Monday, July 1, 2024

The Energy News Digest for July 1, 2024

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Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

More Nuclear Power in the Tri-Cities? Energy Northwest Meets with Stakeholders for Proposed Plant Expansion Near Richland (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jun/30/more-nuclear-power-in-the-tri-cities-northwest-ene/

Chelan, Douglas, Grant Public Utility Districts Suing Over Treaty, Payments to Canada (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/chelan-douglas-grant-puds-suing-over-treaty-payments-to-canada/

Are Power Shutoffs Coming? Avista Officially Shifts into Fire Safety Mode (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jun/27/are-power-shutoffs-coming-avista-officially-shifts/

California Lawmakers Unveil $10 Billion Bond Proposals for Climate & Schools (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/california-bond-measures-november-ballot-climate-schools-21e0a8b13dcdcc7ef73c801315b4a131

A Sockeye Success Story on the Columbia River (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/outdoors/rob-phillips-a-sockeye-success-story-on-the-columbia-river/article_1171c62c-3352-11ef-95bf-a3206de7e45e.html

Today’s News Lineup (See Stories Below)

1.      More Nuclear Power in the Tri-Cities? Energy Northwest Meets with Stakeholders for Proposed Plant Expansion Near Richland

2.      Chelan, Douglas, Grant Public Utility Districts Suing Over Treaty, Payments to Canada

3.      Are Power Shutoffs Coming? Avista Officially Shifts into Fire Safety Mode

4.      Pacific Gas & Electric Says Several California Counties Likely to Experience Power Shutoffs Tuesday

5.      Commercial Electricity Demand Grew Fastest in States with Rapid Computing Facility Growth

6.      News Release: U.S. House Acts to Protect Millions of Northwest Ratepayers

7.      Bonneville Power Administration Engineer Recognized for National Role in Promoting Interregional Transmission

8.      Why Are Midwest Grid Operators Turning Away Wind Power?

9.      Hydropower Remains Renewable Leader Despite Climate Challenges

10.   Universal Hydrogen, Pioneer of Hydrogen-Powered Flight, Goes Bust

11.   How Water Could Be the Future of Fuel

12.   Community Solar Expands Access to Clean Energy, New Study Shows

13.   A Sockeye Success Story on the Columbia River

14.   Oregon: Reedsport Hatchery Disappointed with Sentence of Man Behind Mass Deaths of Juvenile Chinook

15.   What It Means for the Supreme Court to Block Enforcement of the EPA’s ‘Good Neighbor’ Pollution Rule

16.   Utah: Officials Rejoice After Iconic U.S. Lake System Reaches Peak Water Levels for First Time in Over a Decade

17.   California Lawmakers Unveil $10 Billion Bond Proposals for Climate & Schools

18.   Data Centers Could Set Back Climate Progress

19.   Gassy Cows & Pigs Will Face a Carbon Tax in Denmark, a World First

20.   The Chemtrails Conspiracy Theory

21.   With a Week to Qualify, Backers of WA Energy Choice Initiative Feeling Confident

22.   Dangerous Hurricane Beryl restrengthens to Category 4 off Grenada

23.   Why Mount Rainier Is the U.S. Volcano That Troubles Scientists Most

24.   Guest Essay: Battle Over Dams & Salmon Still Rages in Pacific Northwest

25.   Guest Essay: Hydrogen Is Key to Fighting Climate Change, But We Must Get It Right

26.   Editorial: San Diego - Who Won & Who Lost in the Campaign for a City-Run Electric Utility

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Afflatus • \ah-FLAY-tus\ • noun: a divine imparting of knowledge or power

     Aroused afflatus

     Brilliant, divine knowledge

     God’s breath inspires us

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      More Nuclear Power in the Tri-Cities? Energy Northwest Meets with Stakeholders for Proposed Plant Expansion Near Richland (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jun/30/more-nuclear-power-in-the-tri-cities-northwest-ene/

2.      Chelan, Douglas, Grant Public Utility Districts Suing Over Treaty, Payments to Canada (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/chelan-douglas-grant-puds-suing-over-treaty-payments-to-canada/

3.      Are Power Shutoffs Coming? Avista Officially Shifts into Fire Safety Mode (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jun/27/are-power-shutoffs-coming-avista-officially-shifts/

4.      Pacific Gas & Electric Says Several California Counties Likely to Experience Power Shutoffs Tuesday (KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20240627-bpa-engineer-recognized-for-national-role-in-promoting-interregional-tx

5.      Commercial Electricity Demand Grew Fastest in States with Rapid Computing Facility Growth (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62409

