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Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
Seattle City Light, Tribes Reach $4 Billion Relicensing Deal
for Skagit River Dams (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)
https://www.knkx.org/2026-03-06/seattle-city-light-tribes-relicensing-deal-skagit-river-dams
Puget Sound Energy Wants 30% Rate Increase; Clean Energy
Mandates Behind Request (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_1fc7710f-ee8b-4dbe-87a4-b1e41c861b64.html
Are Other Killer Whales Eating Washington’s Southern
Resident Orcas? (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/local/southern-resident-orcas-biggs/4212558
Rad Power Bikes Gets a New Owner, Pledge to Build Bikes in
the U.S. (Engadget – Via MSN)
Winter Weather Alerts Along Oregon & Washington Cascades
(Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/09/oregon-washington-cascades-winter-weather-alert/
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
Seattle City Light, Tribes Reach $4 Billion
Relicensing Deal for Skagit River Dams
2.
Seattle City Light to Pay Nearly $1 Billion for
Fish Passage on Skagit River Under Proposed Agreement
3.
Puget Sound Energy Wants 30% Rate Increase;
Clean Energy Mandates Behind Request
4.
Alberta & the U.S. Have Been Arguing Over
Electricity — But a ‘Win-Win’ May Be in Sight
5.
WA State: With Fewer Applicants for Service,
Grant PUD Trying to Fill What’s Left
6.
Artificial Intelligence Is Spurring a Big
Expansion of High-Voltage Power Lines. Landowners & Locals Are Fighting
Back
7.
Cuba Claims Huge Power Plant Fix After Massive
Blackout Chaos
8.
U.S. Electricity Generation in 2025 Hit a
Record, Again
9.
Utilities Lack Tools to Guard Power Grid from
Drone Attacks
10.
DOE Nuclear Energy Launch Pad ‘Extends &
Expands’ Pilot Programs
11.
United Kingdom: ‘I Fiddled the Meter for a Mate
& the Shop Burnt Down’
12.
Controversial Hydroelectric Project Above
Miracle Mile Earns Wyoming Water Quality Certificate
13.
Inside One Michigan Town’s Fight Against Solar
Expansion
14.
Oregon Pushes New Homes to Install Heat Pumps
Over Air Conditioners
15.
Verify Before You Electrify: Best Practices for
Planning an Electrification Journey
16.
Are Other Killer Whales Eating Washington’s
Southern Resident Orcas?
17.
Spillover: The Battle Over Fish & Power in
the Columbia River Basin
18.
Sign of Spring on Columbia with Salmon Seasons
Set
19.
Reclamation: Water Demands Will Not Be Met This
Season
20.
Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Sign Water Rights
Pact
21.
U.S. Supreme Court Should Decide Energy Policy
Framework Over Climate Lawsuits
22.
Idaho: 620-Acre Data Center Planned for Kuna
Sparks Concerns Over Power Rates
23.
Temporarily Banning Data Centers Draws More
Interest from State, Local Officials
24.
Anthropic Sues Trump Administration Seeking to
undo ‘Supply Chain Risk’ Designation
25.
Rad Power Bikes Gets a New Owner, Pledge to
Build Bikes in the U.S.
26.
When Was Hydropower Invented?
27.
A Company Plans 4,000 Orbiting ‘Sky Mirrors’ to
Shine Sunlight on Earth After Dark, Worrying Astronomers
28.
Oregon: Key Climate, Energy Bills Fail to
Advance in Legislative Session
29.
Oregon Legislature Approves One-Year Moratorium
on Key Data Center Tax Break
30.
FEMA Ordered to Restore Disaster Mitigation
Funding
31.
Montana U.S. Senator Mocked ‘Green Energy Crap.’
His House Runs on It.
32.
Winter Weather Alerts Along Oregon &
Washington Cascades
33.
Last Pacific Northwest Alcoa Smelter Shutters –
Ending Washington Aluminum Era
34.
Guest Essay: Comprehensive Energy Permitting
Reform Is Essential for Meeting Washington’s Clean-Energy Goals
Day of the Day
National Napping Day
Quiet afternoon
A sleepy world lays
to rest
Napping Day sets in
Energy
& Utility Issues
1.
Seattle City Light, Tribes Reach $4 Billion
Relicensing Deal for Skagit River Dams (KNKX Radio, Tacoma, WA)
https://www.knkx.org/2026-03-06/seattle-city-light-tribes-relicensing-deal-skagit-river-dams
2.
Seattle City Light to Pay Nearly $1 Billion for
Fish Passage on Skagit River Under Proposed Agreement (Cascadia Daily)
3.
Puget Sound Energy Wants 30% Rate Increase;
Clean Energy Mandates Behind Request (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_1fc7710f-ee8b-4dbe-87a4-b1e41c861b64.html
4.
Alberta & the U.S. Have Been Arguing Over
Electricity — But a ‘Win-Win’ May Be in Sight (Yahoo! News)
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/alberta-u-arguing-over-electricity-120000715.html
5.
WA State: With Fewer Applicants for Service, Grant
PUD Trying to Fill What’s Left (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
6.
Artificial Intelligence Is Spurring a Big
Expansion of High-Voltage Power Lines. Landowners & Locals Are Fighting
Back (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/ai-trump-energy-transmission-lines-f1c6b1251054d2a7e193297e4111b8d1
7.
Cuba Claims Huge Power Plant Fix After Massive
Blackout Chaos (MSN News)
8.
