Monday, June 10, 2024

The Energy News Digest for June 10, 2024

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Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

NERC Reports Some U.S. Regions at Risk for Energy Shortfalls in Extreme Summer Conditions (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62243

Idaho Wind Power: Feds Say Final Lava Ridge EIS Reflects Community Feedback, But Critics Remain Skeptical (Boise State Public Radio, ID)

https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2024-06-07/lava-ridge-idaho-bureau-land-management-community-feedback

WA State: Franklin County PUD’s At-Large Election System Challenged by Voting Rights Project (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/franklin-county-puds-at-large-election-system-challenged-by-voting-rights-project/article_c06332a2-250f-11ef-8b04-17ccb3eda4e3.html

Pacific Northwest Coast Suffers from Low Oxygen, Study Finds. It’s Becoming the Norm (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/northwest/pnw-coast-suffers-from-low-oxygen-study-finds-it-s-becoming-the-norm/article_98aeb1af-03cc-53bf-b22a-0966a7ef0664.html

Climate Records Keep Getting Shattered. Here Is What You Need to Know (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-heat-records-hottest-warming-earth-6fa3a7b8f2a7cd5854bda6a419de664c

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      NERC Reports Some U.S. Regions at Risk for Energy Shortfalls in Extreme Summer Conditions

2.      Power Grids in the Western U.S. Are Forced to Handle Rising Temperatures

3.      Washington’s Summer Blackouts: New Research Predicts Power Disruptions

4.      Idaho Man Shot at Dams, Spurred by ‘Anti-Government’ Ideals. He Won’t Do Prison Time

5.      Judge Dismisses Native American Challenge to $10 Billion SunZia Energy Transmission Project in Arizona

6.      B.C. Hydro Offering Optional Time-of-Day Billing for Electricity

7.      Southwest Power Pool Files Expanded RTO Tariff to Include Western Entities

8.      A Western U.S. Energy Market Would Boost Clean Energy. Will It Happen?

9.      Sustainability Report Captures Bonneville Power Administration’s 2023 Environmental Achievements

10.   Utilities Adopt Various Strategies to Mitigate Against the Threat of Wildfires

11.   Canada: Meadow Lake Tribal Council Looking at Microreactors to Provide Heat, Electricity

12.   Idaho Wind Power: Feds Say Final Lava Ridge EIS Reflects Community Feedback, But Critics Remain Skeptical

13.   Oregon: Coos County Fights Offshore Wind Energy Project

14.   California: Proposed Seguro Battery Storage Project Faces New Obstacle

15.   Big Solar Projects Launch in Idaho as U.S. Nuclear Test Sites Go Green

16.   Washington Wants to Hear Rural Communities’ Thoughts on Renewable Energy

17.   Lightbulbs Don’t Spike Electric Bills; What Does?

18.   Success of Hood Canal Summer Chum Gives Hope for Salmon Recovery

19.   Court Rejects Bid to Review Minister’s Order to British Columbia Salmon Farms

20.   Idaho Advocates Worry About Politicization of Endangered Species

21.   Pod of Orcas Travels 170 Miles in Just Over One Day, Surprising Experts. ‘Impossible!’

22.   Pacific Northwest Coast Suffers from Low Oxygen, Study Finds. It’s Becoming the Norm

23.   Widespread & Increasing Near-Bottom Hypoxia in the Coastal Ocean Off the United States Pacific Northwest

24.   Climate Records Keep Getting Shattered. Here Is What You Need to Know

25.   There Is More Carbon Dioxide Than Ever in the Atmosphere. That’s Bad for the Climate

26.   WA State: Officials Say New Broadband System in Spokane County Will Be a Boost to Rural Communities

27.   California Contemplates Cuts to Middle-Mile Broadband Build

28.   Oregon’s Print Media Landscape Dealt Back-To-Back Blows as Local Papers Sold, Cut Back

29.   Electrolyzers Are a Small but Growing Source of U.S. Hydrogen Production

30.   WA State: Franklin County PUD’s At-Large Election System Challenged by Voting Rights Project

31.   WA State: Gov Inslee’s Effort to Cut Pay, Oust UTC Leader Falters

32.   Seattle City Council Confirms Dawn Lindell as Seattle City Light GM and CEO

33.   Brad Koehn Appointed General Manager at California’s Turlock Irrigation District

34.   As The Need for Copper Rises, Cable Manufacturers Recycle More

35.   Audio: Why Clean Energy Production Could End Up in Your Backyard

36.   Podcast: Resource Adequacy, Tail Risk, & Institutional Capability

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Demonym /DEH-muh-nimm/ Noun – A word (such as Nevadan or Sooner) used to denote a person who inhabits or is native to a particular place.

