The Energy News Digest for July 16, 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.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

Last Call for Future Utility Leaders—FUEL Is Nearly Full!

Do you have your sights set on an executive leadership position in the electric utility industry? If so, take the next step toward your goal by immersing yourself in NWPPA’s Future Utility Executive Leadership (FUEL) program. The FUEL program will equip you with the industry knowledge essential for utility leaders to succeed. This year’s program will take place from October 20 to 24 and November 17 to 21 in Vancouver, Washington. Just a few seats are left, so don’t wait to secure yours! Apply now at www.nwppa.org/fuel.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Power Prices Are Expected to Soar Under New Tax Cut & Spending Law (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/15/red-states-could-see-a-sharp-jump-in-power-prices-under-new-law/

Audio: Oregon’s NuScale Power Receives Regulatory Approval for Modular Reactor Design (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/15/think-out-loud-oregon-nuscale-power-receives-regulatory-approval-modular-reactor-design/

Conservation Group Slams Rollback of Key Marine Habitat Protections (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/conservation-group-slams-rollback-of-key-marine-habitat-protections/

Oregon DOJ Says Public Officials Exploited Nonprofit to Cash in on Amazon Data Centers, Reap Millions for Themselves (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2025/07/oregon-doj-says-public-officials-exploited-nonprofit-to-cash-in-on-amazon-data-centers-reap-millions-for-themselves.html

Oregon’s Largest Active Fire Explodes to 28,000 Acres (KXL Radio, Portland, OR)

https://www.kxl.com/oregons-largest-active-fire-explodes-to-28000-acres/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Power Prices Are Expected to Soar Under New Tax Cut & Spending Law

2.      Audio: Oregon’s NuScale Power Receives Regulatory Approval for Modular Reactor Design

3.      Why NuScale Power Stock Jumped Today

4.      Wyoming: Bar Nunn Residents Say ‘No’ Again to Radiant Industries’ Nuclear Plans

5.      Paywall Advisory: BPA Cuts Payments for Tribes, Salmon Restoration Under Revised Cost Projections

6.      Two Renewable Natural Gas Projects Go Online in Tri-Cities

7.      Oregon Legislature Passes First-In-Nation Microgrid Framework

8.      Indian Affairs Announces $42 Million from President's Investing in America Agenda for Tribal Dam Safety, Water & Power Projects

9.      Is Google’s Big Hydropower Deal a Sign of Things to Come?

10.   California: Local Watchdog Group Releases Report on Moss Landing Battery Plant Fire

11.   Damaged Turbine at Wild Horse Wind Farm to Be Removed

12.   California Solar Bill Amended, Preserves 20-Year Rooftop Solar Agreements

13.   Bureau of Land Management Continues Geothermal Energy Support with Planned Lease Sales

14.   U.S. Renewable Power Transmission Project Under Fire from Farmers

15.   “Solar Panels Are Suffocating”: This Alarming Saharan Dust Crisis Threatens to Halve Vital Energy Output Across 1,000 Square Miles

16.   British Columbia Government Rolls Out New Heat Pump Rebate Up to $5,000 to Keep Condos Cool

17.   Conservation Group Slams Rollback of Key Marine Habitat Protections

18.   $30M to Remove Salmon Barriers Across Washington

19.   The Science Behind Eastern Washington’s Big Aquifer

20.   The Deepening Water Shortage Row Between the U.S. & Mexico

21.   The White House Took Down the Nation's Top Climate Report. You Can Still Find It Here

22.   Oregon DOJ Says Public Officials Exploited Nonprofit to Cash in on Amazon Data Centers, Reap Millions for Themselves

