Will consumers pay for Oregon’s climate ambitions, data center boom?
OregonLive.com • • business
Key Points:
- Oregon residents like Soledad Molina face rising electricity bills and utility shutoffs amid soaring rates, forcing difficult choices between paying for power, rent, or food. Nearly 58,000 Oregonians experienced power disconnections last year, a record high linked to escalating costs.
- Investor-owned utilities Portland General Electric (PGE) and PacifiCorp have seen residential rates increase dramatically over recent years, with PGE rates now exceeding the national average despite historically low regional costs. These hikes are driven by increased demand, costly renewable energy investments, and infrastructure upgrades required by state climate mandates.
- The growth of energy-intensive data centers and rising residential peak demand from electrification are major factors pushing up utility costs, necessitating expensive new transmission and generation projects.
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