Sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association, edited by Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus.
Explore Some of Public Power’s Biggest Challenges in January
Don’t miss NWPPA’s January conference series: Wildfires: What Utilities Need to Know, the Data Center and Load Growth Summit, and the Power Supply Conference. These deep-dive events help utility professionals better understand emerging challenges, share strategies, and prepare for the future. A special discount is available when you attend two or all three events. To receive the discount, please email registration@nwppa.org to register rather than signing up on NWPPA’s website.
Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories
U.S. Power Use to Beat Record Highs in 2026 and
2027 as Artificial Intelligence Use Surges, EIA Says (U.S. News & World
Report)
Why Oregon Households Are Projected to Take the
Biggest Energy Cost Hit in the Country (Central Oregon Daily News, Bend, OR)
Oregon: Battle Over Drinking Water, Fish
Protections & Detroit Lake Reaches Federal Court (Oregon Public
Broadcasting)
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/06/detroit-lake-reservoir-drinking-water-chinook-salmon/
Amazon’s Walla Walla Data Center Plan Sparks
Tension Between Protesters, Local Officials (Washington State Standard)
Before Fighting to Save Salmon, WA Had
Mountains of Wasted Fish (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/salmon-history-wa
News
Highlights (See Stories Below)
1.
U.S. Power Use to Beat
Record Highs in 2026 and 2027 as Artificial Intelligence Use Surges, EIA Says
2.
EIA Expects a Mixed
Picture for Winter Fuel Costs This Year
3.
Why Oregon Households
Are Projected to Take the Biggest Energy Cost Hit in the Country
4.
Northwest Power &
Conservation Council Hears Public Comment on Proposed Power Plan
5.
Washington’s Energy
Transformation: Siting & Permitting Developments to Watch
6.
Idaho’s Nuclear Waste
Debate Reignited as DOE Considers New Innovation Campus
7.
Pacific Gas &
Electric Files 10-Year Plan to Underground 5,000 Miles of Power Lines in
California
8.
The American Dams Too
Expensive to Remove
9.
Solar Power Helps
Amazon Communities Ditch Diesel & Prepare for El Niño Drought
10.
Before Fighting to
Save Salmon, WA Had Mountains of Wasted Fish
11.
Fewer Than One Hundred
Breeding Pairs of Burrowing Owls Remain in Washington
12.
Southern Resident Orca
J31 Observed with Dead Newborn Calf
13.
How Carbon-Intensive
Is Your State’s Electricity? Mountain West Rankings Vary Widely
14.
Oregon: Battle Over
Drinking Water, Fish Protections & Detroit Lake Reaches Federal Court
15.
Oregon’s Drought Eases
Slightly, But Forecast Conditions Could Mean the Problem Persists or Worsens
16.
Low Water Levels, High
Demand Force a Reckoning for the Colorado River
17.
Rainmakers: The Drones
Used to Seed Clouds
18.
News Release: USDA
Awards $11.7 Million to Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians to Expand
High-Speed Internet
19.
Network Theft Is Up,
And So Are Arrests
20.
Treat Conduit as an
Asset, Not an Expense
21.
U.S. Sen. Maria
Cantwell (WA) Outlines Six-Point Plan to Regulate Frontier Artificial
Intelligence as Concerns Escalate
22.
Amazon’s Walla Walla
Data Center Plan Sparks Tension Between Protesters, Local Officials
23.
Kelvin Waves Could
Influence Oregon, Washington Coasts During El Niño
24.
Curiosity Rover
Captures Unprecedented View of Mars Cliffs
Word of the Day – The Horrible Haiku Edition
Vulnerary \VULL-nuh-rare-ee\ Adjective – Used for or useful in healing wounds.
A
nurse’s soft touch
Rare,
vulnerary treatment
Grace from soothing hands
2.
EIA Expects a Mixed Picture for Winter Fuel
Costs This Year (U.S. Energy Information Administration)
https://www.eia.gov/pressroom/releases/press593.php
4.
