The Clean Energy Plan also creates engagement, improves resilience and establishes community enhancement measures
PORTLAND, Ore. (May 31, 2023) – Pacific Power today released plans to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions for all electricity sold to Oregon consumers by 2040, while significantly enhancing customer and community participation in decarbonization efforts.
The plan, filed with the Oregon Public Utility Commission, provides a roadmap for Pacific Power’s compliance with the clean energy measure (HB 2021) that Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed into law in 2021. Specifically, the law requires electricity providers to reduce emissions by:
“This plan continues our progress on the path to decarbonization,” said Matt McVee, Pacific Power’s vice president for regulatory policy and operations. “We are also working to enhance system resilience and reliability, while exploring and supporting community-based renewable energy projects.”
Pacific Power also filed its updated integrated resource plan today, advancing its trajectory toward net-zero emissions, calling for nearly four times the company’s current wind and solar resources. The plan also continues investments in innovative emissions-free technologies, including advanced nuclear and non-emitting peaking resources that meet high-demand energy needs.
Additionally, the company is at the forefront of driving innovation through grid development and market expansion which provides access to a diverse array of non-emitting resources throughout the West to ensure reliability and keep costs affordable for customers.
Pacific Power’s Clean Energy Plan outlines the company’s transition to renewable and non-carbon-emitting resources in Oregon, and it ensures those milestones are achieved equitably among its customers and communities. The plan meets Oregon’s near-term goals by limiting thermal resources that serve the state and seeking to increase Oregon’s share of non-emitting resources to serve the state’s growing energy needs.
The plan advances the following goals:
Engagement Opportunities. Pacific Power has developed a series of public engagement meetings in four main areas related to the Clean Energy Plan that include long-term resource planning, community benefits and impacts, Tribal Nations engagement and local distribution system planning. Interested parties can track meeting opportunities, participant input and company responses and other related material on dedicated Clean Energy Plan and Tribal Nations Engagement web pages.
Community Benefit Indicators (CBIs). The plan lays out a series of measurements to track the company’s performance in five main areas: system and community resilience; health and community well-being; environmental impacts; energy equity; and economic impacts.
Resilience. The plan includes two interim metrics for system resilience – one to measure efforts to reduce the frequency and duration of energy outages and another focused specifically on improving resilience for vulnerable communities.
Community-Based Renewable Energy (CBRE). As part of the plan, Pacific Power will pursue small-scale renewable energy projects that can be combined with microgrids, storage systems, demand response measures or other energy-related infrastructure that promotes climate resilience.
Path to net-zero. Pacific Power is on track to meet Oregon’s requirement to achieve emissions reductions 80% below baseline levels by 2030 through existing long-term resource plans. Over the next 20 years, Pacific Power plans to add more than 9,000 megawatts of new wind generation, about 8,000 megawatts of solar and 8,000 megawatts of energy storage, along with other non-emitting resources. The Clean Energy Plan identifies gaps between Oregon’s requirements after 2030 and the company’s existing resource plan’s trajectory to reach 100% emissions reductions. To address these gaps, the plan outlines two potential paths to meet the 2040 requirement by ensuring non-emitting resources are used to meet anticipated energy demand growth in Oregon after 2030, while acknowledging that advances in technology will be needed to meet the post-2030 requirements.
Oregon law also requires that small-scale renewable projects no larger than 20 megawatts make up 10% of the energy supply for Oregon customers by 2030. Pacific Power expects to issue separate Requests for Proposal for utility-scale and small-scale renewable projects to fulfill this requirement.
Pacific Power will be holding a public informational meeting on June 23 to further discuss the proposed plan with members of the commission and the public. For more information you can access the Clean Energy Plan on Pacific Power’s website.
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, thermal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
PORTLAND, Ore. (May 18, 2023) — Nonprofits, local governments and other non-residential Pacific Power customers in Oregon are encouraged to apply for Pacific Power’s Electric Mobility Grants. More than $1.5 million will be available to help fund projects increasing electric vehicle access in Oregon.
