The Energy News Digest for May 11, 2022

Programming Note: The Energy News Digest will be on hiatus next week, seeking its first sunburn of the season. It will return May 23 with its wholesome goodness. 

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

AP Investigation Finds Washington State Has 50 Dams in ‘Poor’ Condition That Need Repairs (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/09/washington-state-has-50-dams-in-poor-condition-that-need-repairs-ap-finds/

Montana: Colstrip Operator Talen Energy Files for Bankruptcy (Billings Gazette, MT)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/colstrip-operator-talen-energy-files-for-bankruptcy/article_3668164c-d090-11ec-ae50-37606817002e.html

The Largest Water Reservoirs in California Are Rapidly Receding (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/the-largest-water-reservoirs-in-california-are-rapidly-1848906209

Klamath Tribes Sue Feds Over Endangered Sucker Fish (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/klamath-tribes-sue-feds-over-endangered-sucker-fish/

This California Desert Could Hold the Key to Powering All of America’s Electric Cars (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/11/business/salton-sea-lithium-extraction/index.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      AP Investigation Finds Washington State Has 50 Dams in ‘Poor’ Condition That Need Repairs

2.      Montana: Colstrip Operator Talen Energy Files for Bankruptcy

3.      California: The Fight for Clean Energy Pits San Francisco Against the River Rafting Industry

4.      Bonneville Power Announces Second Quarter Revenues

5.      Pacific Power Warns of Possible Safety-Related Outages During Wildfire Season

6.      Western Utilities Urge Customers to Build Outage Kits, Keep Informed as Part of National Wildfire Awareness Month

7.      Idaho: May Storm Dumps Snow on Treasure Valley, Knocks Out Power

8.      Nesting Birds to Blame for Days of Power Outages Impacting Thousands of British Columbians

9.      BC Hydro’s Peace River Dam Project Provides Clean, Reliable, & Affordable Electricity for British Columbia

10.   $1 Billion Hydropower Project’s Fate Rests with Maine Supreme Court

11.   A New York Power Line Divided Environmentalists. Here’s What It Says About the Larger Climate Fight.

12.   Guest Essay: To Save Salmon, We Have to Slow Climate Change

13.   News Release: Washington State’s Manufacturing Unions Urge Bonneville Power Administration Power Deal for Intalco

14.   Solar Projects Are on Hold as U.S. Investigates Whether China Is Skirting Trade Rules

15.   California Heads Back to the Drawing Board on Solar Net-Metering Policy

16.   California Is Betting Big on Offshore Wind Power

17.   REC Silicon Announces Stock Sale

18.   Clark County Looking at Renewable Energy Options with Electrify Nevada Event

19.   TV Binges, Heated Toilets Targeted in Tokyo’s Energy Saving Push

20.   Klamath Tribes Sue Feds Over Endangered Sucker Fish

21.   A New Oregon Mining Boom Could Be a Bust for Sage Grouse

22.   5 Years Ago, Unusual Catch Led to Concern for Idaho Lake. Officials Just Reeled in Another

23.   Environmental Group, Timber Firm Weyerhaeuser to Settle Over Pollution Claims at Longview Timber Mill

24.   Latest Sustainability Highlights Presents Bonneville Power Administration’s FY 21 Environmental Performance, Awards

25.   The Largest Water Reservoirs in California Are Rapidly Receding

26.   In Drought-Ravaged California, Water Use Is Up Dramatically

27.   Will Cloud Seeding Help Central Oregon Irrigators?

28.   Washington State Senator ‘Very Frustrated’ Over How Natural Gas Ban Came About

29.   Earth Given 50-50 Chance of Hitting Key Warming Mark by 2026

30.   Gila River Indian Community Receives $4.4 Million Grant to Expand Broadband Connections

31.   The Solar-Powered Plane That May Never Need to Land

32.   This California Desert Could Hold the Key to Powering All of America’s Electric Cars

33.   Oregon DOT Commits $100 Million to Strengthen Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network

34.   Grow-Lamp-Loving, Water-Sucking Marijuana Plants Aren’t So Green

35.   Fertilizer Shortages Finally Give Dung a Chance

36.   ‘No Good Place to Stop It’: More People Flee New Mexico Wildfire

37.   Planned Burns Are Happening Again in Washington to Help Fight Intensifying Wildfire Seasons

38.   Thousands of Forest Acres in Washington State Were Destroyed by Heat, Insects, & Disease Last Year, DNR Says

39.   Bird Flu Outbreak Nears Worst Ever in U.S. With 37 Million Poultry Dead

40.   WA State: Duwamish Tribe Files New Lawsuit in Bid for Federal Recognition

WORD OF THE DAY

Arcadia \ar-KAY-dee-uh\ Noun – A region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet.