23.   Amazon Plans to Offer Satellite Internet Service in Late 2025

24.   Astound Broadband Brings Broadband to Life in Washington’s Rural Clallam County

25.   There Aren’t Enough Artificial Intelligence Chips to Support Data Center Projections, Report Says

26.   Digital Campaign Landing Pages Convert Interest into Action

27.   Largest Ever Merge of Two Black Holes Detected by Observatory in Eastern WA. ‘Extraordinary & Puzzling'

28.   USDA Abruptly Cancels Rural Energy Grant Application Window

29.   DOGE Told Regulator to ‘Rubber Stamp’ Nuclear

30.   Oregon’s Largest Active Fire Explodes to 28,000 Acres

31.   Eleven Wildfires Burning Across WA, Four Classified as ‘Large’

32.   Video Feeds from Washington’s Wildfire Detection Cameras Available Online

33.   WSP Troopers Arrest Suspects for Vandalizing Eastern Washington Electrical Boxes & Stealing Copper Wire

34.   Guest Essay: Trump Foils Plan to Take Down Lower Snake River Dams

35.   Guest Essay: Sarah Dyrdahl – Reimagining the Columbia

36.   Guest Essay: Nuclear Power Is a Key Piece of Washington's Clean Energy Future

37.   Guest Essay: Crucial California Energy Reform Hinges on Critical Fix to Senate Bill 540

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Power Prices Are Expected to Soar Under New Tax Cut & Spending Law (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/15/red-states-could-see-a-sharp-jump-in-power-prices-under-new-law/

2.      Audio: Oregon’s NuScale Power Receives Regulatory Approval for Modular Reactor Design (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/15/think-out-loud-oregon-nuscale-power-receives-regulatory-approval-modular-reactor-design/

3.      Why NuScale Power Stock Jumped Today (The Motley Fool – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/why-nuscale-power-stock-jumped-today/ar-AA1IB79W

4.      Wyoming: Bar Nunn Residents Say ‘No’ Again to Radiant Industries’ Nuclear Plans (Oil City News)

https://oilcity.news/general/2025/07/14/bar-nunn-residents-offer-resounding-no-to-radiant-industries-regarding-nuclear-plans-in-natrona-county/

5.      Paywall Advisory: BPA Cuts Payments for Tribes, Salmon Restoration Under Revised Cost Projections (RTO Insider – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.rtoinsider.com/110018-bpa-cuts-payments-for-tribes-salmon-restoration-under-revised-cost-projections/

6.      Two Renewable Natural Gas Projects Go Online in Tri-Cities (KONA Radio, Pasco, WA)

https://610kona.com/ixp/136/p/2-renewable-natural-gas-projects-online/

7.      Oregon Legislature Passes First-In-Nation Microgrid Framework (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/oregon-legislature-passes-first-in-nation-microgrid-framework/752932/

8.      Indian Affairs Announces $42 Million from President's Investing in America Agenda for Tribal Dam Safety, Water & Power Projects (Redland Nation News)

https://www.redlakenationnews.com/story/2025/07/15/news/indian-affairs-announces-42-million-from-presidents-investing-in-america-agenda-for-tribal-dam-safety-water-and-power-projects/132875.html

9.      Is Google’s Big Hydropower Deal a Sign of Things to Come? (Fierce Telecom)

https://www.fierce-network.com/cloud/googles-big-hydropower-deal-sign-things-come

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

10.   California: Local Watchdog Group Releases Report on Moss Landing Battery Plant Fire (Santa Cruz Sentinel, CA)

https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2025/07/15/local-watchdog-group-releases-report-on-moss-landing-battery-plant-fire/

11.   Damaged Turbine at Wild Horse Wind Farm to Be Removed (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/damaged-turbine-at-wild-horse-wind-farm-to-be-removed/article_7b3ea120-f419-4ed0-8ddd-a4edfe99920d.html

12.   California Solar Bill Amended, Preserves 20-Year Rooftop Solar Agreements (KMIR-TV, Palm Springs, CA)

https://www.nbcpalmsprings.com/2025/07/16/california-solar-bill-amended-preserves-20year-rooftop-solar-agreements

13.   Bureau of Land Management Continues Geothermal Energy Support with Planned Lease Sales (E&E News)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/blm-continues-geothermal-energy-support-with-planned-lease-sales/

14.   U.S. Renewable Power Transmission Project Under Fire from Farmers (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-renewable-power-transmission-project-under-fire-farmers-2025-07-15/

