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
Record Dry
Conditions, Lightning Spark Dozens of Wildfires Across Pacific Northwest
(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
WA Utilities
Prepare Public for Possible Power Shutdowns to Prevent Wildfires (The Center
Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_7a8403e0-4933-11ef-ad00-27c2e641146b.html
Are Offshore Wind
Turbines in Washington’s Future? (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2024/07/are-offshore-wind-turbines-washingtons-future
U.S. & Canada
Update 60-Year-Old Columbia River Treaty (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2024/07/us-and-canada-update-60-year-old-columbia-river-treaty
Monday Breaks the
Record for the Hottest Day Ever on Earth (Associated Press)
News Highlights (See
Stories Below)
1. WA
Utilities Prepare Public for Possible Power Shutdowns to Prevent Wildfires
2. When
a Utility Sparks a Wildfire, Who Pays?
3. U.S.
& Canada Update 60-Year-Old Columbia River Treaty
4. Tri-Cities
Forum Draws Support for Lower Snake River Dams
5. In
the News: Bonneville Power Administration Administrator Discusses Pressing
Regional Challenges at Pacific Northwest Energy Summit
6. Chelan
County PUD Commissioners Consider Framework to Evaluate Data Center Requests
7. Millions
of U.S. Low-Income Households Face Power Shutoffs Amid Deadly Heat
8. U.S.
Wholesale Natural Gas Spot Prices Fell to Record Lows in First Half 2024
9. Are
Offshore Wind Turbines in Washington’s Future?
10. Clearway
Signs PPA with Puget Sound Energy for Montana’s Haymaker Wind Farm
11. Battery
Farms to Store Green Energy Are Needed, But Where Should They Go? King County
Considers
12. Many
U.S. Solar Factories Are Lagging. Except Those China Owns
13. Renewables
Overproduction Turns Electricity Prices Negative
14. There’s
a New Top Fish of the Columbia River — And It Doesn’t Mind the Warm Water
15. Columbia
River Treaty Modernization Doesn’t Change Much for Salmon
16. DC
Circuit Rejects Bids to Put Hold on EPA Power Plant Carbon Rule
17. Monday
Breaks the Record for the Hottest Day Ever on Earth
18. In
Washington State, Gov. Inslee’s Final Months Aimed at Staving Off Repeal of
Landmark Climate Law
19. Oregon
Awarded Nearly $200M In Federal Funding to Boost Climate Action Programs
20. WA
State: Grant PUD Fiber Buildout Scheduled for October Completion
21. USDA
ReConnect Program Working to Bring Internet to Rural Areas
22. AT&T
Failed to Test Disastrous February Update That Kicked All Devices Off Network
23. Record
Dry Conditions, Lightning Spark Dozens of Wildfires Across Pacific Northwest
24. It’s
Time for Congress to Intervene with the Bonneville Power Administration
25. Transmission
Lines & Fiber
26.
Podcast: Lynne Kiesling, Congestible Public
Goods, and Common Pool Resources
Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition
Consonant \ CONN-suh-nunt\ Adjective – 1: being in agreement or harmony: free from elements making for discord 2: marked by musical consonances 3: having similar sounds 4: relating to or exhibiting consonance: resonant.
Bertrand was a reluctant lemming. As his fellow furry rodents rushed along towards a long drop off a nearby cliff into the sea, Bert decided he would not act in consonance with his brethren. Instead, he lazed in the sun, snacking on bulbs and sedges. The high-pitched cries of the other lemmings faded in the distance.
Energy & Utility
Issues
1.
WA Utilities Prepare Public for Possible Power
Shutdowns to Prevent Wildfires (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_7a8403e0-4933-11ef-ad00-27c2e641146b.html
2.
When a Utility Sparks a Wildfire, Who Pays? (High
Country News)
https://www.hcn.org/issues/56-7/when-a-utility-sparks-a-wildfire-who-pays/
3.
U.S. & Canada Update 60-Year-Old Columbia
River Treaty (Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2024/07/us-and-canada-update-60-year-old-columbia-river-treaty
4.
