The Energy News Digest for December 24, 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.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Power Companies Brace for Christmas Eve Windstorm Across Oregon (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/weather/severe-weather/power-companies-christmas-eve-windstorm-across-oregon/283-676051a7-6cb8-4f35-8884-020ab1b06580

Some Power Outages Possible During Christmas Eve Wind Advisory with Gusts Up to 50 MPH (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/western-washington-windstorm-high-wind-warning-and-advisory-weather-forecast-60mph-gusts-possible-power-outages-christmas-eve-storm-seattle-meteorologists

‘Dangerous Scenario Unfolding’ in Southern California from Potent Storm Lashing the Entire State (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/southern-california-braces-strongest-storm-141629207.html

Contentious Wind Farm Project in Shasta Denied by California Panel (Redding Record-Searchlight, CA)

https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2025/12/20/california-energy-commission-denies-shasta-county-fountain-wind-farm/87853324007/

Companies Are Desperately Seeking ‘Storytellers’ (Wall Street Journal – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/companies-are-desperately-seeking-storytellers/ar-AA1SdxI8

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Power Companies Brace for Christmas Eve Windstorm Across Oregon

2.      California: State Reins in Profits for PG&E, Other Utilities, as Bill Debate Rages

3.      Washington State Regulators Order Avista to Refund Over-Collected Rates

4.      The Bonneville Power Administration Implements Financial Reserves Surcharge for Power Customers

5.      An Electricity Crunch Is Driving High Bills in These States. It’s Not Getting Better Anytime Soon

6.      Utility CEO On the Data Center Crunch: America’s ‘Check Engine Light’ Is on And ‘No One’s Going to Pay Attention Until It Breaks Down’

7.      WA State: Port of Moses Lake to Build Electrical Generation, Transmission Lines

8.      Japan Prepares to Restart World’s Biggest Nuclear Plant, 15 Years After Fukushima

9.      Hydropower Lobby Survey Finds People Care About Energy Cost Over Climate Change

10.   Bonneville Power Administration Set to Provide Low-Cost, Reliable Power for Another Two Decades

11.   Contentious Wind Farm Project in Shasta Denied by California Panel

12.   Oregon Environmental Group Leads Lawsuit to Reverse IRS Wind, Solar Rules

13.   Floodwaters Recede, But Concerns Grow for Washington Salmon Runs

14.   Broodstock Program Is a Lifeline for Stillaguamish Chinook

15.   Whale Watch Week Starts Dec. 27 on the Oregon Coast

16.   Feds Demand Compromise on Colorado River While States Flounder Despite Water Shortage

17.   Washington State Carbon Market Revenue Hits $4.3 Billion as Prices Reach Record

18.   WA Policy Center: Only 0.5% of Climate Commitment Act Funds Went to Flooding — Mostly for Planning

19.   Broadband Provider Says FCC Action Would Be ‘Devastating’ to Operations

20.   More Delays? U.S. Broadband Funding Hits Potential Snag Over Procedural Error

21.   Feds Pave the Way for Big Tech to Plug Data Centers Right into Power Plants in Scramble for Energy

22.   Companies Are Desperately Seeking ‘Storytellers’

23.   Washington DOT Concedes Stray Current Risks on I-90 from Cross-Lake Light Rail

24.   Beware the Christmas Coronary. How to Spot Signs of Holiday Heart Trouble

25.   Senate Democrats Cut Off Permitting Talks After Trump’s Newest ‘Assault’ on Wind

26.   ‘Dangerous Scenario Unfolding’ in Southern California from Potent Storm Lashing the Entire State

27.   Some Power Outages Possible During Christmas Eve Wind Advisory with Gusts Up to 50 MPH

28.   A Christmas Eve Windstorm?

29.   New Maps Show What Weather Oregon and the Rest of the Country Can Expect This Winter

30.   Theft Of Copper Wire from Traffic Light Contributed to Crash That Killed Motorcyclist, Police Say

31.   Editorial: Despite Fraught WA History, Nuclear Power May Again Have Its Day

Word of the Day

Tousle \TOW (as in ouch) Transitive ​verb - Dishevel, rumple.