Halfway through the news conference, Abercrombie leaned back in his chair, sighed deeply, and escaped to his “happy place.” Voracious journalists continued to pepper him with pointed questions, but all he heard was the buzzing of big, fluffy bumblebees, flitting from flower to flower in his Arcadian retreat. Five hours later he snapped out of his reverie, in an empty, darkened conference room.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      AP Investigation Finds Washington State Has 50 Dams in ‘Poor’ Condition That Need Repairs (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/09/washington-state-has-50-dams-in-poor-condition-that-need-repairs-ap-finds/

2.      Montana: Colstrip Operator Talen Energy Files for Bankruptcy (Billings Gazette, MT)

https://billingsgazette.com/news/colstrip-operator-talen-energy-files-for-bankruptcy/article_3668164c-d090-11ec-ae50-37606817002e.html

3.      California: The Fight for Clean Energy Pits San Francisco Against the River Rafting Industry (San Francisco Examiner, CA)

https://www.sfexaminer.com/findings/the-fight-for-clean-energy-pits-san-francisco-against-the-river-rafting-industry/

4.      Bonneville Power Announces Second Quarter Revenues (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2022/may/11/bonneville-power-announces-2nd-quarter-revenues/

5.      Pacific Power Warns of Possible Safety-Related Outages During Wildfire Season (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

https://ktvz.com/news/fire-alert/2022/05/09/pacific-power-warns-of-possible-safety-related-outages-during-wildfire-season/

6.      Western Utilities Urge Customers to Build Outage Kits, Keep Informed as Part of National Wildfire Awareness Month (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/34965-western-utilities-urge-customers-to-build-outage-kits-keep-informed-as-part-of-national-wildfire-awareness-month/

7.      Idaho: May Storm Dumps Snow on Treasure Valley, Knocks Out Power (KTVB-TV, Boise, ID)

https://www.ktvb.com/article/weather/may-storm-snow-trees-idaho-boise/277-dedf84ba-8a52-46f8-8751-1a6e0f3d87b7

8.      Nesting Birds to Blame for Days of Power Outages Impacting Thousands of British Columbians (CTV News)

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/nesting-birds-to-blame-for-days-of-power-outages-impacting-thousands-of-british-columbians-1.5897135

9.      BC Hydro’s Peace River Dam Project Provides Clean, Reliable, & Affordable Electricity for British Columbia (Issuu)

https://issuu.com/delcomminc/docs/rcn_mag_2022_web/s/14685568

10.   $1 Billion Hydropower Project’s Fate Rests with Maine Supreme Court (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-environment-maine-utilities-2c0b8afde67c4452dae538a27d5fbd19

11.   A New York Power Line Divided Environmentalists. Here’s What It Says About the Larger Climate Fight. (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/energy/a-new-york-power-line-divided-environmentalists-heres-what-it-says-about-the-larger-climate-fight/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

12.   Guest Essay: To Save Salmon, We Have to Slow Climate Change (Sequim Gazette, WA)

https://www.sequimgazette.com/opinion/guest-opinion-to-save-salmon-we-have-to-slow-climate-change/

13.   News Release: Washington State’s Manufacturing Unions Urge Bonneville Power Administration Power Deal for Intalco (The Stand)

https://www.thestand.org/2022/05/states-manufacturing-unions-urge-bpa-power-deal-for-intalco/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

14.   Solar Projects Are on Hold as U.S. Investigates Whether China Is Skirting Trade Rules (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/11/1097644931/solar-panels-solar-power-u-s-investigates-china-trade-rules

15.   California Heads Back to the Drawing Board on Solar Net-Metering Policy (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/solar/california-heads-back-to-drawing-board-on-solar-net-metering-policy

16.   California Is Betting Big on Offshore Wind Power (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/california-offshore-wind-power-1848906462

17.   REC Silicon Announces Stock Sale (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2022/may/11/rec-silicon-announces-stock-sale/

18.   Clark County Looking at Renewable Energy Options with Electrify Nevada Event (KSNV, Las Vegas, NV)

https://news3lv.com/news/local/clark-county-looking-at-renewable-energy-options-with-electrify-nevada-event

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

19.   TV Binges, Heated Toilets Targeted in Tokyo’s Energy Saving Push (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-10/tvs-to-heated-toilets-a-target-in-tokyo-energy-saving-campaign