U.S. Electricity Generation in 2025 Hit a Record,
Again (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=67284
9.
Utilities Lack Tools to Guard Power Grid from Drone
Attacks (Utility Dive)
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-power-grid-drone-attacks-nerc-iran/813873/
10.
DOE Nuclear Energy Launch Pad ‘Extends &
Expands’ Pilot Programs (Nuclear Newswire)
11.
United Kingdom: ‘I Fiddled the Meter for a Mate
& the Shop Burnt Down’ (British Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm246kdxjr7o
Renewable
Energy & Self Storage
12.
Controversial Hydroelectric Project Above Miracle
Mile Earns Wyoming Water Quality Certificate (WyoFile)
13.
Inside One Michigan Town’s Fight Against Solar
Expansion (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/michigan/article_fc5f43ce-6b03-4f2f-aaed-62dd69602adb.html
Conservation
& Efficiency
14.
Oregon Pushes New Homes to Install Heat Pumps
Over Air Conditioners (Oregon Capital Chronicle)
15.
Verify Before You Electrify: Best Practices for Planning
an Electrification Journey (Forbes Magazine)
Fish
& Wildlife
16.
Are Other Killer Whales Eating Washington’s Southern
Resident Orcas? (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)
https://mynorthwest.com/local/southern-resident-orcas-biggs/4212558
17.
Spillover: The Battle Over Fish & Power in The
Columbia River Basin (Montana Free Press)
18.
Sign of Spring on Columbia with Salmon Seasons
Set (Camas-Washougal Post-Record, WA)
https://www.camaspostrecord.com/news/2026/mar/05/sign-of-spring-on-columbia-with-salmon-seasons-set/
Water, Water, Anywhere?
19.
Reclamation: Water Demands Will Not Be Met This
Season (Pacific NW Ag Network)
https://pnwag.net/water-demands-yakima-march/
20.
Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Sign Water Rights
Pact (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/mar/08/coeur-dalene-tribe-idaho-sign-water-rights-pact/
Climate
Change Sequestration Vault
21.
U.S. Supreme Court Should Decide Energy Policy
Framework Over Climate Lawsuits (The Center Square)
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_65048756-b6df-4755-a380-ad3595da36c7.html
HAL’s
Internet Café
22.
Idaho: 620-Acre Data Center Planned for Kuna Sparks
Concerns Over Power Rates (KIVI-TV, Nampa, ID)
https://www.kivitv.com/kuna/620-acre-data-center-planned-for-kuna-sparks-concerns-over-power-rates
23.
Temporarily Banning Data Centers Draws More
Interest from State, Local Officials (Idaho Capital Sun)
24.
Anthropic Sues Trump Administration Seeking to
undo ‘Supply Chain Risk’ Designation (Associated Press)
https://apnews.com/article/anthropic-trump-pentagon-hegseth-ai-104c6c39306f1adeea3b637d2c1c601b
I
Sing the Car Electric
25.
Rad Power Bikes Gets a New Owner, Pledge to Build
Bikes in the U.S. (Engadget – Via MSN)
Public
Relations, Marketing & Media
26.
When Was Hydropower Invented? (U.S. Dept. of
Energy)
https://www.energy.gov/cmei/water/history-hydropower
Barrel
O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
27.
A Company Plans 4,000 Orbiting ‘Sky Mirrors’ to
Shine Sunlight on Earth After Dark, Worrying Astronomers (Daily Galaxy)
Politics,
Governance, and Management
28.
Oregon: Key Climate, Energy Bills Fail to Advance
in Legislative Session (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
29.
Oregon Legislature Approves One-Year Moratorium on
Key Data Center Tax Break (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
30.
FEMA Ordered to Restore Disaster Mitigation
Funding (Courthouse News Service)
https://courthousenews.com/fema-ordered-to-restore-disaster-mitigation-funding/
31.
Montana U.S. Senator Mocked ‘Green Energy Crap.’
His House Runs on It. (Politico)
Other
Things to Know About Today
32.
Winter Weather Alerts Along Oregon & Washington
Cascades (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/03/09/oregon-washington-cascades-winter-weather-alert/
33.
Last Pacific Northwest Alcoa Smelter Shutters –
Ending Washington Aluminum Era (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/alcoa-wenatchee-smelter-closure-aluminum/
Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi
34.
Guest Essay: Comprehensive Energy Permitting
Reform Is Essential for Meeting Washington’s Clean-Energy Goals (Spokesman-Review,
Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/mar/07/alex-amonette-and-poonam-medberry-comprehensive-en/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
Seat 11A: The Windowless Inside Joke at 30,000 Feet
https://dnyuz.com/2026/03/07/seat-11a-the-windowless-inside-joke-at-30000-feet/
Claims of ‘Rediscovered’ Michelangelos Unsettle Renaissance Experts
https://courthousenews.com/claims-of-rediscovered-michelangelos-unsettle-renaissance-experts/
Oddest Unclaimed Luggage Items of 2025 Include Robot,
Meteorite
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/03/09/Unclaimed-Baggage-oddest-lost-luggage-2025/2161773070054/
Blindfolded Woman Identifies 19 Barbie Dolls in Three
Minutes
Song of the Day
Paul Pena - Jet Airliner (Original Version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-aRbGA7uvg
Links & Paywall Advisory
Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which can cause broken links.
Although I choose stories that are accessible without paying
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