Wednesday, October 16, 2024

The Energy News Digest for October 16, 2024

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Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Amazon’s Big Plans for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in Eastern WA & Beyond (Bellingham Herald, WA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/amazon-s-big-plans-for-small-modular-nuclear-reactors-in-eastern-wa-and-beyond/ar-AA1sn8Kh

Google Signs Deal to Use Small Nuclear Reactors to Power Data Centers (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/nuclear/google-agrees-to-multi-reactor-power-deal-with-nuclear-startup-kairos

Bonneville Power Administration Plans $3 Billion in Transmission Projects, Including 500-Kv Lines (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/bpa-bonneville-transmission-projects-oregon-washington-edam/729978/

Oregon: Data Center in Forest Grove? Neighbors Say Not So Fast (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/data-center-in-forest-grove-neighbors-say-not-so-fast/

Snow Is Likely Coming for the Cascades This Week (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2024/10/snow-is-likely-coming-for-the-cascades-this-week.html

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Amazon’s Big Plans for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in Eastern WA & Beyond

2.      Google Signs Deal to Use Small Nuclear Reactors to Power Data Centers

3.      Bonneville Power Administration Plans $3 Billion in Transmission Projects, Including 500-Kv Lines

4.      News Release: Bonneville Power Administration Maintains Transmission Expansion Momentum with 13 New Proposed Projects

5.      Pacific Gas & Electric Warns of Potential Power Shutoffs for Fire Danger Across Central & Northern California

6.      Idaho Power Lines Determined as Likely Cause of Valley Fire in Boise

7.      Montana Public Service Commission Rejects Montana-Dakota Utilities Rate Increase After Outcry

8.      British Columbia: The Columbia River Treaty Is Getting an Overhaul. Will It Help Resolve Kinbasket’s Woes?

9.      Public Power Utilities Included Among Recipients of DOE Funding for Hydropower

10.   Get Ready for ‘Age of Electricity,’ New Energy Agency Report Says

11.   As Solar Booms in the California Desert, Locals Feel ‘Overburdened’

12.   Geothermal – Petroleum Drilling Technology Is Now Making Carbon-Free Power

13.   This Farmer Was Skeptical About Solar — Until He Began Grazing Sheep

14.   Everyone Loves Rooftop Solar Panels. But There’s a Problem.

15.   Five ‘Vampire’ Appliances Wasting Energy If You Leave Them on Standby

16.   Lack of Chinook Salmon Keeps Southern Resident Orcas on Endangered List

17.   Fish Return After Condit Dam Removal

18.   A Receding Lake Powell Is Bringing Colorado River Rapids in Utah Back to Life

19.   The FCC Takes Aim at Broadband Data Caps

20.   Oregon: Data Center in Forest Grove? Neighbors Say Not So Fast

21.   Work Smarter: What You Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence Integrations, Video Trends & Policy Points

22.   Snow Is Likely Coming for the Cascades This Week

23.   A La Niña Winter Is Coming. Here’s What That Could Mean for the U.S.

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Conker /kon-kerr/ Noun – 1: a horse chestnut especially when used in conkers, 2: conkers plural: a game in which each player swings a horse chestnut on a string to try to break one held by the opponent

     Behold, the winner

     Disgraced conkers champion

     He used a steel nut

For context, see the Diversions section below.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Amazon’s Big Plans for Small Modular Nuclear Reactors in Eastern WA & Beyond (Bellingham Herald, WA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/amazon-s-big-plans-for-small-modular-nuclear-reactors-in-eastern-wa-and-beyond/ar-AA1sn8Kh

2.      Google Signs Deal to Use Small Nuclear Reactors to Power Data Centers (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/nuclear/google-agrees-to-multi-reactor-power-deal-with-nuclear-startup-kairos

3.      Bonneville Power Administration Plans $3 Billion in Transmission Projects, Including 500-Kv Lines (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/bpa-bonneville-transmission-projects-oregon-washington-edam/729978/

4.      News Release: Bonneville Power Administration Maintains Transmission Expansion Momentum with 13 New Proposed Projects (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20241015-bpa-maintains-tx-expansion-momentum-with-13-new-proposed-projects

5.      Pacific Gas & Electric Warns of Potential Power Shutoffs for Fire Danger Across Central & Northern California (Sacramento Bee, CA – Nia MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/pg-e-warns-of-potential-power-shutoffs-for-fire-danger-across-central-and-northern-california/ar-AA1skQGA

