The Energy News Digest for February 5, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors the Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

A More Serious Lowland Snow Threat for Later This Afternoon & Evening for Western Washington (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/02/a-more-serious-lowland-snow-threat-for.html

WA State: Snohomish PUD Customers to See Higher Electricity Bills as Rate Hikes Take Effect (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/snohomish-pud-rate-hikes

Washington Governor Creates Data Center Workgroup to Explore Economy, Energy, Environment Impacts (StateScoop)

https://statescoop.com/washington-bob-ferguson-data-center-workgroup-2025/

WA State: Community Voices Concerns Over Whitman County Windmill Project (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/community-voices-concerns-over-whitman-county-windmill-project/article_f90c374c-e38d-11ef-9250-47378c33f465.html

$156 Million Solar Power Grant for Washington in Limbo After Trump Order (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/02/04/156m-solar-grant-awarded-to-washington-in-limbo-after-trump-order/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      WA State: Snohomish PUD Customers to See Higher Electricity Bills as Rate Hikes Take Effect

2.      Avista Proposing Idaho Rate Hikes

3.      WA State: Rising Costs Prompt Benton PUD to Implement 5% Rate Increase

4.      Congress Urged to Reform Tennessee Valley Authority to Improve Transparency, Decision-Making

5.      Neo-Nazi Leader Found Guilty of Plotting Attack on Maryland Power Grid

6.      NV Energy Crews Work to Repair Substation After Copper Wire Theft Cause Outages Near Las Vegas Strip

7.      California PUC Streamlines Transmission Permitting Process

8.      How President Trump’s Pro-Oil Moves Could Help Hydropower

9.      WA State: Community Voices Concerns Over Whitman County Windmill Project

10.   $156 Million Solar Power Grant for Washington in Limbo After Trump Order

11.   Indoor Cannabis Farms in U.S. Use More Energy Than All Other Agriculture

12.   American Bald Eagles Are Having a Moment, Ecologically & Culturally

13.   Dramatic Drop in Monarch Butterfly Count Nears Record 30-Year Low

14.   The Water Unexpectedly Released from Dams on Trump’s Order Didn’t Help Farms or L.A.

15.   Taking Gov. Tina Kotek’s Temperature on Oregon’s Climate Change Response

16.   Washington Governor Creates Data Center Workgroup to Explore Economy, Energy, Environment Impacts

17.   Proposed Legislation Would Pull the Plug on Tesla’s Electric Vehicle Sales Advantage in WA

18.   WA State: Bill Proposed by Kennewick Senator Encourages Local Energy Resilience Investments

19.   Trump Tariffs Spark Fears of Supply Chain Chaos for Clean Energy

20.   President Trump Mulls Canceling Loans from $400 Billion Green Bank

21.   U.S. Senate Confirms Chris Wright to Serve as Secretary of Energy, Burgum as Secretary of the Interior

22.   A More Serious Lowland Snow Threat for Later This Afternoon & Evening for Western Washington

23.   Guest Essay: President Trump & I Helped End the Lava Ridge Wind Project. That’s Just the Start

24.   Washington’s Energy & Environment

25.   Navigating the Impact of President Trump’s Tariffs on Utility Supply Chains

Word of the Day

Zaftig /ZAFF-digg/ Adjective – Someone described as zaftig has a full, rounded figure or is pleasingly plump.

Zaftig - See the delightful Mae West. Enough said.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      WA State: Snohomish PUD Customers to See Higher Electricity Bills as Rate Hikes Take Effect (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/snohomish-pud-rate-hikes

2.      Avista Proposing Idaho Rate Hikes (KREM-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/idaho/avista-idaho-rate-hikes-proposal/293-11514408-df4d-4ab9-a6c5-2b8d7fe5b39a

3.      WA State: Rising Costs Prompt Benton PUD to Implement 5% Rate Increase (KAPP-TV, Yakima, WA)

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/3789405356069-rising-costs-prompt-benton-pud-to-implement-5-rate-increase

