Wednesday, November 13, 2024

The Energy News Digest for November 13, 2024

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Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Drought Conditions Reduce Hydropower Generation, Particularly in the Pacific Northwest (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=63664

Climate Change Identified as Main Driver of Worsening Drought in the Western United States (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/climate-change-identified-main-driver-110032982.html

U.S. Electricity Exports to Canada Have Increased Since September 2023 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=63684

Tri-Cities Nonprofit Considers Suing WA State Over Inslee Decision on Huge Wind Farm (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tri-cities-nonprofit-considering-lawsuit-174521469.html

Center for Whale Research Reports Two Southern Resident Orcas Missing (KGMI Radio, Bellingham, WA)

https://mybellinghamnow.com/news/297792-center-for-whale-research-reports-two-southern-resident-orcas-missing/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Drought Conditions Reduce Hydropower Generation, Particularly in the Pacific Northwest

2.      U.S. Electricity Exports to Canada Have Increased Since September 2023

3.      British Columbia: Peace River Dam Reservoir Now Fully Filled, Generating Power but Flooding Land Loved by Locals

4.      Nuclear May Be the Answer to Utah’s Skyrocketing Energy Demands, Gov. Cox Says

5.      Bonneville Power Administration Releases Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results

6.      Utilities Have Shut Off Power to Prevent Wildfires. That Can Also Cause Problems

7.      Idaho Public Utilities Commission to Host Hearing About Idaho Power Rate Increase

8.      Utilities Manage Supply Chain Strain Amid Rising Electricity Demands & Policy Shifts

9.      Western Energy Market Governance Moves Forward

10.   Tri-Cities Nonprofit Considers Suing WA State Over Inslee Decision on Huge Wind Farm

11.   Hydrogen Hubs Test New Federal Environmental Justice Rules

12.   A Hydrogen-Powered Police Car Debuts in East Wenatchee

13.   Sin City or Solar City? BBC Highlights Las Vegas Green Energy Push

14.   Center for Whale Research Reports Two Southern Resident Orcas Missing

15.   BLM Finalizes Sage Grouse Protection Proposal, Seeks Public Input

16.   Update on Reservoir Levels

17.   Climate Change Identified as Main Driver of Worsening Drought in the Western United States

18.   Will 2024 Be the Warmest Year on Record for Earth? NOAA Says Yes

19.   Ziply, 12 Others Poised to Share $133M in Oregon Broadband Funding

20.   Arizona: Native Business Leader – More Money Needed to Bring Broadband Access to Tribal Communities

21.   Electric Co-ops Push for Faster Updates of BEAD Maps

22.   California’s Only Nuclear Plant to Use Artificial Intelligence to Help Comply with New Licensing Challenges

23.   Bluesky Has Added 1 Million Users Since the U.S. Election as People Seek Alternatives to X

24.   Washington Voters Approve Pro-Natural Gas Measure

25.   Trump Has Vowed to Kill US Offshore Wind Projects. Will He Succeed?

26.   Paywall Advisory: Republican Wins Darken Outlook for Senate Permitting Bill

27.   Wind Advisory Ends After Gusts Reached 50 MPH in Western WA

28.   Podcast: Steve Wright Details How Career as Public Power Leader Informed Decision to Write Book on Public Service

29.   Commentary: Why Businesses Stood Up for Washington State’s Cap-And-Invest Policy

Word of the Day

Sui Generis /sue-ih-JEN-er-us/ Adjective – Constituting a class alone: unique, peculiar.

Late-harvest Zinfandel and chocolate: the sui generis of pairings.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Drought Conditions Reduce Hydropower Generation, Particularly in the Pacific Northwest (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=63664

2.      U.S. Electricity Exports to Canada Have Increased Since September 2023 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=63684

3.      British Columbia: Peace River Dam Reservoir Now Fully Filled, Generating Power but Flooding Land Loved by Locals (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/site-c-begins-reservoir-filled-1.7378353

4.      Nuclear May Be the Answer to Utah’s Skyrocketing Energy Demands, Gov. Cox Says (KSL Radio, Salt Lake City, UT)

https://www.ksl.com/article/51184186/nuclear-may-be-the-answer-to-utahs-skyrocketing-energy-demands-cox-says

5.      Bonneville Power Administration Releases Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20241112-bpa-releases-fiscal-year-2024-financial-results

6.      Utilities Have Shut Off Power to Prevent Wildfires. That Can Also Cause Problems (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2024/11/13/nx-s1-5023135/utilities-have-shut-off-power-to-prevent-wildfires-that-can-also-cause-problems

7.      Idaho Public Utilities Commission to Host Hearing About Idaho Power Rate Increase (Idaho Capital Sun)

https://idahocapitalsun.com/briefs/idaho-public-utilities-commission-to-host-hearing-about-idaho-power-rate-increase/

8.      Utilities Manage Supply Chain Strain Amid Rising Electricity Demands & Policy Shifts (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/46158-utilities-manage-supply-chain-strain-amid-rising-electricity-demands-and-policy-shifts/

