Wednesday, October 2, 2024

The Energy News Digest for October 2, 2024

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Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Oregon Gov. Kotek Signs Executive Order to Restore Columbia Basin Salmon (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/oregon-gov-kotek-signs-executive-order-to-restore-columbia-basin/ar-AA1ruZCJ

The Grid Is Insufficient for Renewables. BPA Has a $2 Billion Plan. (The Oregon Capital Chronicle – Via AOL)

https://www.aol.com/grid-insufficient-renewables-bpa-2-123052459.html

Oregon’s Offshore Lease Sale Canceled as Bidders Back Out, Governor Raises Concerns (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/09/27/oregon-offshore-wind-auction-cancellation/

Southern Resident Orcas Have More Diverse Diet Than Previously Thought, Research Reveals (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/southern-resident-orcas-killer-whales-more-diverse-diet-than-previously-thought-noaa-puget-sound-mammal-marine-life-pacific-coast-animal-salmon-chinook-chum-population-decline-factors

Long Water & Power Outages from Helene Test Patience in the Carolinas & Georgia (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/helene-asheville-north-carolina-3f812f70c4d2649e2198362e9ae42b06

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      The Grid Is Insufficient for Renewables. BPA Has a $2 Billion Plan.

2.      62 Insurance Companies Sue Inland Power Over Gray Fire Losses

3.      Agency That Approves Energy Rate Hikes in Oregon Explains the How & Why Behind Decisions

4.      Bonneville Power Administration Makes 41st Straight Treasury Payment – On Time, And in Full

5.      FERC Approves California ISO Interconnection Reform Plan

6.      Oregon’s Offshore Lease Sale Canceled as Bidders Back Out, Governor Raises Concerns

7.      Iowa State Sues Washington State Company Accused of Dumping Wind-Turbine Blades

8.      Benton PUD Customers Targeted by Solar Installation Scam

9.      Utility-Scale U.S. Solar Electricity Generation Continues to Grow in 2024

10.   Oregon Gov. Kotek Signs Executive Order to Restore Columbia Basin Salmon

11.   News Release: Ore. Governor Kotek Affirms State Commitments to Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative

12.   Southern Resident Orcas Have More Diverse Diet Than Previously Thought, Research Reveals

13.   Pollock Fishery Shut Down Early After Unprecedented Salmon Bycatch in Gulf of Alaska

14.   Salmon Lawsuit Ends in WA State Settlement, But Tensions Over Hatcheries Simmer

15.   He’s Got a Gun, A College Degree in Fisheries & He Keeps Your Drinking Water Safe

16.   The States Where Climate Progress Is on the Ballot

17.   ‘Reliability’ Is the New Hot Thing in Broadband Networks

18.   We're PR Crisis Managers. Here's How We Do Damage Control When We Say Something Stupid.

19.   Long Water & Power Outages from Helene Test Patience in the Carolinas & Georgia

20.   French-Fry Giant Closing Eastern WA Plant, Laying Off Almost 400 Mid-Columbia Workers

21.   Guest Essay: Rolling on the River – Hydropower as a Reliable Form of Clean Energy

Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition

Ebullient \ih-BULL-yunt\ Adjective - 1: boiling, agitated *2: having or showing liveliness and enthusiasm: exuberant.

Scintillating bubbles in champagne make Betty Boop’s ebullient personality even more so.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      The Grid Is Insufficient for Renewables. BPA Has a $2 Billion Plan. (The Oregon Capital Chronicle – Via AOL)

https://www.aol.com/grid-insufficient-renewables-bpa-2-123052459.html

2.      62 Insurance Companies Sue Inland Power Over Gray Fire Losses (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/sep/30/62-insurance-companies-sue-inland-power-over-gray-/

3.      Agency That Approves Energy Rate Hikes in Oregon Explains the How & Why Behind Decisions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/10/02/think-out-loud-oregon-public-utilitiy-commission-rate/

4.      Bonneville Power Administration Makes 41st Straight Treasury Payment – On Time, And in Full (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20241001-bpa-makes-41st-straight-treasury-payment

5.      FERC Approves California ISO Interconnection Reform Plan (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-california-caiso-interconnection-reform-plan/728633/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