Britni’s tousled tresses were the talk of the wedding reception. “Not enough Aqua Net,” murmured the hairdresser to her assistant.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Power Companies Brace for Christmas Eve Windstorm Across Oregon (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/weather/severe-weather/power-companies-christmas-eve-windstorm-across-oregon/283-676051a7-6cb8-4f35-8884-020ab1b06580

2.      California: State Reins in Profits for PG&E, Other Utilities, as Bill Debate Rages (MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/state-reins-in-profits-for-pg-e-other-utilities-as-bill-debate-rages/ar-AA1SEXt6

3.      Washington State Regulators Order Avista to Refund Over-Collected Rates (KREM-TV, Spokane, WA)

https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/washington/washington-state-regulators-avista-refund-over-collected-rates/293-22690f11-20ad-46ed-a3a3-34238c36125f

4.      The Bonneville Power Administration Implements Financial Reserves Surcharge for Power Customers (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20251218-bpa-implements-financial-reserves-surcharge-for-power-customer

5.      An Electricity Crunch Is Driving High Bills in These States. It’s Not Getting Better Anytime Soon (Cable News Network)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/electricity-crunch-driving-high-bills-120059248.html

6.      Utility CEO On the Data Center Crunch: America’s ‘Check Engine Light’ Is on And ‘No One’s Going to Pay Attention Until It Breaks Down’ (Fortune Magazine – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/utility-ceo-on-the-data-center-crunch-america-s-check-engine-light-is-on-and-no-one-s-going-to-pay-attention-until-it-breaks-down/ar-AA1SYf3h

7.      WA State: Port of Moses Lake to Build Electrical Generation, Transmission Lines (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

https://columbiabasinherald.com/news/2025/dec/22/port-of-moses-lake-to-build-electrical-generation-transmission-lines/

8.      Japan Prepares to Restart World’s Biggest Nuclear Plant, 15 Years After Fukushima (Reuters 0 Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/japan-prepares-restart-worlds-biggest-220256050.html

9.      Hydropower Lobby Survey Finds People Care About Energy Cost Over Climate Change (Vancouver Columbian, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/dec/24/hydropower-lobby-survey-finds-people-care-about-energy-cost-over-climate-change/

10.   Bonneville Power Administration Set to Provide Low-Cost, Reliable Power for Another Two Decades (Bonneville Power Administration)

https://www.bpa.gov/about/newsroom/news-articles/20251223-bpa-set-to-provide-low-cost-reliable-power-for-another-two-decades

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

11.   Contentious Wind Farm Project in Shasta Denied by California Panel (Redding Record-Searchlight, CA)

https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2025/12/20/california-energy-commission-denies-shasta-county-fountain-wind-farm/87853324007/

12.   Oregon Environmental Group Leads Lawsuit to Reverse IRS Wind, Solar Rules (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/18/oregon-environmental-group-leads-lawsuit-reverse-irs-wind-solar-rules/

Fish & Wildlife

13.   Floodwaters Recede, But Concerns Grow for Washington Salmon Runs (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/floodwaters-recede-concerns-grow-washington-salmon-runs

14.   Broodstock Program Is a Lifeline for Stillaguamish Chinook (Northwest Treaty Tribes)

https://nwtreatytribes.org/broodstock-program-is-a-lifeline-for-stillaguamish-chinook/

15.   Whale Watch Week Starts Dec. 27 on the Oregon Coast (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/22/whale-watch-week-starts-dec-27-on-the-oregon-coast/

Water, Water, Anywhere?