FISH & WILDLIFE

20.   Klamath Tribes Sue Feds Over Endangered Sucker Fish (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/klamath-tribes-sue-feds-over-endangered-sucker-fish/

21.   A New Oregon Mining Boom Could Be a Bust for Sage Grouse (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/11/lithium-mine-oregon-sage-grouse/

22.   5 Years Ago, Unusual Catch Led to Concern for Idaho Lake. Officials Just Reeled in Another (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/5-years-ago-unusual-catch-235625244.html

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

23.   Environmental Group, Timber Firm Weyerhaeuser to Settle Over Pollution Claims at Longview Timber Mill (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/10/weyerhaeuser-timber-producers-longview-washington-columbia-riverkeeper-environmental-group/

24.   Latest Sustainability Highlights Presents Bonneville Power Administration’s FY 21 Environmental Performance, Awards (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220510-sustainability-fy21-highlights

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

25.   The Largest Water Reservoirs in California Are Rapidly Receding (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/the-largest-water-reservoirs-in-california-are-rapidly-1848906209

26.   In Drought-Ravaged California, Water Use Is Up Dramatically (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/business-california-los-angeles-eric-garcetti-66601e9026021c606109594235214f78

27.   Will Cloud Seeding Help Central Oregon Irrigators? (Pamplin Media Group, Portland, OR)

https://pamplinmedia.com/ceo/164-features/545129-435934-will-cloud-seeding-help-central-oregon-irrigators

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

28.   Washington State Senator ‘Very Frustrated’ Over How Natural Gas Ban Came About (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/olympia/senator-questions-natural-gas-ban/281-edcb93a9-9bee-4900-856d-cabcd69ea115

29.   Earth Given 50-50 Chance of Hitting Key Warming Mark by 2026 (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-environment-8bc309e4610879e029b2d26d1ffb45e8

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

30.   Gila River Indian Community Receives $4.4 Million Grant to Expand Broadband Connections (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/05/11/gila-river-tribe-expand-broadband-connections-federal-money/9717503002/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

31.   The Solar-Powered Plane That May Never Need to Land (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/video/solar-powered-plane-skydweller

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

32.   This California Desert Could Hold the Key to Powering All of America’s Electric Cars (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/11/business/salton-sea-lithium-extraction/index.html

33.   Oregon DOT Commits $100 Million to Strengthen Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network (Transportation Today)

https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/26564-oregon-dot-commits-100m-to-strengthen-public-ev-charging-network/

KILOWATTS FOR CANNABIS

34.   Grow-Lamp-Loving, Water-Sucking Marijuana Plants Aren’t So Green (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-05-09/marijuana-industry-seeks-to-lessen-its-environmental-impact

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

35.   Fertilizer Shortages Finally Give Dung a Chance (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/fertilizer-shortages-finally-give-dung-a-chance/2022/05/11/ce5710c4-d11d-11ec-886b-df76183d233f_story.html

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

36.   ‘No Good Place to Stop It’: More People Flee New Mexico Wildfire (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/no-good-place-stop-it-more-people-flee-new-mexico-wildfire-2022-05-10/

37.   Planned Burns Are Happening Again in Washington to Help Fight Intensifying Wildfire Seasons (Longview Daily News, WA)

https://tdn.com/news/local/planned-burns-are-happening-again-in-washington-to-help-fight-intensifying-wildfire-seasons/article_0ef34820-cd61-11ec-85d7-cbb541c9f642.html

38.   Thousands of Forest Acres in Washington State Were Destroyed by Heat, Insects, & Disease Last Year, DNR Says (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.theolympian.com/news/state/washington/article261308572.html

39.   Bird Flu Outbreak Nears Worst Ever in U.S. With 37 Million Poultry Dead (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/bird-flu-outbreak-nears-worst-ever-in-u-s-with-37m-dead/

40.   WA State: Duwamish Tribe Files New Lawsuit in Bid for Federal Recognition (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/duwamish-tribe-files-new-lawsuit-in-bid-for-federal-recognition/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

‘No Idea How to Fly the Airplane’: Passenger Forced to Land Plane After Pilot Becomes Sick

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/05/11/passenger-lands-plane-palm-beach/9728396002/

Aliens Will Land Again in Downtown McMinnville, OR as UFO Festival returns

https://www.oregonlive.com/events/2022/05/aliens-will-land-again-in-downtown-mcminnville-as-ufo-festival-returns.html

Dog Rescued from Cage Thrown into River Finds New Home: ‘He Still Loves People’

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dog-adopted-rescue-cage-river_n_6276ada7e4b00fbab62f0f2a

Andy Warhol’s Iconic Portrait of Marilyn Monroe Breaks American Auction Record

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/3482529-warhols-iconic-portrait-of-marilyn-monroe-breaks-american-auction-record/

SONG OF THE DAY

Carpenters – Calling of Occupants of Interplanetary Craft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTXUnGa3-mY

The Energy News Digest for May 9, 2022

The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association. 

