Monday, June 17, 2024

The Energy News Digest for June 17, 2024

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors the Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Crazy Weather Week Coming to the US: From Searing Heat to Snow. Yes, Snow. (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/crazy-weather-week-coming-us-172803064.html

California Legislators Break with Gov. Newsom Over Loan to Keep State’s Last Nuclear Plant Running (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/diablo-canyon-nuclear-newsom-reactors-california-45f15ac6e3a39f4fe7bbd05a9fd30d8b

Portland to Provide Thousands of Free Air Conditioners This Summer; Those in Need Can Call 311 (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2024/06/portland-to-provide-thousands-of-free-air-conditioners-this-summer-those-in-need-can-now-call-311.html

WA State: Quinault Nation Files Petition Seeking Removal of the Skookumchuck Dam (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/quinault-nation-files-petition-seeking-removal-of-the-skookumchuck-dam,342037

WA Carbon Prices Lower Than Expected in Second Year of Auctions (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/briefs/2024/06/wa-carbon-prices-lower-expected-second-year-auctions

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      California Legislators Break with Gov. Newsom Over Loan to Keep State’s Last Nuclear Plant Running

2.      Bill Gates Says "Support for Nuclear Power Is Very Impressive in Both Parties" Amid New Plant in Wyoming

3.      Idaho Power May Shut Off Power to Prevent Wildfires in Extreme Conditions. What We Know

4.      Typical Residential Electricity Bills Could Be Slightly Higher This Summer

5.      Montana/North Dakota Energy: Where Electricity Transmission & the Energy Transition Meet

6.      Bonneville Power Administration’s Transmission Field Services Tests New Real-Time Incident Reporting Tool

7.      Oregon Seafood Groups Urge Governor Kotek to Prioritize State-Led Wind Energy Plans

8.      Legislation Intends to Protect Coastal WA from Impacts of Offshore Wind

9.      Idaho: Clearway Energy Celebrates Success at Cedar Creek Wind Farm Near Goshen

10.   Local Opposition to Renewable Energy Projects ‘Widespread & Growing’: Columbia University Report

11.   Wind Explained: Where Wind Power Is Harnessed

12.   Portland to Provide Thousands of Free Air Conditioners This Summer; Those in Need Can Call 311

13.   WA State: Quinault Nation Files Petition Seeking Removal of the Skookumchuck Dam

14.   NOAA Finalizing Impact Analysis of Alaska's Troll Fishery on Southern Resident Killer Whales

15.   Washington’s Makah Tribe Could Once Again Harpoon Whales as U.S. Waives Conservation Law

16.   Salmon, Steelhead Season Extended on Columbia River

17.   Federal & State Agencies Initiate Lower Snake River Study, Public Input Wanted

18.   WA Carbon Prices Lower Than Expected in Second Year of Auctions

19.   Tobacco-Like Warning Label for Social Media Sought by U.S. Surgeon General Who Asks Congress to Act

20.   Senate Confirms FERC Nominees, Restoring Agency to Full Commissioner Complement

21.   Crazy Weather Week Coming to the US: From Searing Heat to Snow. Yes, Snow.

22.   Western Washington Working to Mitigate Wildfire Risks This Summer

23.   Pacific Northwest: This Part of the U.S. Is at Highest Risk for a Devastating Tsunami

24.   Guest Essay: Oregon Is Facing Largest Energy Development Threat in Generations

25.   Guest Essay: Continuing with Downsized Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project Ignores Idahoans’ Concerns

26.   Guest Essay: Dam Proposals

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Joel’s Horrible Haiku – Oneiric /oh-NYE-rick/ Adjective – Of or relating to dreams: dreamy

     The lost horizon

     Peaceful oneiric visions

     Shangri La, I’m home

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      California Legislators Break with Gov. Newsom Over Loan to Keep State’s Last Nuclear Plant Running (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/diablo-canyon-nuclear-newsom-reactors-california-45f15ac6e3a39f4fe7bbd05a9fd30d8b

2.      Bill Gates Says "Support for Nuclear Power Is Very Impressive in Both Parties" Amid New Plant in Wyoming (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bill-gates-terrapower-kemmerer-wyoming-nuclear-power-plant-face-the-nation-transcript-06-16-2024/

3.      Idaho Power May Shut Off Power to Prevent Wildfires in Extreme Conditions. What We Know (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/idaho-power-may-shut-off-100000141.html

4.      Typical Residential Electricity Bills Could Be Slightly Higher This Summer (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62303

5.      Montana/North Dakota Energy: Where Electricity Transmission & the Energy Transition Meet (Montana Free Press)

https://montanafreepress.org/2024/06/14/where-electricity-transmission-and-energy-transition-meet-in-montana/

6.      Bonneville Power Administration’s Transmission Field Services Tests New Real-Time Incident Reporting Tool (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20240612-transmission-field-services-tests-new-real-time-incident-reporting-tool

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

7.      Oregon Seafood Groups Urge Governor Kotek to Prioritize State-Led Wind Energy Plans (KPIC-TV, Roseburg, OR)

https://kpic.com/news/local/oregon-seafood-groups-urge-governor-kotek-to-prioritize-state-led-wind-energy-plans