15.   “Solar Panels Are Suffocating”: This Alarming Saharan Dust Crisis Threatens to Halve Vital Energy Output Across 1,000 Square Miles (Energy Reporters)

https://www.energy-reporters.com/environment/solar-panels-are-suffocating-this-alarming-saharan-dust-crisis-threatens-to-halve-vital-energy-output-across-1000-square-miles/

Conservation & Efficiency

16.   British Columbia Government Rolls Out New Heat Pump Rebate Up to $5,000 to Keep Condos Cool (The Daily Hive)

https://dailyhive.com/victoria/bc-heat-pump-rebate-condos-apartments

Fish & Wildlife

17.   Conservation Group Slams Rollback of Key Marine Habitat Protections (Courthouse News Service)

https://www.courthousenews.com/conservation-group-slams-rollback-of-key-marine-habitat-protections/

18.   $30M to Remove Salmon Barriers Across Washington (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/salmon-habitat-restoration-grants-washington/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

19.   The Science Behind Eastern Washington’s Big Aquifer (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/14/the-science-behind-eastern-washingtons-big-aquifer/

20.   The Deepening Water Shortage Row Between the U.S. & Mexico (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0epzp21z47o

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

21.   The White House Took Down the Nation's Top Climate Report. You Can Still Find It Here (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/01/nx-s1-5453501/national-climate-assessment-nca5-archive-report

London Calling –Telecommunications

22.   Oregon DOJ Says Public Officials Exploited Nonprofit to Cash in on Amazon Data Centers, Reap Millions for Themselves (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/2025/07/oregon-doj-says-public-officials-exploited-nonprofit-to-cash-in-on-amazon-data-centers-reap-millions-for-themselves.html

23.   Amazon Plans to Offer Satellite Internet Service in Late 2025 (PYMNTS)

https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-plans-offer-satellite-internet-service-late-2025/

24.   Astound Broadband Brings Broadband to Life in Washington’s Rural Clallam County (Lightwave Online)

https://www.lightwaveonline.com/home/article/55302510/astound-broadband-brings-broadband-to-life-in-washingtons-rural-clallam-county

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

25.   There Aren’t Enough Artificial Intelligence Chips to Support Data Center Projections, Report Says (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/not-enough-ai-chips-to-support-data-center-projections-london-economics/752371/

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

26.   Digital Campaign Landing Pages Convert Interest into Action (Pioneer Utility Resources)

https://www.pioneerutilityresources.com/landdeals/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

27.   Largest Ever Merge of Two Black Holes Detected by Observatory in Eastern WA. ‘Extraordinary & Puzzling' (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/largest-ever-merge-of-2-black-holes-detected-in-eastern-wa-extraordinary-and-puzzling/ar-AA1IIqXY

Politics, Governance, and Management

28.   USDA Abruptly Cancels Rural Energy Grant Application Window (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/usda-solar-rural-grants-uncertainty

29.   DOGE Told Regulator to ‘Rubber Stamp’ Nuclear (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/14/doge-to-regulator-rubber-stamp-nuclear-00450658

Other Things to Know About Today

30.   Oregon’s Largest Active Fire Explodes to 28,000 Acres (KXL Radio, Portland, OR)

https://www.kxl.com/oregons-largest-active-fire-explodes-to-28000-acres/

31.   Eleven Wildfires Burning Across WA, Four Classified as ‘Large’ (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/local/11-wildfires-wa-large/4110350

32.   Video Feeds from Washington’s Wildfire Detection Cameras Available Online (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/video-feeds-from-washingtons-wildfire-detection-cameras-now-available-online/

33.   WSP Troopers Arrest Suspects for Vandalizing Eastern Washington Electrical Boxes & Stealing Copper Wire (KXLY-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.kxly.com/news/wsp-troopers-arrest-suspects-for-vandalizing-electrical-boxes-and-stealing-copper-wire/article_f7ab053a-b25d-4750-b61e-e1e3a7b4110a.html

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

34.   Guest Essay: Trump Foils Plan to Take Down Lower Snake River Dams (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, WA)

https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/brunell-july-2025

35.   Guest Essay: Sarah Dyrdahl – Reimagining the Columbia (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/jul/16/sarah-dyrdahl-reimagining-the-columbia/

