NWPPA Morning Brief

NWPPA Morning Brief — Thursday, September 03, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• DOE Orders Orlando Utilities Commission to Keep Coal Unit Available — https://www.electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/generation/52/1216479/energy-secretary-saves-coal-fired-generation-from-going-offline-in-florida.html
• Oklo Files Emergency FERC Complaint Over Dropped 750-MW Interconnection Request — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pjm-oklo-advanced-nuclear-ferc-interconnection/829150/
• DOE Announces $11.5 Million for AI-Based Grid Planning Tools — https://electricenergyonline.com/article/energy/category/t-d/56/1216304/doe-s-office-of-electricity-announces-11-5m-genesis-mission-project-to-meet-growing-electricity-demand-faster-and-lower-costs-.html
• EPA Proposes Dropping Public Notice Requirement for Data Center Air Permits — https://apnews.com/article/947eb927ae81162ad4cc3e828915c804

Top Regional / State Developments

• Washington Launches State Transmission Authority — https://transformer-magazine.com/news/washington-launches-weta-to-address-grid-bottlenecks/
• Coos-Curry Electric Approves 10.8% Rate Increase — https://www.opb.org/article/2026/09/02/oregon-coast-coos-curry-electric-raises-rates/
• Oregon Wildfire Season Passes 2 Million Acres Burned — https://www.cec.coop/news-releases/ceos-message-september-2026/
• Navajo Nation Approved to Mine Coal Through 2136 — https://www.ksut.org/news/2026-09-02/navajo-nation-could-keep-mining-coal-until-2136-following-permit-approval-under-trump
• Mendocino County Adopts 45-Day Data Center Moratorium — https://mendovoice.com/2026/09/mendocino-county-supes-ban-data-centers-for-the-moment-at-least/

Worth Knowing

• PJM extended emergency grid measures into Thursday as heat, power-plant outages, and transmission constraints… — https://www.theamericanquorum.com/heat-wave-extends-emergency-measures-across-largest-us-grid/

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Wednesday, September 02, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Regional / State Developments

• California Legislative Session Closes Without Wildfire Liability Shield; Data Center and Solar Bills Advance — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/wildfire-costs-california-legislature-solar/829295/
• Colorado Supreme Court Declines to Expedite Xcel Wind-Line Condemnation Case — https://coloradosun.com/2026/09/02/xcel-power-line-cheyenne-county-condemnation-colorado-supreme-court/

Federal Developments

• House Passes Short-Term Funding Bill to Avoid Government Shutdown — https://apnews.com/article/a3df725f4bc4ffb39d02a234ea0e5cd3

Worth Knowing

• A UK power generation plant was taken offline for four days in August following a cyberattack that experts… — https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/how-did-iran-manage-to-knock-a-uk-power-generator-offline-for-four-days-and-what-does-it-mean-for-other-critical-infrastructure-the-experts-weigh-in
• Indiana Michigan Power, an AEP subsidiary, filed a proposal for a $59 million annual residential rate… — https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/indiana-power-provider-proposes-usd59-million-rate-cut-for-state-says-data-centers-and-other-large-customers-are-driving-increased-revenue-move-could-potentially-save-residential-users-usd100-annually

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Tuesday, September 01, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• DOE and Montana Advance East-West Grid Connector — https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/doe-montana-deq-advance-power-line-project-connecting-eastern-and-western-grids
• Ohio Ratepayer Advocate Presses FERC on $4.3 Billion in Local Transmission Spend — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ohio-ratepayer-advocate-ferc-local-transmission/829066/
• Cooperatives Break Ground on Wildfire Projects Under DOE WARN Program — https://www.electric.coop/co-ops-mobilize-to-mitigate-wildfires-through-doe-funded-warn-consortium
• BLM Opens Public Scoping on Trans-Alaska Pipeline Right-of-Way Renewal — https://thealaskacurrent.com/2026/08/31/regulatory-process-launched-for-30-more-years-of-trans-alaska-oil-pipeline-operations/

Top Regional / State Developments

• California Enacts SB 492; PG&E Says Bill Doesn't Fix Wildfire Financing Risk — https://investor.pgecorp.com/news-events/press-releases/press-release-details/2026/PGE-Statement-on-Senate-Bill-492/default.aspx
• BC Hydro to Acquire Island Generation Gas Plant for Vancouver Island Reliability — https://www.globalrenewablenews.com/article/energy/category/environment/18/1212486/bc-hydro-acquiring-island-generation-to-ensure-power-reliability-on-vancouver-island.html
• Avista Files to Cut Washington Gas Rates 11.5 Percent This Winter — https://lifestyle.kbew98country.com/story/406810/avista-makes-annual-price-adjustment-requests-in-washington/
• Data Centers Become Flashpoint in Oregon Governor's Race — https://www.klcc.org/politics-government/2026-08-31/data-centers-emerge-as-new-flashpoint-between-kotek-drazan-in-oregon-governors-race

