NWPPA Morning Brief

NWPPA Morning Brief — Wednesday, July 08, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• Maryland Targets the RTO Membership Bonus at FERC — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/exelon-firstenergy-ferc-maryland-rto-adder/824576/
• FERC Rejects Waiver for $2 Billion Ohio Gas Plant in PJM Fast-Track Queue — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ferc-pjm-fast-track-review-advanced-power-chestnut-run/824456/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Matanuska Electric Raises Cost of Power Adjustment 29.4 Percent — https://www.matsusentinel.com/mea-raises-electric-bills-as-natural-gas-costs-climb/
• Washington Ecology Releases Draft Columbia Basin Water Supply Forecast — https://ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/news/2026/july-1-new-forecast-shows-anticipated-risks-to-columbia-basin-water-supplies
• Wildfires and Drought Press the Colorado River Basin — https://www.western-water.com/2026/07/04/wildfires-and-drought-grip-the-colorado-river-basin/
• NV Energy Opens Applications for Solar-Powered Affordable Housing Tariffs — https://nevadacef.org/nv-energy-launches-solar-powered-affordable-housing-tariff-applications-after-regulatory-approval/
• Colorado Adopts Metering and Transparency Rules for Public EV Chargers — https://www.act-news.com/news/colorado-adds-oversight-for-fee-based-ev-charging-stations/

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Tuesday, July 07, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• Federal court lets California's $20 billion DOE lawsuit proceed — https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/energy-department-fails-to-axe-california-suit-over-green-grants
• BLM and Interior issue final Record of Decision for 690 MW Gemini solar and storage in Nevada — https://www.pvtime.org/blm-and-doi-issue-final-record-of-decision-for-milestone-690mw-gemini-solar-and-battery-storage-in-nevada/
• PJM extends DOE backup generation order through July 6 after heat wave forces emergency demand response — https://insidelines.pjm.com/pjm-hot-weather-operations-update-july-3/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Oregon PUC set to rule today on first POWER Act large-load rate change; Kotek signals more to come — https://www.businesstimesjournal.com/article/924025071-governor-kotek-calls-on-puc-to-deliver-energy-affordability-and-fairness-for-oregonians
• LADWP closes $100 million wildfire catastrophe bond at low end of pricing guidance — https://www.artemis.bm/news/california-utility-ladwp-gets-100m-123-lights-re-wildfire-cat-bond-pricing-at-low-end/
• BC Hydro releases long-term clean energy expansion plan projecting 50 percent demand growth by 2050 — https://globalrenewablenews.com/article/energy/category/climate-change/155/1206958/powering-b-c-s-future-new-plan-drives-clean-energy-growth-jobs.html
• California signs SB 1350, letting green hydrogen power count toward RPS — https://decarbonfuse.com/posts/sb-1350-california-makes-hydrogen-power-count-as-clean
• Ute Mountain Ute tribe brings 270 MW solar and 180 MW storage online — https://www.gpb.org/news/2026/07/06/despite-stiff-political-headwinds-tribe-in-colorado-brings-utility-scale-solar

Worth Knowing

• Lake Powell dropped to its lowest level of 2026 this week and is less than a quarter full, with further… — https://www.kjzz.org/science/2026-07-04/lake-powell-drops-to-lowest-level-of-2026-on-track-for-record-breaking-territory

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Monday, July 06, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• DOE Proposes to End Appliance Efficiency Mandates — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-proposes-rule-permanently-end-appliance-mandates/824334/
• NERC Issues Level 3 Alert on Data Center Load-Loss Events — https://www.techtimes.com/articles/319695/20260704/ai-data-centers-triggered-1800-mw-grid-drop-nerc-issues-highest-alert.htm
• FERC Technical Conference on Grid-Enhancing Technologies and Load Forecasting July 7–8 — https://www.stoel.com/insights/reports/energy-regulatory-updates/july-1-2026

Top Regional / State Developments

• New Jersey Sends Data Center Tariff Bill to Governor — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-jersey-lawmakers-send-data-center-tariff-bill-to-governor/824191/

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Thursday, July 02, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• Third advanced microreactor achieves criticality at Idaho National Laboratory — https://www.powermag.com/deployable-energys-unity-nuclear-reactor-achieves-criticality-at-inl-third-under-doe-nuclear-push/
• DOE emergency orders authorize full-capacity generation and environmental waivers as PJM braces for record demand — https://endtimeheadlines.org/2026/07/us-power-grid-emergency-declared-as-extreme-heat-wave-looms-over-eastern-states/
• PJM members advance backup power procurement plan as capacity prices climb more than tenfold — https://edgen.pre.edgen.tech/news/post/pjm-capacity-prices-surge-over-1000-as-data-center-demand-strains-grid

Top Regional / State Developments

• Utah Governor Cox calls for $60 billion Western grid investment at Western Governors Association meeting — https://www.ksl.com/article/news/politics/cox-america-needs-a-new-generation-of-electricity/51583954
• Cache County, Utah passes 180-day data center moratorium — https://www.sltrib.com/news/2026/07/01/cache-county-oks-data-center/
• Alaska LNG tax bill vote delayed until mid-July — https://alaskapublic.org/news/politics/alaska-legislature/2026-07-01/state-lawmakers-delay-vote-on-alaska-lng-tax-bill-until-mid-july
• BC Hydro implements new net metering compensation structure effective July 1 — https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/07/01/bc-hydro-solar-panels/