6.      News Release: U.S. House Acts to Protect Millions of Northwest Ratepayers (Northwest RiverPartners)

https://nwriverpartners.org/press-releases/u-s-house-acts-to-protect-millions-of-northwest-ratepayers/

7.      Bonneville Power Administration Engineer Recognized for National Role in Promoting Interregional Transmission (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20240627-bpa-engineer-recognized-for-national-role-in-promoting-interregional-tx

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

8.      Why Are Midwest Grid Operators Turning Away Wind Power? (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62406

9.      Hydropower Remains Renewable Leader Despite Climate Challenges (Power Magazine)

https://www.powermag.com/hydropower-remains-renewable-leader-despite-climate-challenges/

10.   Universal Hydrogen, Pioneer of Hydrogen-Powered Flight, Goes Bust (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/boeing-aerospace/universal-hydrogen-pioneer-of-hydrogen-powered-flight-goes-bust/

11.   How Water Could Be the Future of Fuel (Washington Post, Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/how-water-could-be-the-future-of-fuel/ar-BB1oZ10s

12.   Community Solar Expands Access to Clean Energy, New Study Shows (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/energy-equity/community-solar-expands-access-to-clean-energy-new-study-shows

Fish & Wildlife

13.   A Sockeye Success Story on the Columbia River (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/outdoors/rob-phillips-a-sockeye-success-story-on-the-columbia-river/article_1171c62c-3352-11ef-95bf-a3206de7e45e.html

14.   Oregon: Reedsport Hatchery Disappointed with Sentence of Man Behind Mass Deaths of Juvenile Chinook (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/07/01/hatchery-salmon-kill-bleach-sentence-reedsport/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

15.   What It Means for the Supreme Court to Block Enforcement of the EPA’s ‘Good Neighbor’ Pollution Rule (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-epa-good-neighbor-air-pollution-ea23421c78999293267339faf4453cdb

Water, Water, Anywhere?

16.   Utah: Officials Rejoice After Iconic U.S. Lake System Reaches Peak Water Levels for First Time in Over a Decade (The Cooldown)

https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/utah-water-levels-drought-governor-cox/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

17.   California Lawmakers Unveil $10 Billion Bond Proposals for Climate & Schools (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/california-bond-measures-november-ballot-climate-schools-21e0a8b13dcdcc7ef73c801315b4a131

18.   Data Centers Could Set Back Climate Progress (High Country News)

https://www.hcn.org/articles/do-data-centers-mean-doomsville-for-renewable-energy/

19.   Gassy Cows & Pigs Will Face a Carbon Tax in Denmark, a World First (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/denmark-cow-tax-greenhouse-gases-9a570518639e0a1990806fd1a05ac11a

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

20.   The Chemtrails Conspiracy Theory (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-chemtrails-conspiracy-theory.html

Management & Governance

21.   With a Week to Qualify, Backers of WA Energy Choice Initiative Feeling Confident (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_4c16fd9a-3598-11ef-9656-cbabce8aea9a.html

Other Things to Know About Today

22.   Dangerous Hurricane Beryl restrengthens to Category 4 off Grenada (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-beryl-caribbean-islands-aaae273e307658866fdd27f9f2c76592

23.   Why Mount Rainier Is the U.S. Volcano That Troubles Scientists Most (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-mount-rainier-us-volcano-110015271.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

24.   Guest Essay: Battle Over Dams & Salmon Still Rages in Pacific Northwest (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jun/29/bonner-russell-cohen-battle-over-dams-and-salmon-s/

25.   Guest Essay: Hydrogen Is Key to Fighting Climate Change, But We Must Get It Right (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/news/commentary-hydrogen-key-fighting-climate-080000836.html

26.   Editorial: San Diego - Who Won & Who Lost in the Campaign for a City-Run Electric Utility (San Diego Times, CA)

https://timesofsandiego.com/opinion/2024/06/27/who-won-and-who-lost-in-the-campaign-for-a-city-run-electric-utility/

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

The Real Meaning Behind the Muppets’ Rainbow Connection

https://www.grunge.com/330243/the-real-meaning-behind-the-muppets-rainbow-connection/

As Ice Melts, Everest’s ‘Death Zone’ Gives Up Its Ghosts

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ice-melts-everests-death-zone-032836170.html

Video-Gaming Teenager to Become First Catholic Millennial Saint as Pope & Cardinals Approve Canonization

https://www.yahoo.com/news/video-gaming-teenager-become-first-094240219.html

Rainforest Animal Called a Kinkajou Rescued from Dusty Highway Rest Stop in Washington State

https://apnews.com/article/kinkajou-animal-rescue-washington-rest-stop-df33c83449c4850e01927194fbc1d620

Song of the Day

Enya - Orinoco Flow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTrk4X9ACtw

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.

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