Western Energy News is one of five regional services published by the Energy News Network. Today’s edition was compiled by Jonathan Thompson.

Share this newsletter | Manage subscriptions | Support our work

OIL & GAS: California lawmakers kill a bill that would have shut down offshore oil and gas rigs amid fierce industry and trade union opposition. (Los Angeles Times)

COAL:
• Powder River Basin coal mine employment numbers climb but production remains flat due to railroad service problems and lack of capital investments, industry officials say. (S&P Global)
• A Wyoming conservation group drops a lawsuit over Trump-era changes to a federal coal advisory council after the Biden administration reforms the council. (County17)  

UTILITIES:
• Salt River Project says Arizona regulators’ rejection of a proposed natural gas power plant expansion jeopardizes grid reliability and future renewable integration. (Power)
• An Arizona utility tests a system that uses infrared cameras mounted on transmission towers to detect wildfires. (ABC15) 

SOLAR:
• Construction begins on a 100% solar-powered affordable housing development in northern California. (Fort Bragg Advocate-News)
• The Northern Cheyenne Tribe contracts with a developer to build residential and utility-scale solar installations on its reservation in Montana. (Solar Industry Magazine)  
• Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado develop the highest efficiency solar cell of any type. (PV Buzz)
• Residents of a Nevada town worry that a proposed high-voltage transmission line across the state would expedite the development of utility-scale solar projects. (Pahrump Valley Times)

WIND: Washington state regulators advance a proposal to build a 244-turbine wind power facility in the southern part of the state. (Tri-City Herald)

GEOTHERMAL: A Nevada energy company says its pilot project has produced geothermal power from an active oil well. (news release)

TRANSPORTATION: Hawaii lawmakers pass a bill setting a goal of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions across all modes of transportation as soon as possible. (KITV)  

HYDROPOWER: Federal regulators issue preliminary permits to PacifiCorp to study the feasibility of two pumped hydropower storage projects in southern Oregon. (RTO Insider, subscription)

DATA CENTERS: Intel plans to build a $700 million laboratory in Oregon to develop energy-efficient methods for cooling data centers. (Associated Press)  

NUCLEAR: The U.S. Energy Department extends a deadline for utilities to apply for federal infrastructure funds to extend the life of retiring nuclear plants, such as Diablo Canyon in California. (San Diego Union-Tribune)   

HYDROGEN: Construction is expected to begin this year to convert a Utah coal plant to produce, store, and burn green hydrogen. (Los Angeles Times)

COMMENTARY: A Colorado environmental attorney says the state’s new oil and gas rules could be among the strongest in the nation — if they are strictly enforced. (Earthjustice)

More from the Energy News Network: Midwest | Southeast | Northeast | West

Jonathan hails from southwestern Colorado and has been writing about the land, cultures, and communities of the Western United States for more than two decades. He compiles the Western Energy News digest. He is the author of three books, a contributing editor at High Country News, and the editor of the Land Desk, an e-newsletter that provides coverage and context on issues critical to the West.