Energy News Digest

California utility grid reliabilty faces questions as state phases out natural gas plants

Some fear the phasing out of the backup plants could pose problems for the state's electrical grid security.

Kitsap weighs public power option, as PSE fights Prop. 1 'blank check'

Kitsap voters will weigh Proposition 1, a ballot measure that could pave the way for public power and a shift away from Puget Sound Energy.

Full restoration of Eklutna River could cost $1B, engineers say

Oct. 27—The Eklutna tribal government and Municipality of Anchorage have long sought the restoration of historic salmon runs to the full length of the Eklutna River. Recent studies show it will come...

Northern NV business owner pleads guilty to embezzling $7.8M from broadband project

A Reno business owner has pleaded guilty to laundering millions of dollars that prosecutors say were embezzled from a federally funded high-speed internet const

Could the Columbia be the next Colorado? - Columbia Insight

With drought and growing user demands, water shortages loom in the Columbia River Basin Mighty meet-up: Due to

Portland General Electric needs to double its renewable energy portfolio to meet Oregon’s first...

PGE says it’s facing a choice between hitting 2030 climate targets and keeping electricity rates from climbing.

Microsoft announces employee buyout program amid AI surge

(The Center Square) - Microsoft announced a new voluntary buyout program for employees Monday, as the company continues to downsize and reprioritize towards artificial intelligence.

More flooding in Four Corners region after storms bring heavy rain and at least 1 tornado

A tornado touched down in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Saturday night, and forecasters were trying to confirm whether twisters also struck elsewhere in the state.

State regulators step closer to backing most of Avista's proposed electricity rate boost

Washington regulators appear to agree with most of the 13% increase Avista proposed to raise electricity rates starting in January.

Trump admin reignites battle over salmon, dams in Columbia River

A coalition of tribes, conservation groups and states first sued federal agencies over Columbia River operations 25 years ago.

Geothermal lease sale on federal land in Nevada nets $4.8M

An Interior Department auction for roughly 187,000 acres generated less per acre than a similar sale in the same state in 2025. Leases for two parcels that sold overlap with the site of a proposed...

Umatilla declares emergency over lost revenue from Gov. Kotek’s d...

An eastern Oregon city that has for the last decade welcomed some of the largest data centers in the state is fighting Gov. Tina Kotek’s recent order meant to temporarily pause data center developm...

United Nations report highlights significant increase in U.S. climate pollution

The U.S. is the only major economy where planet-warming pollution dramatically increased last year. The United Nations warns the planet is on track for catastrophic warming.

US Power Use to Beat Record Highs in 2026 and 2027 as AI Use Surges, EIA Says