16.   Feds Demand Compromise on Colorado River While States Flounder Despite Water Shortage (Nevada Current)

https://nevadacurrent.com/2025/12/22/feds-demand-compromise-on-colorado-river-states-flounder-despite-water-shoratge/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

17.   Washington State Carbon Market Revenue Hits $4.3 Billion as Prices Reach Record (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

https://www.chronline.com/stories/washington-state-carbon-market-revenue-hits-43b-as-prices-reach-record,393034

18.   WA Policy Center: Only 0.5% of Climate Commitment Act Funds Went to Flooding — Mostly for Planning (KIRO Broadcasting, Seattle, WA)

https://mynorthwest.com/john-curley/cca-funds-flooding/4177965

London Calling –Telecommunications

19.   Broadband Provider Says FCC Action Would Be ‘Devastating’ to Operations (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/broadband-provider-says-fcc-action-would-be-devastating-to-operations/

20.   More Delays? U.S. Broadband Funding Hits Potential Snag Over Procedural Error (PC Magazine)

https://www.pcmag.com/news/more-delays-us-broadband-funding-hits-potential-snag-over-procedural-error

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

21.   Feds Pave the Way for Big Tech to Plug Data Centers Right into Power Plants in Scramble for Energy (Associated Press)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/feds-pave-way-big-tech-200041967.html

Public Relations, Marketing & Media

22.   Companies Are Desperately Seeking ‘Storytellers’ (Wall Street Journal – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/companies-are-desperately-seeking-storytellers/ar-AA1SdxI8

Barrel O’ Green Potpourri – Seething Stew of Science

23.   Washington DOT Concedes Stray Current Risks on I-90 from Cross-Lake Light Rail (The Center Square)

https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/article_395a158b-c6e9-48b7-8b6e-169dec7d6124.html

24.   Beware the Christmas Coronary. How to Spot Signs of Holiday Heart Trouble (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5645820/holidays-heart-christmas-health

Politics, Governance, and Management

25.   Senate Democrats Cut Off Permitting Talks After Trump’s Newest ‘Assault’ on Wind (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/senate-democrats-cut-off-permitting-212704110.html

Other Things to Know About Today

26.   ‘Dangerous Scenario Unfolding’ in Southern California from Potent Storm Lashing the Entire State (Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/southern-california-braces-strongest-storm-141629207.html

27.   Some Power Outages Possible During Christmas Eve Wind Advisory with Gusts Up to 50 MPH (KOMO News, Seattle, WA)

https://komonews.com/news/local/western-washington-windstorm-high-wind-warning-and-advisory-weather-forecast-60mph-gusts-possible-power-outages-christmas-eve-storm-seattle-meteorologists

28.   A Christmas Eve Windstorm? (Cliff Mass Weather Blog)

https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2025/12/a-christmas-eve-windstorm.html

29.   New Maps Show What Weather Oregon and the Rest of the Country Can Expect This Winter (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

https://www.oregonlive.com/weather/2025/12/new-maps-show-what-weather-oregon-and-the-rest-of-the-country-can-expect-this-winter.html

30.   Theft Of Copper Wire from Traffic Light Contributed to Crash That Killed Motorcyclist, Police Say (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/crime/police-say-theft-copper-wire-traffic-lights-contributed-crash-killed-motorcyclist/283-7adf7c78-c0bc-433e-82ac-46ea099ab6da

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

31.   Editorial: Despite Fraught WA History, Nuclear Power May Again Have Its Day (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/despite-fraught-wa-history-nuclear-130000658.html

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

Church Altar Featuring Homeless Man Goes on Display a Stone’s Throw from His Grave at the Vatican

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-homeless-altar-germany-naumburg-pope-francis-890811e00fad60b5cf383b8d674e4456

An Uninhabited Scottish Isle Is Home to the Golden Granite Used in Olympic Curling Stones

https://apnews.com/article/curling-stones-scotland-island-ailsa-craig-b8df5d2209dba6f3d3d36eda7d1443ee

Suitcase Left in a Bank Vault For 100 Years Contained the Lost Hapsburg Jewels

https://www.earth.com/news/suitcase-left-in-a-bank-vault-for-100-years-contained-the-lost-hapsburg-jewels/

A Funeral for the Penny Draws Lincoln Impersonators & Victorian Garb

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/funeral-penny-draws-lincoln-impersonators-001554970.html

Song of the Day

Vince Guaraldi – A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZtrgRejwG0

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 a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookies may help you access certain paywall sites.

The Energy News Digest for December 17, 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.