Congressional and Federal Agency Scan

• Bipartisan Senate bill would force DOE to release $420 million in weatherization and state energy grants on schedule — https://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-helps-lead-bipartisan-push-to-speed-up-distribution-of-cost-saving-residential-weatherization-funding

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Wednesday, July 01, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• DOE Orders AI Data Centers Onto Backup Generators as PJM Faces Record Peak — https://www.tftc.io/doe-emergency-order-ai-data-centers-backup-generators-pjm-record-demand
• Senator King Urges FERC to Reject $67 Billion NextEra-Dominion Merger — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/senator-king-ferc-nextera-dominion-merger-necec/824073/
• Dewey Burdock Uranium Project Clears Federal Permitting — https://www.permitting.gov/newsroom/press-releases/dewey-burdock-isr-uranium-project-completes-federal-permitting

Top Regional / State Developments

• Rocky Mountain Power Activates Southern Utah Wildfire Shutoff Warning — https://townlift.com/2026/06/utah-just-saw-energy-shutoffs-to-prevent-wildfires-are-more-coming-this-season/
• Montana Voters Pursue Supermajority Approval for Data Center Construction — https://dailymontanan.com/2026/06/30/montana-voters-seek-oversight-of-data-center-construction/
• Seven States Power and Nashville Electric Service Launch Battery Storage Partnership — https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/seven-states-power-corporation-announces-large-scale-battery-storage-partnership-with-nes

Western Federal Power Programs Scan

• Craig Station Cost Recovery Still Unresolved as Colorado Utility Presses DOE — https://www.eenews.net/articles/utility-presses-doe-for-help-in-paying-for-coal-power-extension/

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Tuesday, June 30, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• Supreme Court Removes Firing Protections for FERC and NRC Commissioners — https://www.eenews.net/articles/supreme-court-hands-trump-new-power-over-independent-agencies-that-oversee-energy-development-2/
• DOE Orders Craig Station Unit 1 in Colorado to Stay Available Through Summer — https://www.miningweekly.com/article/us-issues-order-to-keep-colorado-coal-plant-available-through-summer-2026-06-29
• Utility Dive Investigation: 202(c) Orders Carry $550 Million Annual Cost, Disputed Reliability Benefits — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-emergency-power-plants-reliability-benefits-costs/822934/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Oregon PUC Approves 2026 Wildfire Mitigation Plans for Three Utilities — https://www.kxl.com/oregons-puc-and-electric-utilities-prepare-for-summer-wildfires/
• Missoula County Sets July 9 Hearing on Data Center Zoning Pause — https://missoulacurrent.com/missoula-data-centers/
• Logan, Utah Council to Vote June 30 on Data Center and Power Plant Moratorium — https://utahrecord.org/logan/meetings/2026-06-30-logan-city-council-to-consider-temporary-ban-on-data-centers-ad816400-55d5-47f3-a7b8-5997e9bd6b19
• Montana PSC Reduces Public Meetings on NorthWestern IRP from Five to Two — https://missoulacurrent.com/climaster-energy-rates/

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Monday, June 29, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• NERC Flags Shrinking Deployable Reserves as Coal and Gas Outages Climb — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/deployable-reserves-shrinking-forced-outage-rates-increase-nerc/823765/
• PJM Opposes Waiver for $2B Gas Plant in Fast-Track Interconnection Queue — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/pjm-gas-fired-chestnut-hill-interconnection-ferc/823958/

Congressional and Federal Agency Scan

• House Energy Subcommittee Advances Eight Reliability and Ratepayer Bills — https://dailyenergyinsider.com/news/52831-house-panel-advances-grid-reliability-ratepayer-bills-amid-rising-power-demand/

Top Regional / State Developments

• UAMPS Signs 30-Year Prepay Energy Deal With Main Street Energy — https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/utah-associated-municipal-power-systems-enters-prepay-agreement-with-main-street-energy
• Nevada Sees Second Behind-the-Meter Gas Plant Filing for Data Center Load — https://www.carsonnow.org/06/29/2026/nevada-data-center-rush-drives-request-for-a-novel-type-of-gas-power-plant
• Arizona Stiffens Criminal Penalties for Assaulting On-Duty Utility Workers — https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/new-arizona-law-strengthens-protections-duty-utility-workers

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• Data Center Flexibility Quantified as Rate Lever After FERC's June 18 Order — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/data-centers-flexibility-utilities-speed-to-power/822588/

Worth Knowing

• ASHRAE's 2026 annual conference opens in Austin with technical sessions on HVAC design for data centers,… — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ashrae-to-tackle-data-centers-thermal-systems-at-annual-conference/823900/