Grant funding is made possible by the Oregon Clean Fuels Program, which is administered by the state Department of Environmental Quality and aims to reduce the carbon intensity of Oregon’s transportation fuels. Pacific Power raises funds through the sale of Clean Fuels Program credits, which the company aggregates on behalf of customers who charge their electric vehicles at home.
“Electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure are increasingly in-demand by customers and communities across the state,” said Cory Scott, vice president of community and customer solutions. “This grant program is just one of the ways Pacific Power is helping prepare communities for more electric vehicles on the road.”
Since 2020, Pacific Power has awarded more than 40 unique E-Mobility Grants to nonprofits, local governments, hospitals and other non-residential customers served by Pacific Power in Oregon.
“Pacific Power is unique in that we serve diverse communities throughout Oregon, including large metro areas and rural communities, major corridors and vacation destinations, “said Kate Hawley, senior product manager, electric transportation. “We have supported many innovative projects over the last few years, and we look forward to seeing what is in store for this year.”
Funding awards may cover up to 100% of the project cost. All non-residential Pacific Power customers in Oregon are eligible to apply with preference given to community-focused organizations, such as school and transit districts, 501(c)(3) organizations and city, county and regional governments. Online applications will be accepted up to Aug. 31, 2023, at 5 p.m. Recipients will be announced in November 2023. Grant recipients must complete projects within 18 months from the date of award.
In addition to the Electric Mobility Grant, Pacific Power is pleased to make electric vehicle grant matching support funds available to non-residential customers in Oregon who plan to secure additional funding to support Pacific Power customers with EV-related projects. Additionally, grant writing support is available for non-residential customers to apply to EV-related grants to support Pacific Power customers.
Pacific Power also offers customers an electric vehicle charging station technical assistance program. The program supports non-residential customers interested in installing electrical vehicle supply equipment or electrifying their fleet with technical assistance. The technical assistance program is available at no cost and includes a site visit, analysis of electric vehicle technology options, costs, rates and best practices for siting, configuring, installing and managing equipment.
For detailed eligibility requirements, charging station project qualifications, additional technical assistance program details, application forms and more information about the benefits of electric vehicles, please visit pacificpower.net/ev.
Application materials may be submitted to plugin@pacificpower.net.
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, thermal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.
Pacific Power customers are invited to learn about energy-saving strategies along with a free lunch or dinner May 23-25 in Bend, Redmond, Prineville and Madras
BEND, Ore. May 15, 2023 — Pacific Power customers in Central Oregon will have an opportunity to learn about ways to save more energy at home and enjoy a complimentary meal during a series of free workshops this month. Hosted by Pacific Power, in collaboration with Energy Trust of Oregon, four workshops will be held May 23-25 in Bend, Redmond, Prineville and Madras, with Spanish interpretation offered on-site.
“This is a chance to learn from experts and help tackle your to-do list when it comes to saving energy and improving comfort at home," said Cory Scott, vice president of customer and community solutions for Pacific Power. “We look forward to this opportunity to connect with our customers and discover ways we can all help make a difference in supporting a healthy environment and healthy communities.”
The workshops will cover ways to evaluate household energy use with ideas for improving savings and comfort through insulation and weatherization, heating and cooling, water heating, appliances and lighting. They will also provide opportunities to learn about the latest cash-back incentives for new appliances, lighting and other energy-efficient products from Energy Trust of Oregon, along with clean energy programs and electric vehicle charging rebates from Pacific Power.
Pacific Power customers can make a reservation at PacificPower.net/events for the following workshops. Spanish interpretation will be provided onsite.
About Pacific Power
Pacific Power provides safe and reliable electric service to more than 800,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California. The company supplies customers with electricity from a diverse portfolio of generating plants including hydroelectric, thermal, wind, geothermal and solar resources. Pacific Power is part of PacifiCorp, one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, with 2 million customers in six western states. For more information, visit www.pacificpower.net.