Tri-Cities Forum Draws Support for Lower Snake
River Dams (Northwest Public Broadcasting)
https://www.nwpb.org/2024/07/19/tri-cities-forum-draws-support-for-lower-snake-river-dams/
5.
In the News: Bonneville Power Administration Administrator
Discusses Pressing Regional Challenges at Pacific Northwest Energy Summit (Bonneville
Power Administration)
6.
Chelan County PUD Commissioners Consider
Framework to Evaluate Data Center Requests (American Public Power Association)
7.
Millions of U.S. Low-Income Households Face
Power Shutoffs Amid Deadly Heat (The Guardian, UK)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/16/low-income-households-face-power-shut-offs
8.
U.S. Wholesale Natural Gas Spot Prices Fell to
Record Lows in First Half 2024 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=62544
Renewable Energy & Self
Storage
9.
Are Offshore Wind Turbines in Washington’s Future?
(Crosscut Seattle)
https://crosscut.com/environment/2024/07/are-offshore-wind-turbines-washingtons-future
10.
Clearway Signs PPA with Puget Sound Energy for Montana’s
Haymaker Wind Farm (Power Technology)
https://www.power-technology.com/news/clearway-energy-ppa-puget-sound/
11.
Battery Farms to Store Green Energy Are Needed,
But Where Should They Go? King County Considers (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)
12.
Many U.S. Solar Factories Are Lagging. Except Those
China Owns (Reuters)
13.
Renewables Overproduction Turns Electricity
Prices Negative (AFP)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/renewables-overproduction-turns-electricity-prices-025913593.html
Fish & Wildlife
14.
There’s a New Top Fish of the Columbia River —
And It Doesn’t Mind the Warm Water (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)
15.
Columbia River Treaty Modernization Doesn’t
Change Much for Salmon (Indian Country Today)
https://ictnews.org/news/columbia-river-treaty-modernization-doesnt-change-much-for-salmon
Environmental Afflatus –
Clean Up on Aisle Three
16.
DC Circuit Rejects Bids to Put Hold on EPA Power
Plant Carbon Rule (Utility Dive)
Climate Change
Sequestration Vault
17.
Monday Breaks the Record for the Hottest Day
Ever on Earth (Associated Press)
18.
In Washington State, Gov. Inslee’s Final Months
Aimed at Staving Off Repeal of Landmark Climate Law (Associated Press)
19.
Oregon Awarded Nearly $200M In Federal Funding to
Boost Climate Action Programs (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
London Calling
–Telecommunications
20.
WA State: Grant PUD Fiber Buildout Scheduled for
October Completion (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA – Via AOL News)
https://www.aol.com/grant-pud-fiber-buildout-scheduled-195300161.html
21.
USDA ReConnect Program Working to Bring Internet
to Rural Areas (KXRO Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
https://www.kxro.com/usda-reconnect-program-working-to-bring-internet-to-rural-areas/
22.
AT&T Failed to Test Disastrous February Update
That Kicked All Devices Off Network (Ars Technica)
Other Things to Know
About Today
23.
Record Dry Conditions, Lightning Spark Dozens of
Wildfires Across Pacific Northwest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Soapbox Serenade – Vox
Populi
24.
It’s Time for Congress to Intervene with the Bonneville
Power Administration (Washington State Standard)
25.
Transmission Lines & Fiber (Pots & Pans)
https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2024/07/19/transmission-lines-and-fiber/
26.
Podcast: Lynne Kiesling, Congestible Public
Goods, and Common Pool Resources (Public Power Underground)
https://publicpowerunderground.substack.com/p/lynne-kiesling-congestible-public
Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions
Wienermobile
Crashes on Freeway in Suburban Chicago
https://gizmodo.com/wienermobile-crashes-on-freeway-in-suburban-chicago-2000478204
It’s Not a B Movie:
Scientists Say Sharks Are Ingesting Cocaine in Drug-Tainted Water
Norwegian Pro Soccer
Game Suspended When Fans Rain Fish Cakes onto the Field
Pioneering Physicist
Finally Receives Her Doctorate at the Age of 98
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/07/22/University-of-Bristol-physicist-98/7481721677709/
Song of the Day
Thomas Dolby – She
Blinded Me with Science
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJpEsynT2os
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.