The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring you breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

California Prepares for Energy Shortfalls in Hot, Dry Summer (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-utilities-california-public-commission-27f0c5cfa34a09719faad47c5d30141c

White House Announces a Program to Make High-Speed Internet Cheaper for Millions of Americans (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/article/biden-cheap-internet-acp

Amazon Seeks Tax Breaks for 5 New Data Centers, Worth $12 Billion, in Remote Oregon County (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2022/05/amazon-seeks-tax-breaks-for-5-new-data-centers-worth-12-billion-in-remote-oregon-county.html

Fishermen, Trawlers, & Biologists Speak Out on Wind Farm Development on Oregon Coast (KPIC-TV, Roseburg, OR)

https://kpic.com/news/local/fisherman-trawlers-biologists-speak-out-on-wind-farm-development-on-oregon-coast

Big Factory for Electric Car Battery Materials Coming to Moses Lake, Washington (Northwest News Network)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/economy-business-finance-and-labor/2022-05-03/big-factory-for-electric-car-battery-materials-coming-to-moses-lake-washington

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      California Prepares for Energy Shortfalls in Hot, Dry Summer

2.      California: Gov. Newsom Open to Extending Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant’s Life – Analysts Differ on Feasibility & Need

3.      Arizona Nuclear Plant Seeking Alternative Source of Water

4.      Pacific Power Proposes 25 Percent Rate Increase in Northern California

5.      On Natural Gas Impacts – U.S. Utility Bills Could Jump 40% on Energy Rally, Barclays Says

6.      WA State: Chelan County PUD Commissioners Delay Decision on Crypto Rate

7.      Giving Old Dams New Life Could Spark an Energy Boom

8.      WA State: Research on Potential Removal of Enloe Dam Ramping Up

9.      Petition to Remove Lower Snake River Dams Gets 1,000 Signatures

10.   News Release: Alaska – AEA, Railbelt Utilities Pursue Kenai Peninsula’s Largest Hydropower Project in 30 Years

11.   Pacific NW Electric Utility 101: Electricity Generation & Consumption

12.   Columbia River ‘At Tipping Point’ Warns Longtime Conservation Leader

13.   Can FERC Convince Utilities to Build Modern Transmission Systems?

14.   The Internet Saved Us in the Pandemic; Let’s Make It a Human Right

15.   Fishermen, Trawlers, & Biologists Speak Out on Wind Farm Development on Oregon Coast

16.   Investigation Into Solar Tariffs Could Threaten U.S. 2035 Clean Energy Goal, Says DOE’s Granholm

17.   Utilities Push Back Against Growth of Rooftop Solar Panels

18.   Standing on the Continental Divide, Where Wind Energy Could Reshape the West

19.   Heat Pumps Do Work in the Cold — Americans Just Don’t Know It Yet

20.   DOE Updates Water Heater Rule for First Time in Two Decades

21.   PCEF Awards Another $6.3 Million to Install Cooling Units in the Homes of Vulnerable Portlanders

22.   Energy Trust, Oregon Agencies Offer New Support & Savings for Wildfire Victims

23.   Indigenous Carvers’ Totem Pole to Journey Across Pacific Northwest to Bolster Dam-Removal Movement

24.   To Refine Water Forecasts, Western Cities Map Snow by Plane

25.   WA State: Largest Irrigation Project in the Yakima River Basin to Receive $3.74 Million in Funding

26.   White House Announces a Program to Make High-Speed Internet Cheaper for Millions of Americans

27.   Telecom Groups End Fight Against California Net Neutrality

28.   Frontier Lied About Internet Speeds & “Ripped Off Customers,” FTC Says

29.   American Association of Public Broadband Formed to Promote Municipal Networks

30.   Amazon Seeks Tax Breaks for 5 New Data Centers, Worth $12 Billion, in Remote Oregon County

31.   Big Factory for Electric Car Battery Materials Coming to Moses Lake, Washington

32.   New York Times Apologizes After Wordle of the Day Is ‘Fetus’

33.   More Than 2,200 Dams in the U.S. Are in Poor Condition, Posing Danger to Communities

34.   More Human Remains Found in Lake Mead amid Historic Low Water Levels

35.   The Coldest April in the Satellite Record over the Pacific Northwest

WORD OF THE DAY

Hubris /HYOO-briss/ Noun – Exaggerated pride or self-confidence

“Don’t get too excited,” chirped Euripides to his overproud assistant. “Just because your poetry is being quoted in the Athenian marketplace today, doesn’t mean you won’t be cursed around town tomorrow.”

