Wednesday, August 21, 2024

The Energy News Digest for August 21, 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.

Items of Note from the Northwest Public Power Association

Please help shape NWPPA membership and education by completing this quick 15-minute survey:

Utility members  |   Associate members

If you have any questions about this process, please contact Brent at brent@nwppa.org.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

U.S. Adds Most Power Generation in 21 Years as Artificial Intelligence Demand Surges (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-19/the-us-just-added-the-most-new-power-generation-in-21-years-as-ai-demand-surges

Seattle City Light & Federal Fisheries Agency Still at Loggerheads Over Fish (Salish Current)

https://salish-current.org/2024/08/19/seattle-city-light-and-federal-fisheries-agency-still-at-loggerheads-over-fish/

Salmon – Who Is Catching What Where – A Look by the Numbers of Last Year’s Record Global Pacific Salmon Catch (SeaWest News)

https://seawestnews.com/salmon-who-is-catching-what-where/

WA State Council Releases Revised Horse Heaven Clean Energy Project Proposal (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_2ddd29de-5f10-11ef-9c6e-6370cb2b82f6.html

Rail Giants Plan to Shut Down Canada Network After Union Talks Fail (Bloomberg News – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rail-giants-plan-shut-down-174611973.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      U.S. Adds Most Power Generation in 21 Years as Artificial Intelligence Demand Surges

2.      Will Data Centers Disrupt Power System Adequacy in the U.S. Pacific Northwest?

3.      NorthWestern Still Falling Short in Application for Higher Rates, Says Montana PSC

4.      Idaho Doesn’t Produce Energy Like It Used To. How Drought, Renewables Are Changing Our Landscape.

5.      Montana Electric Cooperatives' Association Honor Fallen Lineman

6.      Public Power Utilities Earn High Marks in J.D. Power Brand Appeal Index Study - Includes: Clark Public Utilities, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Seattle City Light, Snohomish County PUD, Tacoma Power.

7.      WA State Council Releases Revised Horse Heaven Clean Energy Project Proposal

8.      State of California Extends Geothermal Power Plant’s Public Comment Period Amid Community Concerns

9.      Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Seeks Input on New Solar & Wind Power Guidelines

10.   Are U.S. Wind Farms Killing Thousands of Birds?

11.   Thinking About Solar? Here Are Some Things to Consider

12.   Some of the Poorest Kentuckians Pay the Highest Power Bills Because Their Houses Leak Energy

13.   Seattle City Light & Federal Fisheries Agency Still at Loggerheads Over Fish

14.   Salmon – Who Is Catching What Where – A Look by the Numbers of Last Year’s Record Global Pacific Salmon Catch

15.   Salmon Restoration Project Helps Strengthen Sockeye Population in the Yakima Basin

16.   The Future of Native Willamette River Fish Is in Limbo

17.   Low Water Levels Affecting Salmon Migration in British Columbia Streams: DFO

18.   WA State: Puyallup Tribe Celebrates Court Decision to Uphold Ruling Ordering Partial Removal of Electron Dam

19.   Water Treaty Between Mexico & U.S. Faces Biggest Test in 80 Years

20.   Washington’s Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Not Working as Advertised, Prospective Clark County Car Buyers Say

21.   Ford to Shift Electric Vehicle Strategy by Building New Lower-Cost Pickups & a Commercial Van

22.   The Next Challenge for the U.S. Charging Network: Congestion

23.   Turn Bills into Story-Sharing Tools

24.   Democrats Divided Over Permitting Reform’s Climate Math

25.   Harris vs. Trump & the Future of FERC’s Grid Policy

26.   Sixteen Votes: WA Public Lands Commissioner Primary Race Down to Handful of Votes, Recount Expected

27.   Utah Lawsuit Seeks State Control Over Vast Areas of Federal Land

28.   Rail Giants Plan to Shut Down Canada Network After Union Talks Fail

29.   Jeep Driver Who Ran Over, Killed 25 Seagulls in Washington Charged with Animal Cruelty, Reckless Driving

30.   Editorial: Generative Artificial Intelligence Is an Energy Hog That Could Hurt Progress on Climate Change

31.   Podcast: Ben Serrurier & the Lighting Design Lab

Word of the Day

Tannoy /TAN-noi/ Noun - A sound-amplifying apparatus used as a public-address system, especially in a large building, such as a university.