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Monday, August 31, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• FERC Grants More Time to CAISO and Four Other Grid Operators on Large-Load Rules — https://www.stoel.com/insights/reports/energy-regulatory-updates/august-26-2026
• DOE Approves 422-Mile HVDC Line Linking Western and Eastern Grids Through Montana and North Dakota — https://okenergytoday.com/2026/08/what-oklahoma-opposed-is-approved-in-montana-and-north-dakota/
• DOE Cancels Northern Plains Tribal Transmission Corridor — https://tribalbusinessnews.com/sections/energy/15748-doe-cancels-tribal-transmission-corridor-aimed-at-bringing-reservation-power-to-market
• DOE Extends Eddystone Coal Units Through November 20 in Sixth Federal Intervention — https://microgridmedia.com/doe-eddystone-power-plant-order/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Oregon Approves 29.7% Data Center Rate Hike, Cuts Residential Bills — https://gcn.com/oregon-approves-percent-rate-increase-large/21173/
• Washington UTC Drafts Data Center Cost-Shift Guardrails — https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/aug/29/data-centers-can-raise-electricity-prices-wa-wants/
• Montana PSC Sends NorthWestern Energy's 20-Year Resource Plan Back for Revisions — https://montanafreepress.org/2026/08/27/northwestern-energys-power-plan-found-deficient-by-independent-review/
• Nevada Governor Requests Presidential Emergency Declaration for Hawk Fire — https://www.2news.com/news/fire/nevada-requests-presidential-emergency-declaration-for-hawk-fire-recovery/article_fdf51688-9d3a-4089-9254-b50a2927f3b5.html
• Colorado Springs Utilities Advances Solar Net Metering Rate Changes on 6-2 Council Vote — https://gazette.com/2026/08/25/increases-to-solar-net-metering-rates-advance-after-widespread-public-concerns-at-city-council-meeting/

Advocacy and Legal Signal Scan

• California Wildfire Deal Narrows After Newsom Backs Off Utility Liability Demands — https://laist.com/news/california-lawmakers-strike-wildfire-deal-that-leaves-out-most-of-newsoms-big-demands

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• PJM Market Monitor: Data Center Load Accounted for 9% of Wholesale Costs in First Half of 2026 — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/data-center-load-pjm-wholesale-market/828917/

Western Federal Power Programs Scan

• RCA Denies Enstar Reconsideration on $240 Million Kenai Loop Gas Storage — https://www.petroleumnews.com/story/2026/08/30/utilities/rca-no-reconsideration/50328.html

Worth Knowing

• Pasadena Water and Power finalized its first green bond prepayment of renewable power contracts, projected to… — https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/pasadena-saves-ratepayers-more-5-million-renewable-power-contracts-first-green-bond-transaction
• EPA has proposed eliminating federal public notification requirements for minor air pollution permits issued… — https://www.techradar.com/pro/new-epa-rules-mean-polluting-us-data-centers-can-now-keep-their-output-secret-from-neighbours
• The California Public Utilities Commission approved a Southwest Gas rate case setting a 22.36% rate increase… — https://gcn.com/southwest-gas-california-rate-case-sets/21177/

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.

NWPPA Morning Brief — Friday, August 28, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• FCC Proposes to Regulate Public Power Pole Attachments — https://www.publicpower.org/issues-and-policy
• Trump Executive Order Declares National Emergency on Foreign Bulk-Power Equipment — https://energynews.pro/en/donald-trump-declares-national-emergency-against-foreign-power-grid-equipment
• DOE and SBA Launch SBIC-E Initiative for Energy Small Business Investment — http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sba-department-of-energy-partner-to-advance-president-trumps-american-energy-dominance-agenda-302858747.html
• DOE Awards $325,000 to UAF for Rural Grid AI Research — https://www.webcenterfairbanks.com/2026/08/28/uaf-study-ai-use-rural-power-grids/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Montana PSC Directly Taking NorthWestern Energy Bill Complaints — https://dailymontanan.com/2026/08/27/northwestern-customers-report-significant-increase-in-bills-psc-reviewing-complaints/
• Powder River Cooperative Breaks Ground on $23.5M Wyoming Solar-Plus-Storage — https://www.microgridknowledge.com/solar-plus-storage/news/55399972/powersecures-labelle-prairie-solar-storage-project-designed-to-boost-cooperative-grid