Hotshots – Today’s Top Five Stories

Power Bills Could Jump 17% Under Proposal to Help Salmon at WA Dams, Feds Say (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/power-bills-could-jump-17-220020851.html

U.S. Orders Unit at TransAlta Coal Plant in Washington State to Stay Open (Reuters – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/us-orders-unit-at-transalta-coal-plant-in-washington-state-to-stay-open/ar-AA1SuizU

California Got a Record 52.3% Of Power from Renewables in 2024: Report (S&P Global)

https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/121625-california-got-a-record-523-of-power-from-renewables-in-2024-report

Pacific Northwest Just Finished Warmest Fall on Record, Scientists Report (Oregon Capital Dispatch)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/16/northwest-just-finished-warmest-fall-on-record-scientists-report/

Wind Gusts Up to 100 MPH Hit Washington State, Idaho & Oregon, Knocking Out Power to Hundreds of Thousands (AccuWeather)

https://weather.com/news/weather/news/2025-12-17-winds-knock-out-power-in-flood-ravaged-washington-oregon

News Highlights (See Stories Below)

1.      Power Bills Could Jump 17% Under Proposal to Help Salmon at WA Dams, Feds Say

2.      Feds: Salmon Suit Out of Bounds

3.      Oregon/Washington Litigation Represents a ‘Hidden Tax’ on Electricity, Increased Threat of Blackouts

4.      U.S. Orders Unit at TransAlta Coal Plant in Washington State to Stay Open

5.      Oregon: Utility Watchdogs Accuse Portland General Electric of Skirting New Law Meant to Make Data Centers Pay for Rising Demand

6.      Montana Public Service Commission Withdraws from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Case Over NorthWest Energy

7.      Trump’s Rush to Build Nuclear Reactors Across the U.S. Raises Safety Worries

8.      California Got a Record 52.3% Of Power from Renewables in 2024: Report

9.      New England Eyes Canada for Energy as U.S. Offshore Wind Flounders

10.   Clean Energy Job Growth Expected in Washington

11.   Vacuum of Power: What Happens When the U.S. Steps Back from Clean Energy

12.   California’s Plan to Boost Plug-In Heat Pumps & Induction Stoves

13.   Seattle Says Heat Pump Conversions Top 300, Keeping 2030 Oil-Free Goal on Track

14.   How to Cut Your Power Bill While Keeping Your Holiday Lights

15.   Rains Help Fill Reservoirs, But Warmer Storms Have Put Oregon in a Snowpack Deficit

16.   California, The Biggest Water User in the Basin, Pitches Colorado River Framework

17.   Water Is for Fighting: Colorado River Group Describes History of Water Disputes, Looks for Solutions

18.   Pacific Northwest Just Finished Warmest Fall on Record, Scientists Report

19.   Orange Rivers & Melting Glaciers: Federal Report Shows Rapid Change in the Arctic

20.   FCC Cuts ‘Independent’ from Mission Statement After Chair Refuses to Discuss Trump’s Influence

21.   U.S. Senate Democrats Press Tech Giants on Data Center Energy Use, Rising Electricity Bills

22.   Ford Takes $19.5 Billion Charge in Hybrid Pivot, Cancels F-150 Lightning Electric Vehicle, Launches New Battery Storage Business

23.   Tesla Faces California Sales Halt Over Marketing of Autopilot

24.   16 States Sue Trump Administration Again Over Billions in Withheld Electric Vehicle Charging Funds

25.   Washington U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse Not Running for Reelection

26.   Wind Gusts Up to 100 MPH Hit Washington State, Idaho & Oregon, Knocking Out Power to Hundreds of Thousands

27.   NBA to Make Decision on Possible Expansion in 2026 with Seattle, Las Vegas Top Candidates

28.   Guest Essay: Data Centers Need Electricity Fast, But Utilities Need Years to Build Power Plants – Who Should Pay?

29.   Podcast: Along Those Lines – Electric Co-ops Manage Unprecedented Data Center Growth

Word of the Day

Obstreperous • \obb-STREP-russ\ • adjective – 1: marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness; clamorous 2: stubbornly resistant to control; unruly

Bartholomew's holiday frustration was palpable. After ten minutes of trying to cram the obstreperous string of Christmas lights back into its original box, he gave up, wadding them and stuffing them into a beat-up plastic grocery bag. Unfortunately, in the next season, he had the unenviable job of untangling the mass of green wires and clanking little bulbs into a manageable, coherent line for easy hanging.