36.   Guest Essay: Nuclear Power Is a Key Piece of Washington's Clean Energy Future (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via MSN)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nuclear-power-is-a-key-piece-of-washingtons-clean-energy-future-opinion/ar-AA1IIowT

37.   Guest Essay: Crucial California Energy Reform Hinges on Critical Fix to Senate Bill 540 (Fresno Bee, CA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/article310662350.html

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

They Cut Down England’s Beloved Sycamore Gap Tree. Now They Face Over Four Years in Prison

https://apnews.com/article/britain-sycamore-gap-tree-trial-sentencing-chainsaw-28a6db1552e6acea118aa7e8bcf69ecb

Small Child Climbs into Claw Machine at Ohio Community Center

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/07/11/Mason-Ohio-claw-machine-rescue/3951752253692/

British Chefs Cook Up World's Largest Scotch Egg

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/07/16/Guinness-World-Records-largest-scotch-egg/1951752684454/

California Woman's Home Flooded with Unwanted Amazon Packages

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/07/11/unwanted-Amazon-packages-San-Jose-California/1801752255748/

Song of the Day

The Carpenters – Please, Mr. Postman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyGWEq8IXlQ&list=RDfyGWEq8IXlQ&start_radio=1

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in The Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which can 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 July 14, 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.

Joel Myer, Communicator Emeritus, edits the Energy News Digest.

Last Call for Future Utility Leaders—FUEL Is Nearly Full!

Do you have your sights set on an executive leadership position in the electric utility industry? If so, take the next step toward your goal by immersing yourself in NWPPA’s Future Utility Executive Leadership (FUEL) program. The FUEL program will equip you with the industry knowledge essential for utility leaders to succeed. This year’s program will take place from October 20 to 24 and November 17 to 21 in Vancouver, Washington. Just a few seats are left, so don’t wait to secure yours! Apply now at www.nwppa.org/fuel.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Environmental, Consumer Advocates Sue Bonneville for Joining Southwest Power Pool’s Day-Ahead Market (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/bonneville-bpa-lawsuit-spp-market-day-ahead-earthjustice/752791/

1,100 Jobs Could Be Cut at U.S. National Lab in Tri-Cities Under Trump Budget (Bellingham Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/1-100-jobs-could-cut-120000216.html

Under Trump’s New Law, Oregon Could Lose Big on Solar & Wind Energy Projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/10/under-trumps-new-law-oregon-could-lose-big-on-solar-and-wind-energy-projects/

Megabill’s Elimination of Tax Credits for Clean Energy Projects Could Cost WA $8.7 Billion (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/megabill-s-elimination-of-tax-credits-for-clean-energy-projects-could-cost-wa-8-7-billion

Special Report: Pacific NW Hatcheries Face Rising Costs, Crumbling Infrastructure (Columbia Insight)

https://columbiainsight.org/pnw-hatcheries-face-rising-costs-crumbling-infrastructure/

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Environmental, Consumer Advocates Sue Bonneville for Joining Southwest Power Pool’s Day-Ahead Market