The tinny tannoy emitted its shrill message, “Paging Mr. Herman.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      U.S. Adds Most Power Generation in 21 Years as Artificial Intelligence Demand Surges (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-19/the-us-just-added-the-most-new-power-generation-in-21-years-as-ai-demand-surges

2.      Will Data Centers Disrupt Power System Adequacy in the U.S. Pacific Northwest? (Hydro Review)

https://www.hydroreview.com/world-regions/north-america/will-data-centers-disrupt-power-system-adequacy-in-the-pacific-northwest/

3.      NorthWestern Still Falling Short in Application for Higher Rates, Says Montana PSC (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2024/08/20/northwestern-still-falling-short-in-application-for-higher-rates-says-montana-psc/

4.      Idaho Doesn’t Produce Energy Like It Used To. How Drought, Renewables Are Changing Our Landscape. (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/08/21/idaho-doesnt-produce-energy-like-it-used-to-how-drought-renewables-are-changing-our-landscape/

5.      Montana Electric Cooperatives' Association Honor Fallen Lineman (KRTV-TV, Great Falls, MT)

https://www.krtv.com/montana-electric-cooperatives-association-honor-fallen-lineman

6.      Public Power Utilities Earn High Marks in J.D. Power Brand Appeal Index Study - Includes: Clark Public Utilities, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Seattle City Light, Snohomish County PUD, Tacoma Power. (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/public-power-utilities-earn-high-marks-jd-power-brand-appeal-index-study

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

7.      WA State Council Releases Revised Horse Heaven Clean Energy Project Proposal (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_2ddd29de-5f10-11ef-9c6e-6370cb2b82f6.html

8.      State of California Extends Geothermal Power Plant’s Public Comment Period Amid Community Concerns (The Holtville Tribune, El Centro, CA)

https://holtvilletribune.com/2024/08/20/cec-extends-public-comment-period-amid-community-concerns/

9.      Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Seeks Input on New Solar & Wind Power Guidelines (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/washington-department-of-fish-and-wildlife-seeks-input-on-new-solar-and-wind-power-guidelines/article_2534c0b4-5f45-11ef-9d1b-378ac8cfbaa1.html

10.   Are U.S. Wind Farms Killing Thousands of Birds? (Colorado Sun, Denver, CO)

https://coloradosun.com/2024/08/19/are-us-wind-farms-killing-thousands-of-birds/

11.   Thinking About Solar? Here Are Some Things to Consider (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/13/nx-s1-4926495/thinking-about-solar-here-are-some-things-to-consider

Conservation & Efficiency

12.   Some of the Poorest Kentuckians Pay the Highest Power Bills Because Their Houses Leak Energy (News from the States)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/some-poorest-kentuckians-pay-highest-power-bills-because-their-houses-leak-energy

Fish & Wildlife

13.   Seattle City Light & Federal Fisheries Agency Still at Loggerheads Over Fish (Salish Current)

https://salish-current.org/2024/08/19/seattle-city-light-and-federal-fisheries-agency-still-at-loggerheads-over-fish/

14.   Salmon – Who Is Catching What Where – A Look by the Numbers of Last Year’s Record Global Pacific Salmon Catch (SeaWest News)

https://seawestnews.com/salmon-who-is-catching-what-where/

15.   Salmon Restoration Project Helps Strengthen Sockeye Population in the Yakima Basin (WA Dept. Of Ecology)

https://ecology.wa.gov/blog/august-2024/salmon-restoration-project-helps-strengthen-sockeye-population-in-the-yakima-basin