Energy & Utility Issues

1.      Power Bills Could Jump 17% Under Proposal to Help Salmon at WA Dams, Feds Say (Tri-City Herald, WA – Via Yahoo! News)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/power-bills-could-jump-17-220020851.html

2.      Feds: Salmon Suit Out of Bounds (Lewiston Morning Tribune, ID – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.lmtribune.com/local-news/feds-salmon-suit-out-of-bounds-21062305

3.      Oregon/Washington Litigation Represents a ‘Hidden Tax’ on Electricity, Increased Threat of Blackouts (Northwest Public Power Association)

https://energynewsfeed.blogspot.com/2025/12/oregonwashington-litigation-represents.html

4.      U.S. Orders Unit at TransAlta Coal Plant in Washington State to Stay Open (Reuters – Via MSN News)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/us-orders-unit-at-transalta-coal-plant-in-washington-state-to-stay-open/ar-AA1SuizU

5.      Oregon: Utility Watchdogs Accuse Portland General Electric of Skirting New Law Meant to Make Data Centers Pay for Rising Demand (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/15/utility-watchdogs-accuse-pge-of-skirting-new-law-meant-to-make-data-centers-pay-for-rising-demand/

6.      Montana Public Service Commission Withdraws from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Case Over NorthWest Energy (The Daily Montanan)

https://dailymontanan.com/2025/12/15/public-service-commission-withdraws-from-federal-energy-regulatory-commission-case/

7.      Trump’s Rush to Build Nuclear Reactors Across the U.S. Raises Safety Worries (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5608371/trump-executive-order-new-nuclear-reactors-safety-concerns

Renewable Energy & Self Storage

8.      California Got a Record 52.3% Of Power from Renewables in 2024: Report (S&P Global)

https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/121625-california-got-a-record-523-of-power-from-renewables-in-2024-report

9.      New England Eyes Canada for Energy as U.S. Offshore Wind Flounders (E&E News/Politico)

https://www.eenews.net/articles/new-england-eyes-canada-for-energy-as-us-offshore-wind-flounders/

10.   Clean Energy Job Growth Expected in Washington (KNDO & KNDU-TV, Yakima/Tri-Cities, WA)

https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/clean-energy-job-growth-expected-in-washington/article_45a2d9de-e5c8-447e-b327-322e4e2e2f7d.html

11.   Vacuum of Power: What Happens When the U.S. Steps Back from Clean Energy (Powerful Web)

https://www.powerfulweb.com/utility-voice/vacuum-of-power-what-happens-when-the-u-s-steps-back-from-clean-energy/

Conservation & Efficiency

12.   California’s Plan to Boost Plug-In Heat Pumps & Induction Stoves (Canary Media)

https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electrification/california-plug-in-heat-pumps-induction-stoves

13.   Seattle Says Heat Pump Conversions Top 300, Keeping 2030 Oil-Free Goal on Track (The Center Square)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/12/17/repub/california-biggest-water-user-pitches-colorado-river-framework/

14.   How to Cut Your Power Bill While Keeping Your Holiday Lights (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/local/pittsburgh/2025/12/16/holiday-lights-energy-cost-saving-tips

Water, Water, Anywhere?