2.      Supporters, Critics Weigh in on Trump Scrapping Biden’s Snake River Dam Deal

3.      Amid Rising Risk, Can a WA Utility Company Shut Off Power During a Heat Wave?

4.      Utah: Commission Won’t Reconsider Rocky Mountain Power’s Rate Hike, Calls Request ‘Offensive’

5.      Power Providers Urge FERC to Reject PacifiCorp Adding $1.7B in Wildfire Liabilities to Transmission Rates

6.      U.S. Utilities Seeking Big Hikes in Electricity Rates as Data Center Demand Booms

7.      Oregon: Eugene Water & Electric Board Makes Multibillion Dollar Power Decision

8.      PNM Becomes Seventh Utility to Join New California ISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market

9.      As Small Modula Reactors Gain Momentum, Tribes Express Concern for Their Next Generation

10.   Faced With U.S. Heat Waves, The Navajo Push for Power -- And A/C

11.   WA State: Clallam PUD Offering Free Emergency Battery Packs to Some Customers West of Lake Crescent

12.   Teamwork Powers Reliability on the Olympic Peninsula

13.   Under Trump’s New Law, Oregon Could Lose Big on Solar & Wind Energy Projects

14.   Megabill’s Elimination of Tax Credits for Clean Energy Projects Could Cost WA $8.7 Billion

15.   Richland Eyes Solar Power Boost with Energy Northwest Partnership Plan

16.   Sunnova to Sell Part of Solar Panel Business to Omnidian for $7 Million

17.   Solar Generation Expected to Rise by a Third This Summer: EIA

18.   Special Report: Pacific NW Hatcheries Face Rising Costs, Crumbling Infrastructure

19.   Columbia Basin’s Salmon Are in Hot Water, Literally, Says Report from Save Our Wild Salmon

20.   Bolder Efforts Needed to Save Northwest’s Endangered Orcas, Report Finds

21.   Colville Tribes Confirms First Salmon Sighting in Kettle River Eight Years after Reintroducing Salmon Near Coulee Dam

22.   Oregon Governor Declares First Drought Emergencies of the Year

23.   Western Washington Braces for More Heat Amid Severe Drought Conditions

24.   Water Shortfall Discovered in Southern Idaho

25.   California Lost $3 Billion by Delaying Cap-And-Trade Overhaul, Report Says

26.   WA State: With Portable Hot Spots, Dayton Library Sees Demand, Challenges

27.   Microsoft Announces $4 Billion Artificial Intelligence Training Initiative Amid Recent Layoffs

28.   Meta Investors, Zuckerberg to Square Off at $8 Billion Trial Over Alleged Privacy Violations

29.   ‘I Can’t Drink the Water’ - Life Next to a U.S. Data Centre

30.   A Lawsuit Against Tesla & Its Driver-Assistance Technology Goes to Trial in Florida

31.   Cost of Stamps Increasing July 13: See USPS’s New Prices

32.   The Surprising Story of How the Columbia River Got Its Name

33.   Volcanoes in Multiple States Have Been Rumbling. What’s Going On?

34.   Human-Constructed Dams Have Shifted the Earth’s Poles, Scientists Say

35.   1,100 Jobs Could Be Cut at U.S. National Lab in Tri-Cities Under Trump Budget

36.   U.S. House Releases Energy-Water Spending Bill with Deep Cuts

37.   Wildfire Destroys a Historic Grand Canyon Lodge & Other Structures

38.   Young Indigenous Kayakers About to Complete Historic River Journey, After ‘Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History’

39.   Guest Essay: Will FERC Stand Up for Competitive Power Markets? Our Grid Depends on It.

Word of the Day – Joel’s Horrible Haiku Edition

Detritus /duh-TRI-tuss/ Noun – 1. Geology: loose material (such as rock fragments or organic particles) that results directly from disintegration 2. A: a product of disintegration, destruction, or wearing away: debris B. miscellaneous remnants: odds and ends.

Celebratory Detritus

     Sad birthday balloon

     Abandoned in the rafters

     Doomed to a slow death

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Environmental, Consumer Advocates Sue Bonneville for Joining Southwest Power Pool’s Day-Ahead Market (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/bonneville-bpa-lawsuit-spp-market-day-ahead-earthjustice/752791/

2.      Supporters, Critics Weigh in on Trump Scrapping Biden’s Snake River Dam Deal (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_4ce9e4ab-bb18-433e-8a2e-fb0f91256a4c.html

3.      Amid Rising Risk, Can a WA Utility Company Shut Off Power During a Heat Wave? (Olympian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.theolympian.com/news/state/washington/article309982775.html

4.      Utah: Commission Won’t Reconsider Rocky Mountain Power’s Rate Hike, Calls Request ‘Offensive’ (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/07/09/commission-wont-reconsider-rocky-mountain-power-rate-hike/

5.      Power Providers Urge FERC to Reject PacifiCorp Adding $1.7B in Wildfire Liabilities to Transmission Rates (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utah-deseret-uamps-ferc-pacificorp-wildfire-transmission/752557/