4.      Congress Urged to Reform Tennessee Valley Authority to Improve Transparency, Decision-Making (Kentucky Lantern)

https://kentuckylantern.com/2025/01/30/congress-urged-to-reform-tva-to-improve-transparency-decision-making/

5.      Neo-Nazi Leader Found Guilty of Plotting Attack on Maryland Power Grid (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/maryland-bge-neo-nazi-power-grid-guilty/

6.      NV Energy Crews Work to Repair Substation After Copper Wire Theft Cause Outages Near Las Vegas Strip (KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV)

https://www.fox5vegas.com/2025/02/05/nv-energy-crews-work-repair-substation-after-copper-wire-theft-cause-outages-near-las-vegas-strip/

7.      California PUC Streamlines Transmission Permitting Process (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/california-puc-transmission-permitting-process/739140/

8.      How President Trump’s Pro-Oil Moves Could Help Hydropower (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-trumps-pro-oil-moves-could-help-hydropower/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

9.      WA State: Community Voices Concerns Over Whitman County Windmill Project (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/community-voices-concerns-over-whitman-county-windmill-project/article_f90c374c-e38d-11ef-9250-47378c33f465.html

10.   $156 Million Solar Power Grant for Washington in Limbo After Trump Order (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/02/04/156m-solar-grant-awarded-to-washington-in-limbo-after-trump-order/

Conservation & Efficiency

11.   Indoor Cannabis Farms in U.S. Use More Energy Than All Other Agriculture (New Scientist)

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2467031-indoor-cannabis-farms-in-us-use-more-energy-than-all-other-agriculture/

Fish & Wildlife

12.   American Bald Eagles Are Having a Moment, Ecologically & Culturally (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/03/american-bald-eagles-having-a-moment-ecologically-culturally/

13.   Dramatic Drop in Monarch Butterfly Count Nears Record 30-Year Low (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/dramatic-drop-in-monarch-butterfly-count-nears-20144843.php

Water, Water, Anywhere?

14.   The Water Unexpectedly Released from Dams on Trump’s Order Didn’t Help Farms or L.A. (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/water-unexpectedly-released-dams-trumps-003834267.html

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

15.   Taking Gov. Tina Kotek’s Temperature on Oregon’s Climate Change Response (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/04/oregon-governor-tina-kotek-climate-change-environment/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

16.   Washington Governor Creates Data Center Workgroup to Explore Economy, Energy, Environment Impacts (StateScoop)

https://statescoop.com/washington-bob-ferguson-data-center-workgroup-2025/

I Sing the Car Electric

17.   Proposed Legislation Would Pull the Plug on Tesla’s Electric Vehicle Sales Advantage in WA (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_d5b3ce26-e343-11ef-a095-c38b117fec61.html?a

Politics, Governance, and Management

18.   WA State: Bill Proposed by Kennewick Senator Encourages Local Energy Resilience Investments (KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.khq.com/news/bill-proposed-by-kennewick-senator-encourages-local-energy-resilience-investments/article_0dc3e979-f2b8-562f-a4c2-27469acf12a0.html

19.   Trump Tariffs Spark Fears of Supply Chain Chaos for Clean Energy (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/trump-tariffs-spark-fears-of-supply-chain-chaos-for-clean-energy/

20.   President Trump Mulls Canceling Loans from $400 Billion Green Bank (Bloomberg News – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/trump-mulls-canceling-loans-from-400-billion-green-bank/ar-AA1yqfmQ

21.   U.S. Senate Confirms Chris Wright to Serve as Secretary of Energy, Burgum as Secretary of the Interior (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/senate-confirms-chris-wright-serve-secretary-energy-burgum-secretary-interior

Other Things to Know About Today

22.   A More Serious Lowland Snow Threat for Later This Afternoon & Evening for Western Washington (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/02/a-more-serious-lowland-snow-threat-for.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

23.   Guest Essay: President Trump & I Helped End the Lava Ridge Wind Project. That’s Just the Start (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/president-trump-helped-end-lava-110000416.html