     We’re all from somewhere

     Hometown demonyms be cursed

     Get thee back there soon

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      NERC Reports Some U.S. Regions at Risk for Energy Shortfalls in Extreme Summer Conditions (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62243

2.      Power Grids in the Western U.S. Are Forced to Handle Rising Temperatures (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/10/nx-s1-4996383/power-grids-in-the-western-u-s-are-forced-to-handle-rising-temperatures

3.      Washington’s Summer Blackouts: New Research Predicts Power Disruptions (Travel & Tour World)

https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/washingtons-summer-blackouts-new-research-predicts-power-disruptions/

4.      Idaho Man Shot at Dams, Spurred by ‘Anti-Government’ Ideals. He Won’t Do Prison Time (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/idaho-man-shot-dams-spurred-230117115.html

5.      Judge Dismisses Native American Challenge to $10 Billion SunZia Energy Transmission Project in Arizona (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/sunzia-wind-energy-native-american-sacred-sites-161e91d2aa47cc6f56c2cc928d133380

6.      B.C. Hydro Offering Optional Time-of-Day Billing for Electricity (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/how-to-apply-bc-hydro-flat-rate-cheaper-1.7225593

7.      Southwest Power Pool Files Expanded RTO Tariff to Include Western Entities (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/spp-files-expanded-rto-tariff-include-western-entities

8.      A Western U.S. Energy Market Would Boost Clean Energy. Will It Happen? (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/utilities/a-western-us-energy-market-would-boost-clean-energy.-will-it-happen

9.      Sustainability Report Captures Bonneville Power Administration’s 2023 Environmental Achievements (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20240605-sustainability-report-captures-bpa-2023-environmental-achievements

10.   Utilities Adopt Various Strategies to Mitigate Against the Threat of Wildfires (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/utilities-adopt-various-strategies-mitigate-against-threat-wildfires

11.   Canada: Meadow Lake Tribal Council Looking at Microreactors to Provide Heat, Electricity (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/meadow-lake-first-nation-nuclear-microreactors-saskatchewan-research-council-1.7229121

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

12.   Idaho Wind Power: Feds Say Final Lava Ridge EIS Reflects Community Feedback, But Critics Remain Skeptical (Boise State Public Radio, ID)

https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2024-06-07/lava-ridge-idaho-bureau-land-management-community-feedback

13.   Oregon: Coos County Fights Offshore Wind Energy Project (KPIC-TV, Rosburg, OR)

https://www.kpic.com/news/local/coos-county-fights-offshore-wind-energy-project

14.   California: Proposed Seguro Battery Storage Project Faces New Obstacle (KPBS Broadcasting, San Diego, CA)

https://www.kpbs.org/news/environment/2024/06/06/proposed-seguro-battery-storage-project-faces-new-obstacle

15.   Big Solar Projects Launch in Idaho as U.S. Nuclear Test Sites Go Green (Reuters)

https://www.msn.com/en-ae/money/companies/big-solar-projects-launch-in-idaho-as-us-nuclear-test-sites-go-green/ar-BB1nHv12

16.   Washington Wants to Hear Rural Communities’ Thoughts on Renewable Energy (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/environment-and-planning/2024-06-07/washington-wants-to-hear-rural-communities-thoughts-on-renewable-energy

Conservation & Efficiency

17.   Lightbulbs Don’t Spike Electric Bills; What Does? (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)

https://localnews8.com/news/local-news/2024/06/06/lightbulbs-dont-spike-electric-bills-what-does/

Fish & Wildlife

18.   Success of Hood Canal Summer Chum Gives Hope for Salmon Recovery (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/success-of-hood-canal-summer-chum-gives-hope-for-salmon-recovery/

19.   Court Rejects Bid to Review Minister’s Order to British Columbia Salmon Farms (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/federal-court-salmon-farms-1.7229677

20.   Idaho Advocates Worry About Politicization of Endangered Species (KTVB-TV, Boise, ID)

https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-press/idaho-advocates-worry-about-politicization-endangered-species/277-3dbde726-b891-4d3f-92b1-97d286e72617