“Beware of hubris,” he warned. “Those whom the gods would destroy they first raise up.”

(That’s not the exact quote, but it is in the same vein: “Whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad.”)

Or “Pride goeth before a fall...”

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      California Prepares for Energy Shortfalls in Hot, Dry Summer (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-utilities-california-public-commission-27f0c5cfa34a09719faad47c5d30141c

2.      California: Gov. Newsom Open to Extending Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant’s Life – Analysts Differ on Feasibility & Need (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/analysts-differ-on-feasibility-need-to-extend-diablo-canyon-california-nuclear-plant/623214/

3.      Arizona Nuclear Plant Seeking Alternative Source of Water (Santa Fe New Mexican, NM)

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/arizona-nuclear-plant-seeking-alternative-source-of-water/article_bc79c84f-a351-5015-ba5c-d2edf879dfac.html

4.      Pacific Power Proposes 25 Percent Rate Increase in Northern California (Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland, OR)

https://www.ijpr.org/economy-and-finance/2022-05-06/pacific-power-proposes-25-percent-rate-increase-in-northern-california

5.      On Natural Gas Impacts – U.S. Utility Bills Could Jump 40% on Energy Rally, Barclays Says (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-04/u-s-utility-bills-could-jump-40-on-energy-rally-barclays-says

6.      WA State: Chelan County PUD Commissioners Delay Decision on Crypto Rate (Wenatchee World, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/business/chelan-county-pud-commissioners-delay-decision-on-crypto-rate/article_78eaa21c-cb1a-11ec-98a0-7fb24b53712f.html

7.      Giving Old Dams New Life Could Spark an Energy Boom (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2022/05/06/dams-nonpowered-hydropower-energy/

8.      WA State: Research on Potential Removal of Enloe Dam Ramping Up (Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA)

https://methowvalleynews.com/2022/05/04/research-on-potential-removal-of-enloe-dam-ramping-up/

9.      Petition to Remove Lower Snake River Dams Gets 1,000 Signatures (Longview Daily News, WA)

https://tdn.com/news/local/petition-to-remove-lower-snake-river-dams-gets-1-000-signatures/article_e032251a-cd60-11ec-bf3c-ab936ee6ea6b.html

10.   News Release: Alaska – AEA, Railbelt Utilities Pursue Kenai Peninsula’s Largest Hydropower Project in 30 Years (Gov. Mike Dunleavy, AK)

https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2022/05/04/aea-railbelt-utilities-pursue-kenai-peninsulas-largest-hydropower-project-in-30-years/

11.   Pacific NW Electric Utility 101: Electricity Generation & Consumption (Northwest Energy Coalition)

https://nwenergy.org/featured/nw-electric-utility-101-electricity-generation-and-consumption/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

12.   Columbia River ‘At Tipping Point’ Warns Longtime Conservation Leader (Columbian Insight)

https://columbiainsight.org/columbia-river-at-tipping-point-warns-longtime-conservation-leader/

13.   Can FERC Convince Utilities to Build Modern Transmission Systems? (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/can-ferc-convince-utilities-to-build-modern-transmission-systems/623122/

14.   The Internet Saved Us in the Pandemic; Let’s Make It a Human Right (Light Reading)

https://www.lightreading.com/asia/the-internet-saved-us-in-pandemic-lets-make-it-human-right/d/d-id/777319?

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

15.   Fishermen, Trawlers, & Biologists Speak Out on Wind Farm Development on Oregon Coast (KPIC-TV, Roseburg, OR)

https://kpic.com/news/local/fisherman-trawlers-biologists-speak-out-on-wind-farm-development-on-oregon-coast

16.   Investigation Into Solar Tariffs Could Threaten U.S. 2035 Clean Energy Goal, Says DOE’s Granholm (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/investigation-into-solar-tariffs-could-threaten-us-2035-clean-energy-goal/623282/

17.   Utilities Push Back Against Growth of Rooftop Solar Panels (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rooftop-solar-panels-utilities-rcna26726

18.   Standing on the Continental Divide, Where Wind Energy Could Reshape the West (Los Angeles Times, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.latimes.com/environment/newsletter/2022-05-05/boiling-point-road-trip-continental-divide-phil-anschutz-boiling-point