16.   The Future of Native Willamette River Fish Is in Limbo (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2024/08/20/salmon-trout-willamette-river-basin

17.   Low Water Levels Affecting Salmon Migration in British Columbia Streams: DFO (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-salmon-migration-drought-1.7297577

18.   WA State: Puyallup Tribe Celebrates Court Decision to Uphold Ruling Ordering Partial Removal of Electron Dam (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/puyallup-tribe-celebrates-court-decision-uphold-ruling-ordering-partial-removal-electron-dam/281-35e9636c-8b45-4ae0-9a84-64a3fc8f480f

Water, Water, Anywhere?

19.   Water Treaty Between Mexico & U.S. Faces Biggest Test in 80 Years (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/08/16/water-treaty-between-mexico-and-u-s-faces-biggest-test-in-80-years/

I Sing the Car Electric

20.   Washington’s Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Not Working as Advertised, Prospective Clark County Car Buyers Say (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.theolympian.com/news/state/washington/article291211255.html

21.   Ford to Shift Electric Vehicle Strategy by Building New Lower-Cost Pickups & a Commercial Van (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/ford-to-shift-electric-vehicle-strategy-by-19705387.php

22.   The Next Challenge for the U.S. Charging Network: Congestion (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-20/america-s-ev-charging-network-faces-its-next-challenge-congestion

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

23.   Turn Bills into Story-Sharing Tools (Pioneer Utility Resources)

https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/billstorytelling/

Management & Governance

24.   Democrats Divided Over Permitting Reform’s Climate Math (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4835724-permitting-reform-bill-climate-impact-democrats-divided/

25.   Harris vs. Trump & the Future of FERC’s Grid Policy (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/harris-vs-trump-and-the-future-of-fercs-grid-policy/

26.   Sixteen Votes: WA Public Lands Commissioner Primary Race Down to Handful of Votes, Recount Expected (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3974270/washington-primary-races-us-senate-attorney-general/

27.   Utah Lawsuit Seeks State Control Over Vast Areas of Federal Land (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/utah-public-lands-state-control-lawsuit-6459622b4534dcdd150731c84ed2a7b9

Other Things to Know About Today

28.   Rail Giants Plan to Shut Down Canada Network After Union Talks Fail (Bloomberg News – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rail-giants-plan-shut-down-174611973.html

29.   Jeep Driver Who Ran Over, Killed 25 Seagulls in Washington Charged with Animal Cruelty, Reckless Driving (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/crime/man-ran-over-25-seagulls-southwest-washington-long-beach-animal-cruelty/283-5698c2a9-38b9-47dc-9a08-2ac23938b906

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

30.   Editorial: Generative Artificial Intelligence Is an Energy Hog That Could Hurt Progress on Climate Change (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/opinion/editorials/other-views-generative-ai-is-an-energy-hog-that-could-hurt-progress-on-climate-change/article_962477b6-5d96-11ef-a12f-9b8462586678.html

31.   Podcast: Ben Serrurier & the Lighting Design Lab (Public Power Underground)

https://publicpowerunderground.substack.com/p/ben-serrurier-and-the-lighting-design

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

Screen-Matched 'Indiana Jones' Fedora Sells for $630,000

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/08/20/Propstore-Indiana-Jones-Temple-Doom-fedora/4461724183029/

Postcard Arrives at Wales Address 121 Years Late

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/08/20/late-postcard-121-years-Swansea-Wales/2711724173720/

Ohio Man's Dog License Number Earns Him $50,000 Lottery Prize

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/08/19/lotto-Ohio-Lottery-Pick-5-dog-license/3131724097170/

Museum Exhibit Explores Mysterious 'Kentucky Meat Shower' of 1876

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/08/19/Kentucky-Meat-Shower-Bath-County-History-Museum/3581724084786/

Song of the Day

The Carpenters – Please Mr. Postman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyGWEq8IXlQ

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.