24.   Washington’s Energy & Environment (Washington Policy Center)

https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/washingtons-energy-and-environment

25.   Navigating the Impact of President Trump’s Tariffs on Utility Supply Chains (Wood Mackenzie)

https://www.woodmac.com/news/opinion/the-impact-of-proposed-tariffs-on-utility-supply-chains/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Beloved Stolen Donkeys Juan & Julio Found Alive in Fall City

https://komonews.com/news/local/beloved-stolen-donkeys-juan-and-julio-found-alive-in-fall-city-pet-comfort-animal-companion-esa-crime-cute-pet-good-news-police-horse

This 300-Year-Old Violin Could Become the Most Expensive Musical Instrument

https://www.msn.com/en-us/arts/performing-arts/this-300-year-old-violin-could-become-the-most-expensive-musical-instrument/ar-AA1yomzh

Artificial Intelligence & Scientists Unite to Decipher Old Scrolls Charred by the Vesuvius Volcano

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/article/ai-and-scientists-unite-to-decipher-old-scrolls-20148707.php

Georgia City Attempting to Break Kazoo Ensemble World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/02/05/Macon-Cherry-Blossom-Festival-kazoo/2961738789481/

Song of the Day

Jascha Heifetz Plays Bach - The Chaconne in D minor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhOaS_Cy8_8

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.

The Energy News Digest for February 3, 2025

The Northwest Public Power Association sponsors the Energy News Digest. 

The News Digest on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X (formerly known as Twitter) will bring breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Trump Federal Employee Buyout Offer Doesn't Include Tennessee Valley Authority or Oak Ridge Contractors (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-federal-employee-buyout-offer-doesnt-include-tva-or-oak-ridge-contractors/ar-AA1yaQ1z

Paywall Advisory: Bonneville Power Administration Employees Confront President Trump’s ‘Fork in the Road’ (RTO Insider – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.rtoinsider.com/96974-bpa-employees-face-fork-in-the-road/

Microsoft Cloud Growth Constrained by Data Center Shortage (Bloomberg News – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-falls-reporting-slowing-growth-211142591.html

Washington State’s Sunny Days Spell Trouble for Snowpack (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-states-sunny-days-spell-trouble-for-snowpack,374629

Low-Elevation Snow Forecast for Oregon & SW Washington Through the Week (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/03/weather-portland-oregon-forecast-snow-rain-astoria-bend-roseburd-burns-baker-pendleton/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Trump Federal Employee Buyout Offer Doesn’t Include Tennessee Valley Authority or Oak Ridge Contractors