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

19.   Heat Pumps Do Work in the Cold — Americans Just Don’t Know It Yet (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/housing/heat-pumps-do-work-in-the-cold-americans-just-dont-know-it-yet/

20.   DOE Updates Water Heater Rule for First Time in Two Decades (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/doe-updates-water-heater-rule-for-first-time-in-two-decades/

21.   PCEF Awards Another $6.3 Million to Install Cooling Units in the Homes of Vulnerable Portlanders (Willamette Week)

https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2022/05/04/pcef-awards-another-63-million-to-install-cooling-units-in-the-homes-of-vulnerable-portlanders/?utm_medium=email

22.   Energy Trust, Oregon Agencies Offer New Support & Savings for Wildfire Victims (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)

https://ktvz.com/community/community-billboard/2022/05/05/energy-trust-oregon-agencies-offer-new-support-and-savings-for-wildfire-victims/

FISH & WILDLIFE

23.   Indigenous Carvers’ Totem Pole to Journey Across Pacific Northwest to Bolster Dam-Removal Movement (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/indigenous-carvers-totem-pole-to-journey-across-pacific-northwest-to-bolster-dam-removal-movement/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

24.   To Refine Water Forecasts, Western Cities Map Snow by Plane (Associated Press)

https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/western-cities-map-snow-air-refine-water-forecasting-84495291

25.   WA State: Largest Irrigation Project in the Yakima River Basin to Receive $3.74 Million in Funding (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article261145667.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

26.   White House Announces a Program to Make High-Speed Internet Cheaper for Millions of Americans (Mashable)

https://mashable.com/article/biden-cheap-internet-acp

27.   Telecom Groups End Fight Against California Net Neutrality (Associated Press)

https://ktvl.com/newsletter-daily/telecom-groups-end-fight-against-california-net-neutrality

28.   Frontier Lied About Internet Speeds & “Ripped Off Customers,” FTC Says (Ars Technica)

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/05/frontier-lied-about-internet-speeds-and-ripped-off-customers-ftc-says/

29.   American Association of Public Broadband Formed to Promote Municipal Networks (Telecompetitor)

https://www.telecompetitor.com/american-association-of-public-broadband-formed-to-promote-municipal-networks/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

30.   Amazon Seeks Tax Breaks for 5 New Data Centers, Worth $12 Billion, in Remote Oregon County (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2022/05/amazon-seeks-tax-breaks-for-5-new-data-centers-worth-12-billion-in-remote-oregon-county.html

I SING THE CAR ELECTRIC

31.   Big Factory for Electric Car Battery Materials Coming to Moses Lake, Washington (Northwest News Network)

https://www.nwnewsnetwork.org/economy-business-finance-and-labor/2022-05-03/big-factory-for-electric-car-battery-materials-coming-to-moses-lake-washington

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

32.   New York Times Apologizes After Wordle of the Day Is ‘Fetus’ (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/new-york-times-apologizes-after-wordle-of-the-day-is-fe-1848898991

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

33.   More Than 2,200 Dams in the U.S. Are in Poor Condition, Posing Danger to Communities (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/05/1096940224/dams-poor-condition-hazardous-dangerous-infrastructure

34.   More Human Remains Found in Lake Mead amid Historic Low Water Levels (USA Today)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/05/08/lake-mead-human-remains-discovery-drought/9698550002/

35.   The Coldest April in the Satellite Record over the Pacific Northwest (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-coldest-april-in-satellite-record.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

Meet the Savannah Bananas, TikTok’s Favorite Baseball Team

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/08/us/savannah-bananas-baseball-tiktok-cec/index.html

Mickey Gilley, Who Helped Inspire ‘Urban Cowboy,’ Dies at 86

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mickey-gilley-death_n_6277fd2fe4b009a811c4f3c0

Vermont Bacon Producer Provokes National Chuckle for Packaging Humor Teasing Teachers

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/vermont/2018/08/16/vt-bacon-goes-national-packaging-humor-jab-education-system/1006477002/

Idaho Man Walks with Running Chainsaw on His Chin for World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/05/09/Guinness-World-Records-David-Rush-chainsaw-walk/4291652112870/

SONG OF THE DAY

Mickey Gilley - Stand by Me

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

The Energy News Digest for May 4, 2022

The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association. 

The News Digest on Facebook and Twitter will bring you breaking news throughout the week.

Subscribe to The Energy News Digest.

LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration Joins Western Energy Imbalance Market (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220503-bpa-joins-western-energy-imbalance-market

Oregon Nuclear Reactor Company NuScale Begins Trading on Wall Street (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2022/05/oregon-nuclear-reactor-company-nuscale-begins-trading-on-wall-street.html

Lake Powell Officials Take Unprecedented, Emergency Steps to Delay Water Releases as Level Plummets (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/03/us/lake-powell-emergency-steps-drought-climate/index.html

A Bright Future for Upriver Coho Salmon (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/lifestyles/a-bright-future-for-upriver-coho-salmon/article_0e05dd40-a4e6-11ec-bdce-f75a98a99136.html

New Orca Born to K Pod Family of Southern Residents (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2022-05-04/new-orca-born-to-k-pod-family-of-southern-residents

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Bonneville Power Administration Joins Western Energy Imbalance Market

2.      Oregon Nuclear Reactor Company NuScale Begins Trading on Wall Street

3.      Lake Powell Officials Take Unprecedented, Emergency Steps to Delay Water Releases as Level Plummets

4.      Rates for Portland General Electric Customers Set to Rise Again

5.      NW Natural Requesting 11% Rate Hike

6.      Get Ready for Another Energy Price Spike: High Electric Bills

7.      The Fight for a National Clean Energy Transmission System Emerges on Three Fronts

8.      DOE Official: Agency Wants to Work with Co-ops on Supply Chain Issues

9.      Front Groups & Trade Associations Funded by Gas Utilities Fight Electrification Policies

10.   News Release: Public Power/Farmers Roll Out Campaign to Protect Clean Energy, Fight Climate Change

11.   Guest Essay: Internet Fiber Is Here in Tillamook County!

12.   Guest Essay: Alaska’s Energy Future Is in Your Hands

13.   Golden Hills Wind Farm in Oregon Achieves Commercial Operation

14.   ‘The Sound of Money’: Wind Energy Is Booming in Deep-Red Republican States

15.   Did California Actually Hit 97% Renewables in April? Yes & No

16.   A Bellingham-Based Company Is Building a Large Solar Project on This Non-Traditional Site – Landfill

17.   Wood Pellet Industry May Be Falsely Marketing Itself as a Green Renewable Energy Source, Critics Say

18.   Is This the End for the Traditional British Watermill?

19.   Should You Be Pumped About Heat Pumps?

20.   A Bright Future for Upriver Coho Salmon

21.   New Orca Born to K Pod Family of Southern Residents

22.   New Summer Measures Coming to Protect British Columbia’s Southern Resident Killer Whales

23.   Condors Soar Again Over Northern California Coastal Redwoods

24.   WA State: How Climate Change Stresses Sewer Systems in King County

25.   Scientists Believe Beavers Can Build Resilience in Northwest Waterways

26.   Public Power Utilities Well Positioned to Weather Cyberattacks: Fitch Ratings

27.   Scaling Hydrogen in North America Will Require Policy Support Beyond Infrastructure Funding, Panel Says

28.   Why Rural Communities Struggle to Bring in Much-Needed Federal Grants

WORD OF THE DAY – HORRIBLE HAIKU EDITION

Something /SUM-thing/ pronoun – 1a: some indeterminate or unspecified thing b: some indeterminate amount more than a specified number 2: a person or thing of consequence 3: one having more or less the character, qualities, or nature of something different

It is strong with this one

So, May the Fourth be with you

Or something like that

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Bonneville Power Administration Joins Western Energy Imbalance Market (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20220503-bpa-joins-western-energy-imbalance-market

2.      Oregon Nuclear Reactor Company NuScale Begins Trading on Wall Street (Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2022/05/oregon-nuclear-reactor-company-nuscale-begins-trading-on-wall-street.html

3.      Lake Powell Officials Take Unprecedented, Emergency Steps to Delay Water Releases as Level Plummets (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/03/us/lake-powell-emergency-steps-drought-climate/index.html

4.      Rates for Portland General Electric Customers Set to Rise Again (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

https://katu.com/news/local/rates-for-pge-customers-set-to-rise-again

5.      NW Natural Requesting 11% Rate Hike (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/nw-natural-requesting-rate-hike/283-46e225bc-370a-4504-a7ae-4e03ba56ae62

6.      Get Ready for Another Energy Price Spike: High Electric Bills (NY Times – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/03/business/energy-environment/high-electric-bills-summer.html

7.      The Fight for a National Clean Energy Transmission System Emerges on Three Fronts (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/the-fight-for-a-national-clean-energy-transmission-system-emerges-on-three/621720/

8.      DOE Official: Agency Wants to Work with Co-ops on Supply Chain Issues (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.electric.coop/doe-official-agency-wants-to-work-with-co-ops-on-supply-chain-issues