6.      Oregon’s Offshore Lease Sale Canceled as Bidders Back Out, Governor Raises Concerns (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/09/27/oregon-offshore-wind-auction-cancellation/

7.      Iowa State Sues Washington State Company Accused of Dumping Wind-Turbine Blades (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/09/26/state-sues-company-accused-of-dumping-wind-turbine-blades/

8.      Benton PUD Customers Targeted by Solar Installation Scam (KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities/Yakima, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/benton-pud-customers-targeted-by-solar-installation-scam/article_86c3c5c2-7c3d-11ef-80d2-6bcf018792c0.html

9.      Utility-Scale U.S. Solar Electricity Generation Continues to Grow in 2024 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=63324

Fish & Wildlife

10.   Oregon Gov. Kotek Signs Executive Order to Restore Columbia Basin Salmon (KOIN-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/oregon-gov-kotek-signs-executive-order-to-restore-columbia-basin/ar-AA1ruZCJ

11.   News Release: Ore. Governor Kotek Affirms State Commitments to Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (Governor Tina Kotek, Oregon)

https://apps.oregon.gov/oregon-newsroom/OR/GOV/Posts/Post/governor-kotek-affirms-state-commitments-to-columbia-basin-restoration-initiative

12.   Southern Resident Orcas Have More Diverse Diet Than Previously Thought, Research Reveals (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/southern-resident-orcas-killer-whales-more-diverse-diet-than-previously-thought-noaa-puget-sound-mammal-marine-life-pacific-coast-animal-salmon-chinook-chum-population-decline-factors

13.   Pollock Fishery Shut Down Early After Unprecedented Salmon Bycatch in Gulf of Alaska (KMXT Radio, Kodiak, AK)

https://www.kmxt.org/news/2024-09-27/pollock-fishery-shut-down-early-after-unprecedented-salmon-bycatch-in-gulf-of-alaska

14.   Salmon Lawsuit Ends in WA State Settlement, But Tensions Over Hatcheries Simmer (News from the States)

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/salmon-lawsuit-ends-settlement-tensions-over-hatcheries-simmer

Water, Water, Anywhere?

15.   He’s Got a Gun, A College Degree in Fisheries & He Keeps Your Drinking Water Safe (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/got-gun-college-degree-fisheries-123000383.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

16.   The States Where Climate Progress Is on the Ballot (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/elections/states-climate-progress-election-washington-minnesota/

London Calling –Telecommunications

17.   ‘Reliability’ Is the New Hot Thing in Broadband Networks (Fierce Network)

https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/reliability-new-hot-thing-broadband-networks

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

18.   We're PR Crisis Managers. Here's How We Do Damage Control When We Say Something Stupid. (Huffington Post)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/said-something-stupid_l_66f5d7f2e4b08b9c8c8cb303

Other Things to Know About Today

19.   Long Water & Power Outages from Helene Test Patience in the Carolinas & Georgia (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/helene-asheville-north-carolina-3f812f70c4d2649e2198362e9ae42b06

20.   French-Fry Giant Closing Eastern WA Plant, Laying Off Almost 400 Mid-Columbia Workers (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/french-fry-giant-closing-eastern-232709256.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

21.   Guest Essay: Rolling on the River – Hydropower as a Reliable Form of Clean Energy (Washington Times, DC)

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/sep/21/rolling-on-river-hydropower-as-reliable-form-of-cl/

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

Rare 'Wallet' of Viking-Era Treasure Found in Isle of Man

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/rare-wallet-viking-era-treasure-found-isle-man-2024-10-01/

Argentine Town Battles a Parrot Invasion

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentine-town-battles-parrot-invasion-2024-09-30/

A Deadly Attack Shakes Up the Bracket Reveal for 2024’s Fat Bear Week Contest

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/fat-bear-week-contest-katmai-alaska-2024/index.html

Aquarium Rescues Blue Lobster from Grocery Store Tank

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/09/27/blue-lobster-Via-Aquarium-New-York/9411727454352/

Song of the Day

Barry Manilow – Weekend in New England

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBGQA9Rfs0U

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.