2.      Paywall Advisory: Bonneville Power Administration Employees Confront President Trump’s ‘Fork in the Road’

3.      CEO of Tennessee Valley Authority, The Nation’s Largest Public Utility, Plans to Retire

4.      Southern California Edison Wants to Raise Rates to Pay for Wildfires Linked to Its Equipment

5.      U.S. Nuclear Generators Import Nearly All the Uranium Concentrate They Use

6.      Nuclear Power Tech Poised to Explode as Wyoming’s Next Six-Figure ‘It’ Job

7.      U.S. Wholesale Power Prices to Rise About 7% in Most Regions in 2025: EIA

8.      Natural Gas Spot Prices Fell Across Key Regional Trading Hubs in 2024

9.      Why Electricity Will Be Hard to Weaponize in Trade War with Trump

10.   FERC in Focus: Consumers, Reliability & States Are FERC’s Top Priorities, Chairman Christie Says

11.   Yakama Power Looks to Alternative Energy Storage Projects

12.   Idaho Renewable Energy Projects Put on Hold Following President Trump’s Executive Order

13.   Hold Off on That New Heat Pump as Trump’s Freeze on Clean Energy Money Sows Uncertainty

14.   Geothermal Heat Pumps Are Crazy Efficient. Should You Get One?

15.   Flatlining Salmon & Steelhead Numbers in Columbia Basin Both a Success & Cautionary Tale

16.   Orca Advocates Beg for Solutions as Salmon Shortage Threatens Whale Population

17.   Northport & Upper Columbia River Gain Hope with Superfund Designation After Decades of Pollution

18.   Washington State’s Sunny Days Spell Trouble for Snowpack

19.   World’s Biggest Iceberg Could Collide with Antarctic Penguin Island

20.   USDA Ordered to Scrub Climate Change from Websites

21.   Microsoft Cloud Growth Constrained by Data Center Shortage

22.   Washington Lawmakers Pick a Knife Fight with Tesla

23.   WA Gov. Ferguson Names Ex-Microsoft Exec to Lead Utility Regulatory Panel

24.   The Latest Issue Dividing Washington’s Lawmakers: Cow Farts

25.   Low-Elevation Snow Forecast for Oregon & SW Washington Through the Week

26.   Guest Essay: It May Be Time to Take a New Look at Electricity Demand

27.   ‘Report Card’ Warns Washington State Failing to Meet Targets in Key Energy & Environmental Areas

28.   The Problem & Potential of Hydropower

Word of the Day

Intrinsic \inn-TRINN-zick\ Adjective - 1a: belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing b: being or relating to a semiconductor in which the concentration of charge carriers is characteristic of the material itself instead of the content of any impurities it contains 2a: originating or due to causes within a body, organ, or part b: originating & included wholly within an organ or part.

The sentimental value of the one-dollar bill taped to the ship’s wall near the antiquated cash register far exceeded the intrinsic value of the crumpled bit of paper. “It was the first dollar I made at this store…and possibly the last,” proclaimed the kilted owner of the “Horace’s Haggis Hut.”

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Trump Federal Employee Buyout Offer Doesn't Include Tennessee Valley Authority or Oak Ridge Contractors (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-federal-employee-buyout-offer-doesnt-include-tva-or-oak-ridge-contractors/ar-AA1yaQ1z

2.      Paywall Advisory: Bonneville Power Administration Employees Confront President Trump’s ‘Fork in the Road’ (RTO Insider – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.rtoinsider.com/96974-bpa-employees-face-fork-in-the-road/

3.      CEO of Tennessee Valley Authority, The Nation’s Largest Public Utility, Plans to Retire (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/tennessee-valley-authority-tva-ceo-a243548291623ef36ca293144c5d9c5f

4.      Southern California Edison Wants to Raise Rates to Pay for Wildfires Linked to Its Equipment (Los Angeles Times, CA – Via AOL News)

https://www.aol.com/news/edison-wants-customers-pay-wildfires-110058639.html

5.      U.S. Nuclear Generators Import Nearly All the Uranium Concentrate They Use (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64444

6.      Nuclear Power Tech Poised to Explode as Wyoming’s Next Six-Figure ‘It’ Job (Cowboy State Daily)

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/02/01/nuclear-power-tech-poised-to-explode-as-wyomings-next-six-figure-it-job/

7.      U.S. Wholesale Power Prices to Rise About 7% in Most Regions in 2025: EIA (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/wholesale-power-prices-rise-2025-regions-natural-gas/738463/

8.      Natural Gas Spot Prices Fell Across Key Regional Trading Hubs in 2024 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64445

9.      Why Electricity Will Be Hard to Weaponize in Trade War with Trump (Financial Post – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-electricity-hard-weaponize-trade-145503793.html

10.   FERC in Focus: Consumers, Reliability & States Are FERC’s Top Priorities, Chairman Christie Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-christie-consumers-reliability-states-colocation-naruc/738419/

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   Yakama Power Looks to Alternative Energy Storage Projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/01/yakama-nation-rail-energy-storage/

12.   Idaho Renewable Energy Projects Put on Hold Following President Trump's Executive Order (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)

https://www.kivitv.com/news/magic-valley/idaho-renewable-energy-projects-put-on-hold-following-trumps-executive-order

Conservation & Efficiency

13.   Hold Off on That New Heat Pump as Trump’s Freeze on Clean Energy Money Sows Uncertainty (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2025/01/hold-off-on-that-new-heat-pump-as-trumps-freeze-on-clean-energy-money-sows-uncertainty.html