21.   Pod of Orcas Travels 170 Miles in Just Over One Day, Surprising Experts. ‘Impossible!’ (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/pod-of-orcas-travels-170-miles-in-just-over-one-day-surprising-experts-impossible/ar-BB1nPdOK

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

22.   Pacific Northwest Coast Suffers from Low Oxygen, Study Finds. It’s Becoming the Norm (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/northwest/pnw-coast-suffers-from-low-oxygen-study-finds-it-s-becoming-the-norm/article_98aeb1af-03cc-53bf-b22a-0966a7ef0664.html

23.   Widespread & Increasing Near-Bottom Hypoxia in the Coastal Ocean Off the United States Pacific Northwest (Scientific Reports)

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-54476-0

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

24.   Climate Records Keep Getting Shattered. Here Is What You Need to Know (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-change-heat-records-hottest-warming-earth-6fa3a7b8f2a7cd5854bda6a419de664c

25.   There Is More Carbon Dioxide Than Ever in the Atmosphere. That’s Bad for the Climate (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/06/nx-s1-4992290/carbon-dioxide-record-high-atmosphere

London Calling –Telecommunications

26.   WA State: Officials Say New Broadband System in Spokane County Will Be a Boost to Rural Communities (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jun/10/officials-say-new-broadband-system-in-spokane-coun/

27.   California Contemplates Cuts to Middle-Mile Broadband Build (Government Technology)

https://www.govtech.com/network/california-contemplates-cuts-to-middle-mile-broadband-build

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

28.   Oregon’s Print Media Landscape Dealt Back-To-Back Blows as Local Papers Sold, Cut Back (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/oregon-print-media-news-sale-pamplin-eo-desert/283-c5a3c335-a98c-479f-8eaa-3273f92201fd

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

29.   Electrolyzers Are a Small but Growing Source of U.S. Hydrogen Production (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62223

Management & Governance

30.   WA State: Franklin County PUD’s At-Large Election System Challenged by Voting Rights Project (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/franklin-county-puds-at-large-election-system-challenged-by-voting-rights-project/article_c06332a2-250f-11ef-8b04-17ccb3eda4e3.html

31.   WA State: Gov Inslee’s Effort to Cut Pay, Oust UTC Leader Falters (State’s Newsroom)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/inslees-effort-cut-pay-oust-regulatory-leader-falters

32.   Seattle City Council Confirms Dawn Lindell as Seattle City Light GM and CEO (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/seattle-city-council-confirms-dawn-lindell-seattle-city-light-gm-and-ceo

33.   Brad Koehn Appointed General Manager at California’s Turlock Irrigation District (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/brad-koehn-appointed-general-manager-californias-turlock-irrigation-district

Other Things to Know About Today

34.   As The Need for Copper Rises, Cable Manufacturers Recycle More (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/article/as-the-need-for-copper-rises-cable-manufacturers-19505558.php

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

35.   Audio: Why Clean Energy Production Could End Up in Your Backyard (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/why-clean-energy-production-could-end-up-in-your-b

36.   Podcast: Resource Adequacy, Tail Risk, & Institutional Capability (Public Power Underground)

https://publicpowerunderground.substack.com/p/resource-adequacy-tail-risk-and-institutional

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

A Real Nut Case: Cold Stone Creamery Faces Suit Over Lack of Real Pistachios in Pistachio Ice Cream

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/a-real-nut-case-cold-stone-creamery-faces-suit-19503970.php

Owners of Wrongfully Slaughtered Pet Pigs File Complaint Against Mobile Butcher Business

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/owners-wrongfully-slaughtered-pet-pigs-mobile-butcher-business-washington/281-490f99ad-75e3-4bcf-b960-cb5f66bf02a1

Rare 7-Foot Fish Washes Ashore on Oregon Coast

https://mynorthwest.com/3962178/offbeat-odd-news-rare-7-foot-fish-washes-ashore-oregon-coast/

A Hail Stone the Size of a Pineapple Was Found in Texas. It Likely Sets a State Record

https://apnews.com/article/massive-hail-texas-record-2ba6b2cf262f5d716f901a77bbed045b

Song of the Day

Henry Mancini – The Pink Panther Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FMpmp7ERHw

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. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookie files may help you access some paywall sites.