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Bill to Shield PGE, Pacific Power Customers From Data Center Costs Passes OR House
- Oregon lawmakers passed House Bill 3546, the POWER Act, in June 2025 to shield PGE and Pacific Power customers from data center cost burdens.
- The legislation responded to years of double-digit residential rate hikes partly caused by growing data center energy demands and utility infrastructure costs.
- The POWER Act creates a new customer class for large energy users over 20 megawatts and requires them to sign 10-year contracts covering their share of grid investments.
- The Senate passed the bill with an 18-12 vote along party lines, while the House approved it 37-17 with support from both parties; Governor Tina Kotek is anticipated to enact it into law.
- This law aims to ensure large data centers pay for infrastructure growth cost, protecting residential and small business ratepayers from subsidizing corporate tech energy use.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Bill shielding Oregonians from utility rate increases by Big Tech heads to Kotek
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A bill passed the Oregon legislature on Thursday, aiming to shield Oregonians from taking on increased utility rates from Big Tech facilities in the state. House Bill 3546, known as the Protecting Oregonians With Energy Responsibility (POWER) Act, would hold companies behind facilities such as data centers or cryptocurrency operations, responsible for their own utility bills, If signed into law, the bill would create a se…
Oregon Legislature passes ‘POWER Act,’ targeting industrial energy users like data centers
House Bill 3546, known as the POWER Act, is now headed to Gov. Tina Kotek’s desk. It could lead to higher rates for industrial electricity customers that currently pay much less per kilowatt hour than residential customers.
Bill to protect residential electricity customers from subsidizing data center demand moves forward
Oregon is close to ensuring data center owners pay what they owe for their growth following several years of painful residential electricity hikes driven in part by rising energy demand from the facilities. House Bill 3546, also called the POWER…
Oregon lawmakers pass bill to ensure data centers cover their own energy costs
Oregon lawmakers approved legislation Thursday designed to ensure data centers bear the full burden of their electricity demands, insulating consumers and other industries from potential impacts on rates.
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