9.      Western Energy Market Governance Moves Forward (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/western-energy-market-governance-moves-forward

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

10.   Tri-Cities Nonprofit Considers Suing WA State Over Inslee Decision on Huge Wind Farm (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tri-cities-nonprofit-considering-lawsuit-174521469.html

11.   Hydrogen Hubs Test New Federal Environmental Justice Rules (The Daily Climate)

https://www.dailyclimate.org/hydrogen-hubs-test-new-federal-environmental-justice-rules-2669807910.html

12.   A Hydrogen-Powered Police Car Debuts in East Wenatchee (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/tech/science/environment/hydrogen-powered-police-car-east-wenatchee/281-9349d922-98f0-42ff-9279-5c53abd27730

13.   Sin City or Solar City? BBC Highlights Las Vegas Green Energy Push (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/sin-city-solar-city-bbc-221109048.html

Fish & Wildlife

14.   Center for Whale Research Reports Two Southern Resident Orcas Missing (KGMI Radio, Bellingham, WA)

https://mybellinghamnow.com/news/297792-center-for-whale-research-reports-two-southern-resident-orcas-missing/

15.   BLM Finalizes Sage Grouse Protection Proposal, Seeks Public Input (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2024/11/08/blm-sage-grouse-protection-proposal/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

16.   Update on Reservoir Levels (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2024/11/update-on-reservoir-levels.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

17.   Climate Change Identified as Main Driver of Worsening Drought in the Western United States (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/climate-change-identified-main-driver-110032982.html

18.   Will 2024 Be the Warmest Year on Record for Earth? NOAA Says Yes (The Weather Channel – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/will-2024-be-the-warmest-year-on-record-for-earth-noaa-says-yes/ar-AA1u1McQ

London Calling –Telecommunications

19.   Ziply, 12 Others Poised to Share $133M in Oregon Broadband Funding (Telecompetitor)

https://www.telecompetitor.com/ziply-12-others-poised-to-share-133m-in-oregon-broadband-funding/

20.   Arizona: Native Business Leader – More Money Needed to Bring Broadband Access to Tribal Communities (KJZZ Radio, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.kjzz.org/the-show/2024-11-11/tribal-leader-says-more-money-is-needed-to-bring-broadband-access-to-native-american-communities

21.   Electric Co-ops Push for Faster Updates of BEAD Maps (Fierce Network)

https://www.fierce-network.com/broadband/electric-co-ops-want-ntia-double-down-bead-locations

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

22.   California’s Only Nuclear Plant to Use Artificial Intelligence to Help Comply with New Licensing Challenges (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/californias-only-nuclear-plant-use-ai-help-comply-with-new-licensing-challenges-2024-11-13/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

23.   Bluesky Has Added 1 Million Users Since the U.S. Election as People Seek Alternatives to X (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/article/bluesky-has-added-1-million-users-since-the-us-19913543.php

Management & Governance

24.   Washington Voters Approve Pro-Natural Gas Measure (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/11/08/washington-voters-approve-pro-natural-gas-measure/

25.   Trump Has Vowed to Kill US Offshore Wind Projects. Will He Succeed? (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/trump-offshore-wind-energy-4e5b18ecd4799cc4cfd8cd7dc7b326ee

26.   Paywall Advisory: Republican Wins Darken Outlook for Senate Permitting Bill (E&E News – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/republican-wins-darken-outlook-for-senate-permitting-bill/

Other Things to Know About Today

27.   Wind Advisory Ends After Gusts Reached 50 MPH in Western WA (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/4008626/wind-advisory-with-gusts-up-to-50-mph-issued-for-tonight-in-western-washington/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

28.   Podcast: Steve Wright Details How Career as Public Power Leader Informed Decision to Write Book on Public Service (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/podcasts

29.   Commentary: Why Businesses Stood Up for Washington State’s Cap-And-Invest Policy (Energy News Network)

https://energynews.us/2024/11/13/commentary-why-businesses-stood-up-for-washington-states-cap-and-invest-policy/

Alligators in the Sewer – Diversions

Meteorite Lights Up Skies Across Montana, Washington & Idaho

https://www.khq.com/news/meteorite-lights-up-skies-across-montana-washington-and-idaho/article_07886272-a1cc-11ef-a8be-fffdee1a9c8a.html

Moose Wanders into Company’s Garage, Tramples BMWs

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/11/13/sweden-moose-garage-BMWs/3351731518224/

Missouri Thrift Store Seeking to Solve Mystery of WWII Love Letters

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/11/12/Salvation-Army-World-War-II-love-letters-Hannibal-Missouri/1311731446588/

77-Year-Old Slice of Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding Cake Sells for $2,800

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/11/11/old-cake-auctioned-Queen-Elizabeth-II-Prince-Philip/9261731361270/

Song of the Day

Average White Band – Cut the Cake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdy9tdCF9WM

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.