6.      U.S. Utilities Seeking Big Hikes in Electricity Rates as Data Center Demand Booms (Seeking Alpha)

https://seekingalpha.com/news/4466958-us-utilities-seeking-big-hikes-in-electricity-rates-as-data-center-demand-booms

7.      Oregon: Eugene Water & Electric Board Makes Multibillion Dollar Power Decision (Lookout Eugene-Springfield, OR)

https://lookouteugene-springfield.com/story/environment/2025/07/11/eweb-makes-multibillion-dollar-power-decision/

8.      PNM Becomes Seventh Utility to Join New California ISO’s Extended Day-Ahead Market (Daily Energy Insider)

https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/48896-pnm-becomes-seventh-utility-to-join-new-california-isos-extended-day-ahead-market/

9.      As Small Modula Reactors Gain Momentum, Tribes Express Concern for Their Next Generation (Tri-Cities Area Journal of Commerce, WA)

https://www.tricitiesbusinessnews.com/articles/tribes-smrs

10.   Faced With U.S. Heat Waves, The Navajo Push for Power -- And A/C (Tech Xplore)

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-07-navajo-power-ac.html

11.   WA State: Clallam PUD Offering Free Emergency Battery Packs to Some Customers West of Lake Crescent (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

https://www.myclallamcounty.com/2025/07/10/clallam-pud-offering-free-emergency-battery-packs-to-some-customers-west-of-lake-crescent/

12.   Teamwork Powers Reliability on the Olympic Peninsula (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20250170-teamwork-powers-reliability-on-the-olympic-peninsula

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

13.   Under Trump’s New Law, Oregon Could Lose Big on Solar & Wind Energy Projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/07/10/under-trumps-new-law-oregon-could-lose-big-on-solar-and-wind-energy-projects/

14.   Megabill’s Elimination of Tax Credits for Clean Energy Projects Could Cost WA $8.7 Billion (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/megabill-s-elimination-of-tax-credits-for-clean-energy-projects-could-cost-wa-8-7-billion

15.   Richland Eyes Solar Power Boost with Energy Northwest Partnership Plan (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/richland-eyes-solar-power-boost-with-energy-northwest-partnership-plan/article_f8c1fe86-76c0-49c8-9261-17c0dd135e2e.html

16.   Sunnova to Sell Part of Solar Panel Business to Omnidian for $7 Million (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/sunnova-sell-part-solar-panel-business-omnidian-7-million-2025-07-10/

17.   Solar Generation Expected to Rise by a Third This Summer: EIA (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/solar-generation-grows-despite-Trump/752677/

Fish & Wildlife

18.   Special Report: Pacific NW Hatcheries Face Rising Costs, Crumbling Infrastructure (Columbia Insight)

https://columbiainsight.org/pnw-hatcheries-face-rising-costs-crumbling-infrastructure/

19.   Columbia Basin’s Salmon Are in Hot Water, Literally, Says Report from Save Our Wild Salmon (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/jul/11/columbia-basins-salmon-are-in-hot-water-literally-says-report-from-save-our-wild-salmon/

20.   Bolder Efforts Needed to Save Northwest’s Endangered Orcas, Report Finds (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/bolder-efforts-needed-to-save-northwest-s-endangered-orcas-scientists-say/

21.   Colville Tribes Confirms First Salmon Sighting in Kettle River Eight Years after Reintroducing Salmon Near Coulee Dam (Source ONE News, Ephrata, WA)

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/colville-tribes-confirms-first-salmon-sighting-in-kettle-river-eight-years-after-reintroducing-salmon-near/article_5a29f663-bcba-4c83-b106-69dc3c9410aa.html

Water, Water, Anywhere?