Northwest Power & Conservation Council Hears
Public Comment on Proposed Power Plan (NBC Montana)
5.
Washington’s Energy Transformation: Siting &
Permitting Developments to Watch (JD Supra)
https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/washington-s-energy-transformation-7399818/
6.
Idaho’s Nuclear Waste Debate Reignited as DOE Considers
New Innovation Campus (Yahoo! News)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/idahos-nuclear-waste-debate-reignited-030747237.html
7.
Pacific Gas & Electric Files 10-Year Plan to
Underground 5,000 Miles of Power Lines in California (Claims Journal)
https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/national/2026/10/05/340526.htm
8.
The American Dams Too Expensive to Remove (World
Atlas)
https://www.worldatlas.com/bodies-of-water/the-american-dams-too-expensive-to-remove.html
Renewable Energy &
Self Storage
9.
Solar Power Helps Amazon Communities Ditch
Diesel & Prepare for El Niño Drought (U.S. News & World Report)
Fish & Wildlife
10. Before
Fighting to Save Salmon, WA Had Mountains of Wasted Fish (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/salmon-history-wa
11.
Fewer Than One Hundred Breeding Pairs of
Burrowing Owls Remain in Washington (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
https://kpq.com/burrowing-owl-endangered-status-washington/
12.
Southern Resident Orca J31 Observed with Dead
Newborn Calf (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
Climate Change
Sequestration Vault
13.
How Carbon-Intensive Is Your State’s
Electricity? Mountain West Rankings Vary Widely (KUNR Radio, Reno, NV)
Water, Water Anywhere?
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/10/06/detroit-lake-reservoir-drinking-water-chinook-salmon/
15.
Oregon’s Drought Eases Slightly, But Forecast
Conditions Could Mean the Problem Persists or Worsens (Oregon Public
Broadcasting)
16.
Low Water Levels, High Demand Force a Reckoning for
the Colorado River (Christian Science Monitor)
https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2026/1005/colorado-river-water-shortage
17.
Rainmakers: The Drones Used to Seed Clouds (British
Broadcasting Corporation)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c64g71j4lgyjo
London Calling
–Telecommunications
18.
News Release: USDA Awards $11.7 Million to
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians to Expand High-Speed Internet (U.S.
Department of Agriculture)
19.
Network Theft Is Up, And So Are Arrests (Light
Reading)
https://www.lightreading.com/broadband/network-theft-is-up-and-so-are-arrests
20.
Treat Conduit as an Asset, Not an Expense (Telecompetitor)
https://www.telecompetitor.com/treat-conduit-as-an-asset-not-an-expense/
HAL’s Internet Café
21.
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (WA) Outlines Six-Point
Plan to Regulate Frontier Artificial Intelligence as Concerns Escalate (GeekWire)
The Wizarding World of
Technology & Cybersecurity
Barrel O’ Green
Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science
23.
Kelvin Waves Could Influence Oregon, Washington Coasts
During El Niño (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)
24.
Curiosity Rover Captures Unprecedented View of Mars
Cliffs (KTLA-TV, Los Angeles,
CA)
https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/nasa-mars-yardangs-panorama-curiosity-rover/
Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer
If You Want to Feel Irresistible
on Halloween. Try Candy Corn Perfume
https://kpq.com/ixp/1135/p/brachs-candy-corn-fragrance-launch/
Seattle SuperSonics Time
Capsule Hidden Since 2008 Finally Opening; What’s Inside?
https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/seattle-supersonics-time-capsule-2008-opens
Man Proposes to Girlfriend
During 69-Vehicle Pile-Up in South Carolina
https://www.wyff4.com/article/proposal-during-69-car-crash-south-carolin/74028155
1,474
Pounds of French Fries Break World Record in Idaho
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c64g71j4lgyjo
Song of the Day
The Archies – Sugar,
Sugar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om5O6GL7cLY
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