Advocacy and Legal Signal Scan

• Insurance CEOs Warn Newsom's Wildfire Subrogation Plan Would Raise Premiums — https://www.kcra.com/article/newsom-wildfire-insurance-proposal-rates/73548702

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• ERCOT Targets December Completion for Texas Data Center Audit — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ercot-texas-puc-data-center-audit/828472/

Western Market Structure Signal

• Alaska Railbelt Tariff Drafting Continues in Closed Subcommittee — https://alaskanews.com/c/alaska-news/railbelt-tariff-subcommittee-meets-sept-3-in-closed-session

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Thursday, August 27, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• Trump Executive Order Restricts Foreign-Made Bulk-Power System Equipment — https://www.moneycontrol.com/world/trump-declares-national-emergency-over-foreign-made-equipment-in-us-power-grid-article-14016383.html
• BLM Opens Environmental Review for 30-Year TAPS Right-of-Way Renewal — https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-prepares-permit-next-chapter-trans-alaska-pipeline-system-safeguarding-american

Top Regional / State Developments

• California Legislature Rejects Key Parts of Newsom Wildfire Liability Plan — https://www.ijpr.org/wildfire/2026-08-26/with-clock-ticking-california-lawmakers-reject-key-parts-of-newsoms-wildfire-plan?_amp=true
• Grant County PUD and Invenergy Break Ground on 120-MW Moses Lake Solar Project — https://list.solar/news/invenergy-and-1/
• PacWave South Begins Operations Off Oregon Coast — https://apnews.com/article/0199c3f42686e5804be70be432e239b4
• TDX Manley Files 175% Rural Alaska Power Cost Adjustment Increase — https://aws.state.ak.us/OnlinePublicNotices/Notices/View.aspx?id=224914

Worth Knowing

• HEX LLC is advancing a 2026 Cook Inlet drilling campaign with two new wells underway on its Allegra Leigh… — https://mustreadalaska.com/2-new-wells-and-maybe-a-third-hex-continues-drilling-for-cook-inlet-gas/

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.

NWPPA Morning Brief — Wednesday, August 26, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• U.S.-Canada Trade Escalation Puts Cross-Border Power Flows In Play — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/us-canada-trade-war-threatens-electricity-imports-prices/828689/
• Nevada Sues Interior Over Colorado River Cuts — https://www.kunc.org/2026-08-25/nevada-sues-federal-government-over-lower-basin-water-cuts-a-matter-of-survival

Top Regional / State Developments

• Alaska Energy Authority Board Endorses $400 Million Bradley Lake Expansion Financing — https://globalrenewablenews.com/article/energy/category/hydro/86/1215266/aea-board-advances-financing-framework-for-bradley-lake-expansion-project.html
• Xcel Files to Extend Colorado Coal Unit 15 Months Citing 2027–2028 Shortfall — https://energyreader.io/brief/9014
• Colorado PUC Keeps Disputed Transmission Model, Orders Xcel to Move on 2026 RFP — https://boulder.thebadger.news/articles/2026-08-20-colorado-puc-retains-option-b-transmission-model-orders-resource-rfp
• BC Hydro Commits $200 Million to Newell Substation Rebuild — https://transformer-magazine.com/news/bc-hydro-invests-200-m-in-burnaby-substation/
• NV Energy Files $100 Million Southern Nevada Rate Reduction — https://www.fox5vegas.com/2026/08/19/nv-energy-files-cut-electric-rates-southern-nevada-customers/

Worth Knowing

• PacifiCorp has agreed to suspend all of its ratepayer-funded energy efficiency programs in California under a… — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pacificorp-suspend-california-energy-efficiency-programs/828721/

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.

