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Last Update: 09/22/2026 at 11:34 PM EST
Oregon Raises Data Center Rates
Coverage from Oregon CUB, Tri-City Herald, and others
Oregon regulators approved a new Portland General Electric rate structure that raises electricity costs for large data center customers by about 29% while reducing average rates for residential and other customer classes.
The framework, established under the POWER Act, also assigns large facilities greater responsibility for grid infrastructure costs, requires long-term commitments, and adds protections against abandoned or excess demand. The decision could influence how other states allocate the cost of expanding electricity service for data centers.
Looking Back
83 Day Timeline
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History
08/04/2026
The update adds specific implementation details to Oregon’s data-center rate reform, including when the tariff takes effect, how it changes other customer classes, and which operators are likely affected. It also reframes the story as a broader cost-allocation model that could influence other states and even federal policy.
08/03/2026
Oregon has moved from policy design to execution, with regulators now approving the large-load rate increase and formalizing a broader permitting and connection regime for data centers. The story also widens beyond electricity pricing to include tax abatements, local land-use and water concerns, and more active industry and environmental pushback.
All Articles42 articles
Important
Pacific Power and Oregon consumer and environmental advocates reached an agreement requiring new data centers to cover added power-system costs, pending Oregon PUC review in October 2026.
9/17/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Benton PUD and Benton REA leaders in Washington's Tri-Cities describe hyperscale policy rules for data center proposals constrained by BPA New Large Single Load limits.
7/19/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Tri-Cities public utilities face Bonneville Power Administration NLSL limits and Washington carbon-free electricity mandates as large data center proposals seek several-hundred-megawatt power access.
7/11/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Oregon lawmakers paused data center tax abatements in March as Oregon Connects promoted the industry and Hillsboro residents challenged development impacts.
7/28/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Oregon regulators approved Schedule 96 on May 7 for Portland General Electric territory, requiring large data centers over 20 MW to sign long contracts and fund upgrades with emissions-linked interconnection conditions.
5/28/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Interesting
Columbia Riverkeeper, in 2025-2026 Oregon and Washington policy advocacy, calls for regulation and a moratorium on new data center development amid rapid load growth projections.
7/10/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Columbia Riverkeeper report in 2020s-era coverage claims Oregon and Washington data centers are driving gas and pipeline proposals along the Columbia River.
5/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon PUC ordered Portland General Electric to create a data center billing category and emissions-free connection rules under HB 3546.
5/20/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Portland General Electric plans a 29% electricity rate increase for Oregon data centers and other large-load customers under the POWER Act.
6/5/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously advanced H.R. 9340 during a congressional markup, narrowing federal ratepayer legislation to data centers.
7/29/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission approved a POWER Act rate schedule, effective Wednesday, increasing Portland General Electric electricity bills for data center customers by about 29%.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon PUC approved a 29.7% Portland General Electric rate increase in 2025 for customers using over 20 MW, impacting data centers and shifting grid upgrade costs.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon regulators approved a Portland General Electric tariff on POWER Act implementation, increasing electricity rates for data centers by about 29% starting Wednesday.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Governor Tina Kotek said Oregon’s PUC implemented the first POWER Act electricity rate update for data centers on Portland General Electric starting July 8.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission approved PGE nearly 30% higher data center rates effective Wednesday under Oregon POWER Act, after technical corrections and prior review delays.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utilities Commission approved a 29% data center rate increase in 2025 under the POWER Act, lowering residential, commercial, and industrial rates.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon PUC approved July 7 POWER Act-based electricity rates for Portland General Electric, cutting most classes while raising data center rates by 29%.
7/7/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission approved Portland General Electric rate changes for large data center customers starting July 8 under the POWER Act.
7/7/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek said January recommendations will guide new safeguards regulating data center expansion, including electricity rate and tax-break controls.
7/7/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission approved Portland General Electric rate updates effective July 8, raising data center electricity rates by 29% under the POWER Act.
7/7/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission approved PGE POWER Act rates, giving data centers a 29.7% increase while residential and commercial customers receive decreases.
7/7/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced POWER Act-driven rate changes as the Oregon Public Utility Commission reviews a proposal scheduled for Tuesday.
7/4/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Gov. Tina Kotek in Salem backed the POWER Act as Portland General Electric proposed a 29% rate increase for large data centers ahead of an Oregon Public Utility Commission review.
7/4/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek says the pending Oregon PUC POWER Act order would raise electricity rates for large data centers in PGE territory around July 8 by about 29%.
7/2/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged Oregon's data center advisory committee to address energy rate hikes, water protection, and transparency as power demand grows.
7/2/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Portland General Electric filed an Oregon rate case on June 3 and the Oregon Public Utility Commission plans a July 7 decision on higher data-center electricity costs under the 2025 POWER Act.
7/2/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Columbia Riverkeeper reported that Quincy, Washington and nearby markets face methane pipeline and gas infrastructure proposals tied to expanding data center power demand.
6/12/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Portland General Electric filed with the Oregon Public Utility Commission for a 29% data-center rate increase under the Oregon POWER Act on June 10 eligibility.
6/6/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Portland General Electric filed with the Oregon Public Utility Commission for POWER Act electricity rate changes affecting large data centers, scheduled for June 10 if approved.
6/4/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission issued a large-load model tariff framework affecting data centers, including six-month interconnection study expectations and public interconnection queue transparency.
5/17/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
OPUC authorized Portland General Electric to bill data centers separately and required a >100MW surcharge to fund energy efficiency programs for low-income households.
5/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission issued a Schedule 96 order for large data centers in PGE territory, implementing the 2025 POWER Act with new tariffs and emissions-linked connection requirements.
5/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
PG&E officials said the California utility’s data center pipeline totals 12.7 GW, including 490 MW with executed interconnection agreements, following revised queue methodology.
7/24/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon regulators approved a POWER Act-based customer classification that cuts PGE rates for residences while raising data center rates 29%, effective July 8.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission postponed Portland General Electric proposed data-center tariff rate hikes after a June 3 filing required additional staff review before a July 7 decision.
6/10/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission delayed PGE large-load data center rate changes by at least one month after requesting more time to review a nearly 200-page filing.
6/11/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Additional
Clackamas County commissioners held an informational session in Oregon on potential future data center development, focusing on zoning, land-use review, and power and water needs.
7/8/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission enacted rules in 2025-2026 to protect Portland General Electric customers from data-center-driven rate increases amid rapid hyperscale expansion.
6/16/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon lawmakers and Governor Kotek build on the POWER Act (HB 3546) with a Data Center Advisory Committee to address utility planning, grid reliability, and affordability impacts from data center load growth.
6/10/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Grant County, Washington commissioners approved VoltaGrid gas generation for a Vantage hyperscale campus as Washington and Oregon utilities respond to data-center-driven load growth.
6/6/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Pennsylvania PUC issued large load model tariff guidance for data centers to pay infrastructure upgrade costs, while stakeholders sought binding blackout and clean-energy protections.
5/26/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Oregon Public Utility Commission rulings implementing House Bill 3546 in 2025 require rate-classing, load queuing, and reporting for large data centers across Portland General Electric and Pacific Power territories.
5/13/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General