14.   Geothermal Heat Pumps Are Crazy Efficient. Should You Get One? (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/geothermal-heat-pumps-are-crazy-efficient-should-you-get-one

Fish & Wildlife

15.   Flatlining Salmon & Steelhead Numbers in Columbia Basin Both a Success & Cautionary Tale (Indian Country Today)

https://ictnews.org/news/flatlining-salmon-and-steelhead-numbers-in-columbia-basin-both-a-success-and-cautionary-tale

16.   Orca Advocates Beg for Solutions as Salmon Shortage Threatens Whale Population (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/orca-advocates-beg-solutions-salmon-shortage-threatens-whale-population/T3NGLUTTR5GQTMW77VGED3WYFE/

Environmental Afflatus – Clean Up on Aisle Three

17.   Northport & Upper Columbia River Gain Hope with Superfund Designation After Decades of Pollution (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.kxly.com/news/northport-and-upper-columbia-river-gain-hope-with-superfund-designation-after-decades-of-pollution/article_5c5ee7a6-df6d-11ef-8d8c-dbb02934d992.html

Water, Water, Anywhere?

18.   Washington State’s Sunny Days Spell Trouble for Snowpack (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-states-sunny-days-spell-trouble-for-snowpack,374629

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

19.   World's Biggest Iceberg Could Collide with Antarctic Penguin Island (CBS News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-could-collide-191810605.html

20.   USDA Ordered to Scrub Climate Change from Websites (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/31/usda-climate-change-websites-00201826

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

21.   Microsoft Cloud Growth Constrained by Data Center Shortage (Bloomberg News – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-falls-reporting-slowing-growth-211142591.html

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   Washington Lawmakers Pick a Knife Fight with Tesla (Washington Observer)

https://washingtonobserver.substack.com/p/lawmakers-pick-a-knife-fight-with

Politics, Governance, and Management

23.   WA Gov. Ferguson Names Ex-Microsoft Exec to Lead Utility Regulatory Panel (Washington Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/ferguson-names-ex-microsoft-exec-to-lead-utility-regulatory-panel/

24.   The Latest Issue Dividing Washington's Lawmakers: Cow Farts (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://m.kuow.org/stories/the-latest-issue-dividing-washington-s-lawmakers-cow-farts

Other Things to Know About Today

25.   Low-Elevation Snow Forecast for Oregon & SW Washington Through the Week (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/02/03/weather-portland-oregon-forecast-snow-rain-astoria-bend-roseburd-burns-baker-pendleton/

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

26.   Guest Essay: It May Be Time to Take a New Look at Electricity Demand (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/02/03/it-may-be-time-to-take-a-new-look-at-electricity-demand/

27.   ‘Report Card’ Warns Washington State Failing to Meet Targets in Key Energy & Environmental Areas (Washington Policy Center)

https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/report-card-warns-washington-statefailing-to-meet-targets-in-key-energy-and-environmental-areas

28.   The Problem & Potential of Hydropower (Clean Technica)

https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/03/the-problem-potential-of-hydropower/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

A Newly Discovered Asteroid Has a Slim Chance of Hitting Earth In 2032

https://www.yahoo.com/news/newly-discovered-asteroid-slim-chance-143615008.html

'Setsubun' Bean-Throwing Festival Events Held Across Japan

https://japantoday.com/category/national/%27setsubun%27-bean-throwing-festival-held-across-japan-2

Corgi Cop Loses Bonus for Looking Fed-Up at Work. The Internet Can Relate.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/pets-and-animals/dogs/corgi-cop-loses-bonus-for-looking-fed-up-at-work-the-internet-can-relate/ar-AA1y35gB

Mushers & Dogs Braved a Horrific Alaska Winter to Deliver Lifesaving Serum 100 Years Ago

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/mushers-dogs-braved-horrific-alaska-winter-deliver-lifesaving-118296897

Song of the Day

Josh Groban – Beans Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lJ_7E3xRmc&t=5s

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.