NWPPA Morning Brief — Tuesday, August 25, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• DOE Declines to Designate Three National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors — https://insideepa.com/climate-news/doe-scuttles-transmission-corridors-slams-climate-alarmist-agenda
• Bureau of Reclamation Finalizes Two-Year Colorado River Operating Plan with Mandatory Cuts — https://www.circleofblue.org/newsletter/federal-water-tap-august-24-2026-feds-finalize-colorado-river-water-cuts-in-two-year-plan/
• FERC Denies MISO $280M Capacity Auction Complaints; SPP Approves Cross-Interconnection Capacity Study — https://www.stoel.com/insights/reports/energy-regulatory-updates/august-19-2026
• Microsoft and PowerHouse Hillwood Contest Data Center Service Agreements at FERC — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/microsoft-powerhouse-hillwood-data-center-service-ferc/828566/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Nevada Sues to Block Colorado River Operating Plan — https://www.eenews.net/articles/nevada-launches-legal-war-over-trumps-colorado-river-plan/
• Hawk Fire De-Energization Cuts Power to 37,000 in Truckee and North Lake Tahoe — https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/truckee-donner-utility-customers-power-outage-hawk-fire/
• Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Workers Strike — https://www.opb.org/article/2026/08/24/oregon-trail-electric-cooperative-strike-unfair-labor-practices/
• California Advances Two Virtual Power Plant Bills; CAISO Board to Consider BTM Battery Exports — https://www.iesna.com/news-insights/california-vpp-bills-clear-committee-as-grid-battery-capacity-tops-21-gw/
• Montana DEQ Awards $10.34M for Rural Grid Resilience — https://bigskyheadlines.com/2026/08/deq-awards-10-34m-to-improve-electricity-resilience-in-rural-montana/

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.

NWPPA Morning Brief — Friday, August 21, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• Five Federal Agencies Warn of Active AI-Assisted Attacks on Siemens PLCs — https://securityaffairs.com/197566/ics-scada/nsa-cisa-fbi-doe-and-epa-warn-of-active-ai-assisted-attacks-on-siemens-s7-plcs.html
• FERC Approves SPP Congestion Management Using Grid Reconfiguration — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-spp-topology-optimization-grid-congestion/828366/
• DOE Awards $500 Million to Critical Minerals and Battery Manufacturing Projects — https://www.eenews.net/articles/doe-doles-out-500m-to-minerals-battery-projects/
• Interior Exempts Certain Forest-Thinning Projects from Full Environmental Review — https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/some-federal-logging-projects-to-skip-environmental-reviews

Top Regional / State Developments

• Idaho Power Files at Idaho PUC for $154M Oregon Territory Sale to Oregon Trail Electric — https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/53445-idaho-power-seeking-approval-from-idaho-puc-to-sell-oregon-service-territory/
• Montana PSC Commissioner Seeks Court Order Blocking Suspension — https://we-news.com/us/montana-regulator-seeks-court-order-to-halt-one-year-suspension-by-governor
• Walker River Paiute Tribe Settles Greenlink West Rights-of-Way Dispute with NV Energy — https://www.tribalbusinessnews.com/sections/energy/15732-walker-river-paiute-tribe-nv-energy-settle-greenlink-west-rights-of-way
• Intermountain West Drought Update — Colorado River and Rio Grande Basins Under Severe Stress — https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/drought-status-update-intermountain-west-2026-08-20

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Thursday, August 20, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• NRC Holds First-of-Kind Mandatory Hearing on TVA's Clinch River Small Modular Reactor — https://www.ventureatlas.org/news/2026-08-14-clinch-river-nrc-hearing-bwrx-300
• Quantum-GUARD Act Would Direct FERC and DOE to Address Quantum Cyber Risk to the Grid — https://legis1.com/news/quantum-computing-electric-grid-coons-and-rounds
• PJM Files Conditional Reliability Framework for Large New Loads — https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/energy-power-supply/pjm-s-new-deal-for-data-centers-bring-power-or-face-cuts

Top Regional / State Developments

• Washington Wildfire Costs Top $207 Million with 20 Active Fires — https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/cost-to-battle-20-wildfires-in-wa-has-topped-200m/
• California Adopts Nation's Strictest Home-Ignition-Zone Landscaping Rules — https://www.wcbu.org/npr-news/2026-08-19/california-passes-toughest-wildfire-rules-in-the-u-s-for-home-landscaping
• Black Hills Energy Files 32% Rate Increase for Northeast Wyoming — https://www.kotatv.com/2026/08/17/black-hills-energy-wants-hike-electric-rates-32-northeast-wyoming/?outputType=amp

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• Pennsylvania Governor Signs Executive Order Regulating AI Data Centers — https://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/environmental-law/1833248/pennsylvania-data-center-executive-order-adds-new-development-and-permitting-requirements

Worth Knowing

• New BloombergNEF data cited by Bloomberg Law shows MISO added 7.45 gigawatts of solar between April 2024 and… — https://news.bloomberglaw.com/insurance/burst-of-new-solar-power-makes-midwest-grid-the-biggest-in-us

Pilot notice: AI-generated daily briefing. Verify before acting on it.

Feel free to reach out if you have comments or concerns.