15.   Rains Help Fill Reservoirs, But Warmer Storms Have Put Oregon in a Snowpack Deficit (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/16/oregon-pacific-northwest-rains-snowpack-deficit/

16.   California, The Biggest Water User in the Basin, Pitches Colorado River Framework (Utah News Dispatch)

https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/12/17/repub/california-biggest-water-user-pitches-colorado-river-framework/

17.   Water Is for Fighting: Colorado River Group Describes History of Water Disputes, Looks for Solutions (Courthouse News Service)

https://courthousenews.com/water-is-for-fighting-colorado-river-group-describes-history-of-water-disputes-looks-for-solutions/

Climate Change Sequestration Vault

18.   Pacific Northwest Just Finished Warmest Fall on Record, Scientists Report (Oregon Capital Dispatch)

https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2025/12/16/northwest-just-finished-warmest-fall-on-record-scientists-report/

19.   Orange Rivers & Melting Glaciers: Federal Report Shows Rapid Change in the Arctic (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/16/nx-s1-5639224/arctic-climate-change-noaa-report

London Calling –Telecommunications

20.   FCC Cuts ‘Independent’ from Mission Statement After Chair Refuses to Discuss Trump’s Influence (Forbes Magazine)

https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2025/12/17/fcc-cuts-independent-from-mission-statement-after-chair-refuses-to-discuss-trumps-influence/

The Wizarding World of Technology & Cybersecurity

21.   U.S. Senate Democrats Press Tech Giants on Data Center Energy Use, Rising Electricity Bills (The Hill, Washington, DC)

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5651358-democrats-tech-giants-data-center-electricity-bills/

I Sing the Car Electric

22.   Ford Takes $19.5 Billion Charge in Hybrid Pivot, Cancels F-150 Lightning Electric Vehicle, Launches New Battery Storage Business (Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-takes-195b-charge-in-hybrid-pivot-cancels-f-150-lightning-ev-launches-new-battery-storage-business-210713166.html

23.   Tesla Faces California Sales Halt Over Marketing of Autopilot (Bloomberg News – Via Yahoo! News)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-faces-california-sales-halt-022416369.html

24.   16 States Sue Trump Administration Again Over Billions in Withheld Electric Vehicle Charging Funds (Associated Press)

https://www.seattlepi.com/business/states-sue-trump-administration-again-over-a21246393

Politics, Governance, and Management

25.   Washington U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse Not Running for Reelection (Washington State Standard)

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/12/17/washington-us-rep-dan-newhouse-not-running-for-reelection/

Other Things to Know About Today

26.   Wind Gusts Up to 100 MPH Hit Washington State, Idaho & Oregon, Knocking Out Power to Hundreds of Thousands (AccuWeather)

https://weather.com/news/weather/news/2025-12-17-winds-knock-out-power-in-flood-ravaged-washington-oregon

27.   NBA to Make Decision on Possible Expansion in 2026 with Seattle, Las Vegas Top Candidates (KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA)

https://www.fox13seattle.com/sports/nba-make-decision-possible-expansion-2026-seattle-las-vegas-top-candidates

Soapbox Serenade – Vox Populi

28.   Guest Essay: Data Centers Need Electricity Fast, But Utilities Need Years to Build Power Plants – Who Should Pay? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)

https://www.seattlepi.com/news/data-centers-need-electricity-fast-but-utilities-a21238707

29.   Podcast: Along Those Lines – Electric Co-ops Manage Unprecedented Data Center Growth (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

https://www.electric.coop/along-those-lines-electric-co-ops-manage-unprecedented-data-center-growth

Diversions - Alligators in the Sewer

The Queen of Disco: Donna Summer Is Posthumously Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

https://apnews.com/article/donna-summer-songwriters-hall-of-fame-induction-761aa0b9fb68f489922e29741075c92b

‘Flood of Slop’: Merriam-Webster’s 2025 Word of the Year Takes a Dig at Artificial Intelligence

https://www.oregonlive.com/trending/2025/12/flood-of-slop-merriam-websters-2025-word-of-the-year-takes-a-dig-at-ai.html

Why 696 Pennies Sold for More Than $16.7 Million

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-696-pennies-sold-more-113000293.html

Washington, D.C., Makes Kiss-Story with Record Number of Couples Under Mistletoe

https://www.npr.org/2025/12/15/nx-s1-5644925/washington-d-c-makes-kiss-story-with-record-number-of-couples-under-mistletoe

Song of the Day

Donna Summer – MacArthur Park Suite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zue7wsi_xeo

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 a subscription, individual experiences may vary. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions. Regularly clearing your browser’s history and cookies may help you access certain paywall sites.