9.      Front Groups & Trade Associations Funded by Gas Utilities Fight Electrification Policies (Energy & Policy Institute)

https://www.energyandpolicy.org/gas-utilities-greenwashing-to-expand-fossil-fuels-rng-hydrogen/front-groups-and-trade-associations-funded-by-gas-utilities-fight-electrification-policies/

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

10.   News Release: Public Power/Farmers Roll Out Campaign to Protect Clean Energy, Fight Climate Change (Northwest RiverPartners, Vancouver, WA – PDF File)

https://nwriverpartners.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-NWRP-CleanEnergy-Campaign-PressStatement.pdf

11.   Guest Essay: Internet Fiber Is Here in Tillamook County! (Tillamook County Pioneer, OR)

https://www.tillamookcountypioneer.net/op-ed-internet-fiber-is-here-in-tillamook-county/

12.   Guest Essay: Alaska’s Energy Future Is in Your Hands (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

https://www.adn.com/opinions/2022/04/28/opinion-alaskas-energy-future-is-in-your-hands/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

13.   Golden Hills Wind Farm in Oregon Achieves Commercial Operation (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/golden-hills-wind-farm-oregon-172500730.html

14.   ‘The Sound of Money’: Wind Energy Is Booming in Deep-Red Republican States (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/22/politics/wind-energy-oklahoma-republican-states-climate/index.html

15.   Did California Actually Hit 97% Renewables in April? Yes & No (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/did-california-actually-hit-97-renewables-in-april-yes-and-no

16.   A Bellingham-Based Company Is Building a Large Solar Project on This Non-Traditional Site – Landfill (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article260873152.html

17.   Wood Pellet Industry May Be Falsely Marketing Itself as a Green Renewable Energy Source, Critics Say (CBS News)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wood-pellets-renewable-energy-source-critics/

18.   Is This the End for the Traditional British Watermill? (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/30/is-this-the-end-for-the-traditional-british-watermill

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

19.   Should You Be Pumped About Heat Pumps? (Alaska Highway News, BC)

https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/fort-st-john/should-you-be-pumped-about-heat-pumps-5195751

FISH & WILDLIFE

20.   A Bright Future for Upriver Coho Salmon (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

https://www.union-bulletin.com/lifestyles/a-bright-future-for-upriver-coho-salmon/article_0e05dd40-a4e6-11ec-bdce-f75a98a99136.html

21.   New Orca Born to K Pod Family of Southern Residents (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2022-05-04/new-orca-born-to-k-pod-family-of-southern-residents

22.   New Summer Measures Coming to Protect British Columbia’s Southern Resident Killer Whales (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/killer-whales-protection-measures-1.6440323?cmp=rss

23.   Condors Soar Again Over Northern California Coastal Redwoods (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/travel-california-wildlife-parks-national-fefbd6b9ed15698c0b6507fa6f60317d

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

24.   WA State: How Climate Change Stresses Sewer Systems in King County (Crosscut Seattle)

https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/05/how-climate-change-stresses-sewer-systems-king-county

25.   Scientists Believe Beavers Can Build Resilience in Northwest Waterways (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/05/03/beavers-climate-change-northwest-waterways/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

26.   Public Power Utilities Well Positioned to Weather Cyberattacks: Fitch Ratings (American Public Power Association)

https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/public-power-utilities-well-positioned-weather-cyberattacks-fitch-ratings

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

27.   Scaling Hydrogen in North America Will Require Policy Support Beyond Infrastructure Funding, Panel Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/scaling-hydrogen-in-north-america-will-require-policy-support-beyond-infras/622972/

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODAY

28.   Why Rural Communities Struggle to Bring in Much-Needed Federal Grants (Grist Online)

https://grist.org/accountability/why-rural-communities-struggle-to-bring-in-much-needed-federal-grants/

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

‘May the 4th Be with You’ Pun Inspired Annual Star Wars Day

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/05/04/Star-Wars-Day-May-the-Fourth-be-with-you/3601651611620/

Two Bear Cubs Rescued from Electrical Pole in Ontario

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/05/04/bear-cubs-rescued-pole-Ontario/2661651667704/

Daredevil Walks Slackline Between Hot Air Balloons, Breaks World Record

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/05/03/brazil-Guinness-World-Records-highest-slackline-Brazil/9501651608605/

Texas District’s Graduating Class Features 35 Pairs of Twins, One Set of Triplets

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/05/03/Mansfield-Independent-School-District-Texas-35-twins-one-triplets/2401651599491/

SONG OF THE DAY

John Williams - Star Wars (Main Theme)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNMSAIG0dfQ