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Friday, June 26, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• House Floor Vote This Week on FY2027 Energy-Water Appropriations Bill — BPA and WAPA Funding in Play — https://www.eenews.net/articles/house-sets-action-on-energy-water-other-spending-bills/
• American Transmission Co. Asks FERC to Order a Do-Over on $350 Million Wisconsin Project Tied to Data Center — https://www.eenews.net/articles/utility-says-midwest-grid-operator-botched-power-line-bid-process/
• BLM Authorizes Nevada Geothermal Project Using 14-Day Environmental Review — https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-authorizes-pearl-geothermal-energy-project-southwestern-nevada

Top Regional / State Developments

• NorthWestern Energy Files Large-Load Tariff at Montana PSC to Shield Existing Customers from Data Center Costs — https://www.kpax.com/news/northwestern-energy-proposes-large-load-tariff-for-data-centers-to-the-montana-public-service-commission
• Washington, California, and Québec Sign Formal Carbon Market Linkage Agreement — https://governor.wa.gov/news/2026/washington-california-and-quebec-sign-carbon-market-agreement-setting-stage-historic-climate
• NV Energy Issues Public Safety Outage Management Watches Across Northern Nevada Ahead of Fire Weather — https://www.2news.com/news/fire/nv-energy-warns-of-possible-planned-power-outages-due-to-fire-weather-in-east-elko/article_a94b7d22-8b34-4746-8ab2-9f27dccb1331.html
• Utah Officials Warn of "Totally Unprecedented" Colorado River Shortages — https://www.castlecountryradio.com/2026/06/25/utah-officials-warn-of-totally-unprecedented-water-shortages-as-towns-run-dry/

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Thursday, June 25, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• House Energy Subcommittee Marks Up Eight Electricity and Pipeline Bills — https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/chairmen-guthrie-and-latta-announce-energy-subcommittee-markup-of-eight-bills-on-electricity-and-pipeline-safety
• Pallone Calls for National Data Center Moratorium — https://www.eenews.net/articles/pallone-calls-for-national-data-center-moratorium/
• Report: Grid Operators Have Restructured Interconnection Queues, But Processing Is Not Yet Faster — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/generator-interconnection-reform-ferc-spp-miso-pjm/823613/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Oregon PUC Approves New Large-Load Rate Class — https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/oregon-energy-regulator-approves-new-rate-class-for-large-load-data-centers/
• Lake Powell Projected to Hit Minimum Power Pool by Spring 2027 — https://www.western-water.com/2026/06/17/lake-powell-faces-power-loss-by-spring-2027/
• Helion Receives Washington State Licenses for Malaga Fusion Plant — https://www.ans.org/news/2026-06-23/article-8140/helion-secures-new-licenses-from-washington/
• Utah's Largest Solar-Plus-Storage Project Reaches Commercial Operation — https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2026/06/rplus-energies-activates-400-mw-utah-solar-storage-project/
• Community Opposition to Battery Storage Sites Builds in Western Washington — https://www.opb.org/article/2026/06/23/battery-storage-washington/

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

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NWPPA Morning Brief — Wednesday, June 24, 2026

In today's brief:

Top Federal Developments

• DOE Commits $17.5 Billion for Up to 10 New Large Nuclear Reactors — https://apnews.com/article/57841139aca7d2780a12256692b96fc5
• House Committee Sets Markup on Ratepayer Protection Act — https://www.eenews.net/articles/lawmakers-companies-tread-carefully-on-data-center-energy-bill/
• DOE 202(c) Plants Producing Far Less Power Than Before the Orders — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/doe-202c-power-plants-centralia-campbell-schahfer/822062/

Top Regional / State Developments

• Spokane Council Approves One-Year Data Center Moratorium — https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/jun/23/spokane-approves-data-center-moratorium/
• Northwest Groups Ask Incoming BPA Administrator to Halt Markets+ Move — https://earthjustice.org/press/2026/northwest-energy-and-conservation-groups-react-to-appointment-of-new-administrator-for-the-bonneville-power-administration
• CalCCA Pushes Back on California Resource Adequacy Proposal — https://cal-cca.org/calcca-urges-cpuc-to-fix-flawed-resource-adequacy-proposal/
• Black Hills–NorthWestern Merger Clears Three State Commissions — https://insight.factset.com/bright-horizon-energy-decoding-the-black-hills-northwestern-energy-merger

AI and Large Load Demand Radar

• Texas PUC Approves ERCOT 'Batch Zero' Large-Load Process Against 438 GW Queue — https://www.utilitydive.com/news/texas-facing-438-gw-queue-approves-initial-large-load-interconnection-pro/823367/
• Wyoming Commissioners Approve 1.25 GW Prometheus Data Center Campus — https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prometheus-hyperscale-secures-unanimous-conditional-use-permit-approval-from-uinta-county-commissioners-302803665.html
• AEP Discloses 18 GW Signed Data Center Load Pipeline Through 2029 — https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/aep-reports-18gw-of-data-center-load-growth-through-2029/

Worth Knowing

• NOAA's National Integrated Drought Information System published its Quarterly Climate Impacts and Outlook for… — https://www.drought.gov/documents/quarterly-climate-impacts-and-outlook-western-region-june-2026

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

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