22.   Oregon Governor Declares First Drought Emergencies of the Year (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/oregon-governor-declares-first-drought-emergencies-of-the-year/

23.   Western Washington Braces for More Heat Amid Severe Drought Conditions (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/drought-continues-in-parts-of-western-washington-wildfire-hot-temperature-80s-90s-rain-storm-summer-fire-evacuation-forecast-lightning

24.   Water Shortfall Discovered in Southern Idaho (Pacific Ag Network)

https://pnwag.net/idaho-water-shortfall/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

25.   California Lost $3 Billion by Delaying Cap-And-Trade Overhaul, Report Says (E&E News-Politico - Paywall Advisory)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/california-lost-3b-by-delaying-cap-and-trade-overhaul-report-says/

London Calling –Telecommunications

26.   WA State: With Portable Hot Spots, Dayton Library Sees Demand, Challenges (Tacoma News-Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article310513445.html

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

27.   Microsoft Announces $4 Billion Artificial Intelligence Training Initiative Amid Recent Layoffs (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/microsoft-president-brad-smith-layoffs-artificial-intelligence-4-billion-dollars-ai-investors-business-company-technology-governor-bob-ferguson

28.   Meta Investors, Zuckerberg to Square Off at $8 Billion Trial Over Alleged Privacy Violations (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/meta-investors-zuckerberg-square-off-8-billion-trial-over-alleged-privacy-2025-07-14/

29.   ‘I Can’t Drink the Water’ - Life Next to a U.S. Data Centre (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8gy7lv448o

I Sing the Car Electric

30.   A Lawsuit Against Tesla & Its Driver-Assistance Technology Goes to Trial in Florida (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/14/nx-s1-5462851/tesla-lawsuit-autopilot-florida

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

31.   Cost of Stamps Increasing July 13: See USPS’s New Prices (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/cost-stamps-increasing-july-13-183641534.html

32.   The Surprising Story of How the Columbia River Got Its Name (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

https://kpq.com/ixp/1137/p/columbia-river-history/

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

33.   Volcanoes in Multiple States Have Been Rumbling. What’s Going On? (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/volcanoes-multiple-states-rumbling-whats-100335639.html

34.   Human-Constructed Dams Have Shifted the Earth’s Poles, Scientists Say (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/human-constructed-dams-have-shifted-the-earths-poles-scientists-say-2000627912

Politics, Governance, and Management

35.   1,100 Jobs Could Be Cut at U.S. National Lab in Tri-Cities Under Trump Budget (Bellingham Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/1-100-jobs-could-cut-120000216.html

36.   U.S. House Releases Energy-Water Spending Bill with Deep Cuts (E&E News-Politico - Paywall Advisory)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/house-releases-energy-water-spending-bill-with-deep-cuts/

Other Things to Know About Today

37.   Wildfire Destroys a Historic Grand Canyon Lodge & Other Structures (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/grand-canyon-wildfire-lodge-north-rim-f3510c22a6fddc9ff1322dbd450aedb8

38.   Young Indigenous Kayakers About to Complete Historic River Journey, After ‘Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History’ (Cable News Network)

https://www.cnn.com/travel/klamath-river-indigenous-paddle-c2e-spc

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

39.   Guest Essay: Will FERC Stand Up for Competitive Power Markets? Our Grid Depends on It. (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-competitive-power-markets-ipp-spearmint/752852/

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Hungary’s Oldest Library Is Fighting to Save 100,000 Books from a Beetle Infestation

https://apnews.com/article/hungary-library-abbey-beetle-infestation-pannonhalma-11069ba2713340ed28d27e3d7c8498cf

Couple’s Message in a Bottle Found 13 Years Later 2,000 Miles Away

https://www.yahoo.com/news/couples-message-bottle-found-13-181110165.html

Man Charged After Kilt-Wearing Attacker Smashes Case Holding Scotland’s Stone of Destiny

https://www.courthousenews.com/man-charged-after-kilt-wearing-attacker-smashes-case-holding-scotlands-stone-of-destiny/

Washington Woman Breaks Record with 4,060 Jigsaw Puzzles

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/07/14/Guinness-World-Records-jigsaw-puzzles/3841752516304/

Song of the Day

Jigsaw – Sky High

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4FMNPFy6Fw&list=RDk4FMNPFy6Fw&start_radio=1

Links & Paywall Advisory

Links in the Energy News Digest are for current stories. Media organizations frequently update their websites, which can 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.