Parties in a legal battle over the operation of federal dams in the Columbia Basin are proposing to put the litigation on hold for nine months, agreeing to a short-term operational plan for 2022 while they try to work out a long-term solution to the problem of diminishing salmon returns.
The Oregon PUC on Oct. 15 acknowledged Avista's 2021 natural gas integrated resource plan [LC 75], which does not anticipate a need for any significant capital investments in Oregon to meet demand in the next 20 years. Read More
The Montana Environmental Information Center and Sierra Club want a Montana state district judge to throw out the state Department of Environmental Quality's approval of NorthWestern Energy's proposed 175 MW natural gas-fired plant near Laurel, Mont. Read More
By a 6-1 vote, the council of Whatcom County, Wash., on Oct. 12 delayed a decision until January on a new franchise agreement with Cascade Natural Gas to explore whether its terms can be renegotiated to help meet the county's climate goals. Read More
The annual balance between the reservoir elevation behind Grand Coulee Dam and ensuring the right amount of water is flowing in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam for chum to spawn is expected to be challenging this year due to the drought. Read More
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Cowlitz Indian Tribe and three environmental groups filed requests to intervene in a FERC decision that will determine if PacifiCorp and Cowlitz County PUD are entitled to a "trial-type" hearing over the actions of federal agencies likely to re… Read More
The U.S. Department of Energy on Oct. 6 announced grants from its DOE's H2@Scale initiative totaling nearly $8 million to nine cooperative projects, including two in the Northwest and one in California. Read More
Avangrid announced Oct. 12 that Alejandro de Hoz, CEO and president of subsidiary Avangrid Renewables, will resign on Nov. 7 and his position eliminated. A new managing structure will instead be implemented with Bill White and Jose Antonio Miranda serving as president and CEO of the company’… Read More
We are excited to announce a new podcast collaboration between NewsData, our parent company Pioneer Utility Resources and Clatskanie PUD in Oregon. Read More
With Aliso Canyon natural gas storage at capacity and the Honor Rancho storage facility shut in for maintenance, Southern California Gas' ability to use storage injections for system balancing is limited, with supply excesses expected into the week of Oct. 25. Read More
For your convenience, NewsData has compiled a list of the acronyms we utilize throughout the Clearing Up publication. Read more
In the latest episode of Substation Northwest podcast, Grant GM/CEO Kevin Nordt talks with NewsData Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Mark Ohrenschall about why the PUD is interested in small nuclear. Read more
We want to hear from you on energy issues and to share your thoughts with our readership. Read more
One option to support grid reliability in the coming years is expanding natural gas-fired power plant capacity, while a portion of the state's planned battery energy storage buildout could be deferred, a report from California PUC staff said this month. Read More
Parties in a legal battle over the operation of federal dams in the Columbia Basin are proposing to put the litigation on hold for nine months, agreeing to a short-term operational plan for 2022 while they try to work out a long-term solution to the problem of diminishing salmon returns. Read More
A new process to determine whether there are reasonable ways to replace the four lower Snake River dams was announced Oct. 22 in a joint statement by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Read More
Scientists at the University of British Columbia say in a new study they were surprised to find Chinook salmon are four to six times more abundant in the summertime foraging area of endangered southern resident killer whales compared to the area frequented by the more numerous northern resid… Read More
The shifting landscape of the West's power industry—decarbonization mandates, the rapid expansion of intermittent resources, electrification and climate change, among other dynamics—has spurred renewed interest in an organized market of some kind. The Northwest has tried several times to for… Read More
State regulators want a stronger role and more oversight in the Northwest Power Pool's nascent resource adequacy program, according to an Oct. 12 letter to NWPP signed by representatives of regulatory commissions in every Western state except Montana and New Mexico. Read More
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Oct. 21 said lawmakers are making progress toward agreement on a 10-year budget bill to fund President Joe Biden's climate, health and education proposals. Meanwhile, FERC Chairman Richard Glick reiterated his support for establishing an org… Read More