6.      Idaho Power Lines Determined as Likely Cause of Valley Fire in Boise (Idaho Press)

https://www.idahopress.com/news/local/idaho-power-lines-determined-as-likely-cause-of-valley-fire-in-boise/article_1b627450-8a79-11ef-abdc-bfd770e37b20.html

7.      Montana Public Service Commission Rejects Montana-Dakota Utilities Rate Increase After Outcry (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2024/10/15/montana-public-service-commission-rejects-mdu-rate-increase-after-outcry/

8.      British Columbia: The Columbia River Treaty Is Getting an Overhaul. Will It Help Resolve Kinbasket’s Woes? (The Rocky Mountain Goat, Valemount, BC)

https://www.therockymountaingoat.com/2024/10/the-columbia-river-treaty-is-getting-an-overhaul-will-it-help-resolve-kinbaskets-woes/

9.      Public Power Utilities Included Among Recipients of DOE Funding for Hydropower (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/public-power-utilities-included-among-recipients-doe-funding-hydropower

10.   Get Ready for ‘Age of Electricity,’ New Energy Agency Report Says (Axios – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/get-ready-for-age-of-electricity-new-energy-agency-report-says/ar-AA1smWDL

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   As Solar Booms in the California Desert, Locals Feel ‘Overburdened’ (Inside Climate News)

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/16102024/california-desert-solar-development-burden/?utm_medium=email

12.   Geothermal – Petroleum Drilling Technology Is Now Making Carbon-Free Power (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2024/10/15/nx-s1-5035523/petroleum-drilling-technology-carbon-free-power

13.   This Farmer Was Skeptical About Solar — Until He Began Grazing Sheep (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/this-farmer-was-skeptical-about-solar-until-he-began-grazing-sheep

14.   Everyone Loves Rooftop Solar Panels. But There’s a Problem. (Washington Post – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/everyone-loves-rooftop-solar-panels-but-there-s-a-problem/ar-AA1smtoi

Conservation & Efficiency

15.   Five ‘Vampire’ Appliances Wasting Energy If You Leave Them on Standby (The Mirror, UK)

https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/five-vampire-appliances-wasting-energy-33884215

Fish & Wildlife

16.   Lack of Chinook Salmon Keeps Southern Resident Orcas on Endangered List (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/3997930/lack-chinook-salmon-keeps-southern-resident-killer-whale-on-endangered-list/

17.   Fish Return After Condit Dam Removal (Columbia Gorge News, Hood River, OR)

https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/news/fish-return-after-dam-removal/article_b2e995ca-8b22-11ef-b0af-9ff009f310af.html

Water, Water, Anywhere?

18.   A Receding Lake Powell Is Bringing Colorado River Rapids in Utah Back to Life (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2024/10/15/nx-s1-5096082-e1/a-receding-lake-powell-is-bringing-colorado-river-rapids-in-utah-back-to-life

London Calling –Telecommunications

19.   The FCC Takes Aim at Broadband Data Caps (PC World)

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2491457/the-fcc-takes-aim-at-broadband-data-caps.html

Beam Me Up, Scotty - The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

20.   Oregon: Data Center in Forest Grove? Neighbors Say Not So Fast (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.koin.com/local/washington-county/data-center-in-forest-grove-neighbors-say-not-so-fast/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

21.   Work Smarter: What You Need to Know About Artificial Intelligence Integrations, Video Trends & Policy Points (Pioneer Utility Resources)

https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/work-smarter-with-ai/

Other Things to Know About Today

22.   Snow Is Likely Coming for the Cascades This Week (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2024/10/snow-is-likely-coming-for-the-cascades-this-week.html

23.   A La Niña Winter Is Coming. Here’s What That Could Mean for the U.S. (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/la-ni-winter-coming-could-082238997.html

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

Pumpkin Weighing 2,471 Pounds Wins California Contest

https://apnews.com/article/california-giant-pumpkin-winner-71cc6201bb732f057261d452bdf97ba5

Nuisance Or Neighbors? Rabbit Population Explodes in a Spokane Neighborhood

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/nuisance-or-neighbors-rabbit-population-explodes-in-a-spokane-neighborhood/ar-AA1sjXmI

Video: British Columbia Mushroom Picker Finds Massive Matsutake Mushroom

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6536818

Steel Chestnut Plunges World Conker Championships into Controversy

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/10/15/World-Conker-Championships-steel-chestnut-cheating/2541729011522/

Song of the Day

Art Garfunkel – Bright Eyes (Watership Down Soundtrack)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi-YTTR7n-8

Links & Paywall Advisory

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