8.      Legislation Intends to Protect Coastal WA from Impacts of Offshore Wind (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

https://www.kxro.com/legislation-intends-to-protect-coastal-wa-from-impacts-of-offshore-wind/

9.      Idaho: Clearway Energy Celebrates Success at Cedar Creek Wind Farm Near Goshen (Idaho State Journal)

https://www.idahostatejournal.com/townnews/hydrography/clearway-energy-celebrates-success-at-cedar-creek-wind-farm-near-goshen/article_b821abaf-dad2-5e31-9b3e-ff4ce66ed0e6.html

10.   Local Opposition to Renewable Energy Projects ‘Widespread & Growing’: Columbia University Report (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/local-opposition-renewable-energy-projects-growing-sabin-report/718817/

11.   Wind Explained: Where Wind Power Is Harnessed (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/wind/where-wind-power-is-harnessed.php

Conservation & Efficiency

12.   Portland to Provide Thousands of Free Air Conditioners This Summer; Those in Need Can Call 311 (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2024/06/portland-to-provide-thousands-of-free-air-conditioners-this-summer-those-in-need-can-now-call-311.html

Fish & Wildlife

13.   WA State: Quinault Nation Files Petition Seeking Removal of the Skookumchuck Dam (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/quinault-nation-files-petition-seeking-removal-of-the-skookumchuck-dam,342037

14.   NOAA Finalizing Impact Analysis of Alaska's Troll Fishery on Southern Resident Killer Whales (Seafood Source)

https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/environment-sustainability/noaa-finishing-analyses-in-response-to-southern-resident-killer-whale-lawsuit

15.   Washington’s Makah Tribe Could Once Again Harpoon Whales as U.S. Waives Conservation Law (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/makah-tribe-whale-hunt-9b2e4a699431cc144f826dfbf6a9172a

16.   Salmon, Steelhead Season Extended on Columbia River (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2024/jun/12/salmon-steelhead-season-extended-on-columbia-river/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

17.   Federal & State Agencies Initiate Lower Snake River Study, Public Input Wanted (Elkhorn Media Group, Lagrande, OR)

https://elkhornmediagroup.com/federal-state-agencies-initiate-lower-snake-river-study-public-input-wanted/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

18.   WA Carbon Prices Lower Than Expected in Second Year of Auctions (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/briefs/2024/06/wa-carbon-prices-lower-expected-second-year-auctions

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

19.   Tobacco-Like Warning Label for Social Media Sought by U.S. Surgeon General Who Asks Congress to Act (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-social-media-mental-health-df321c791493863001754401676f165c

Management & Governance

20.   Senate Confirms FERC Nominees, Restoring Agency to Full Commissioner Complement (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/senate-confirms-ferc-nominees-rosner-see-chang/718896/

Other Things to Know About Today

21.   Crazy Weather Week Coming to the US: From Searing Heat to Snow. Yes, Snow. (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/crazy-weather-week-coming-us-172803064.html

22.   Western Washington Working to Mitigate Wildfire Risks This Summer (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/wildfire/above-normal-fire-risk-anticipated-summer-in-washington/281-bb5290b8-e67d-4ab7-b3b3-7df68459c371

23.   Pacific Northwest: This Part of the U.S. Is at Highest Risk for a Devastating Tsunami (Cable News Network)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/part-us-highest-risk-devastating-123016950.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

24.   Guest Essay: Oregon Is Facing Largest Energy Development Threat in Generations (The World, Coos Bay, OR)

https://theworldlink.com/opinion/guest-column-oregon-is-facing-largest-energy-development-threat-in-generations/article_34b726aa-282a-11ef-bb22-f755fd4d9b88.html

25.   Guest Essay: Continuing with Downsized Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project Ignores Idahoans’ Concerns (Idaho Statesman, Via AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/news/continuing-downsized-lava-ridge-wind-100000336.html

26.   Guest Essay: Dam Proposals (Ag Information Network of the West)

https://www.aginfo.net/report/59882/Idaho-Ag-Today/Dam-proposals

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

What Children’s Drawings from the Walls of Pompeii Tell Us About the Roman Empire

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/children-drawings-pompeii-1.7227953

All Hail the Corn Dog at the Original Pronto Pup, Oregon’s Shrine to Fried Food on a Stick

https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/2024/06/all-hail-the-corn-dog-at-the-original-pronto-pup-oregons-shrine-to-fried-food-on-a-stick.html

California Thieves Targeting Lego Stores for Black Market Deals: 'Lego Larceny'

https://www.ktvu.com/news/california-thieves-targeting-lego-stores-black-market-deals-lego-larceny

Animal That Was Model for Donkey in ‘Shrek’ Is Ailing. Fans Stepped In.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/animal-that-was-model-for-donkey-in-shrek-is-ailing-fans-stepped-in/ar-BB1oea4S

Song of the Day

Smashmouth – I'm a Believer (Shrek Movie Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCP7bCJxxm8

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.