural Communities (Spokane Public Radio, WA)
16.
After a Brutal 2023, Offshore Wind Looks to Overcome
Growing Pains (Canary Media)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
17.
WA State: Richland Streetlights Upgraded to LED Fixtures
(KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA)
FISH & WILDLIFE
18.
Corps Refilling Willamette River Reservoirs
After Drawdowns Meant to Help Migrating Fish (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
19.
Endangered Species Act’s 50th Anniversary: What Six
NW Animals Can Tell Us (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
20.
‘Killer Whale Madness’ Continues Off Southern
California Coast (Yahoo! News)
https://news.yahoo.com/killer-whale-madness-continues-off-032129886.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
21.
Oregon Appeals Court Finds the Rules for the State’s
Climate Program Are Invalid (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/oregon-climate-law-lawsuit-rules-invalid-1d0271c27233c39e89543b4e6d0c3049
LONDON CALLING –TELECOMMUNICATIONS
22.
Pigeons Can Be Faster Than the Internet (Pots
& Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2023/12/27/pigeons-can-be-faster-than-the-internet/
BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY - THE WIZARDING WORLD OF
TECHNOLOGY & CYBERSECURITY
23.
Microsoft, OpenAI Hit with Copyright
Infringement Lawsuit from the New York Times (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC
24.
Range Anxiety: New Testing Finds Electric
Vehicles Fall Short of EPA Range Estimates (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_cbd4f680-9de6-11ee-990e-87cef4d10920.html
25.
Why the Battle Over Electric Cars Is Primed to Take
Off (Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/22/electric-vehicle-boom-demise-00133064
26.
No One Wants Used Electric Vehicles, Making New
Ones a Tougher Sell Too (Yahoo! News)
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/no-one-wants-used-evs-050011036.html
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY
27.
High Surf Warnings Issued for Southern Oregon,
Other Parts of West Coast (Associated Press)
SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI
28.
Editorial: Snake River Dam Pact Offers Path to
Sustain Salmon, Clean Energy (Everett Herald, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/editorial-pact-offers-path-to-sustain-salmon-clean-energy/
29.
Guest Essay: Washington Agriculture Can Lead the
Fight Against Climate Change – And Make a Profit (Tri-City Herald, WA – Paywall
Advisory)
https://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article283210123.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS
Comedian Tom
Smothers, One-Half of the Smothers Brothers, Dies at 86
https://news.yahoo.com/comedian-tom-smothers-one-half-171553399.html
Texas Man Runs
Marathon in Football Uniform to Break World Record
World's Largest Rubik's
Cube Built in Dubai
Maury Povich Announces
Orangutan Paternity Results for Denver Zoo
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2023/12/21/Maury-Povich-Denver-Zoo-orangutan-paternity/8531703177431/
SONG OF THE DAY
Paul Anka – Having My
Baby
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrCLPQXEqoQ
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