[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6055278,"mediaKeyId","3319848-a3ffa145f80953ef482965adf4c12c3b","parentId",3319848,"title","Senate committee advances bill directing PUC to set rates for very large energy users; amendment clarifies payments and direct access","audioSeconds",1766,"startMs",159000,"endMs",1925000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319848-a3ffa145f80953ef482965adf4c12c3b&start=159&end=1925","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319848-a3ffa145f80953ef482965adf4c12c3b/thumbnail_159000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6055278/Oregon/Senate-committee-advances-bill-directing-PUC-to-set-rates-for-very-large-energy-users-amendment-clarifies-payments-and-direct-access","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055278-6546bd46202cd5d5aed0463db4bb7992/orig.mp4?Expires=1773585725&Signature=EiijwqQmM65jjuXXVXI6ea8W4QKWfU527BwYWitNGa0sfMtindxfH8pTCcFTl01ppmJ218oGdqCc2wPFI1uWqb9aTJPga6J5xxMsCXcAS~4gVflriRu5gi0X7Ca33n0JBuSjoJpB9SvrTc1mE~SNBk7-18O-MSB24gVpYtpbxpceY-sOmwKHlYjJIz685sjXa7saDlXNfYjp986vGr3Dsp2seJCg2Q2j2njF4ETGk8HEdNUMxKpVospG~yo338iJACZJaBtYwoLcvNVFmgLhqdcQn2cHbspwsaZBzbtCkRU-GdqWdpsrusGHC~t4aWIzFvHVhxS1O7~54GyYzDh-ZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon Legislature","date","2025-05-14T00:00:00Z","article","The Oregon Senate Committee on Energy and Environment on May 14 voted to advance House Bill 3546A, as amended, to the full Senate with a “do pass” recommendation after adopting the A‑7 amendment. The bill directs the Oregon Public Utility Commission to establish a classification and contract framework for very large energy use facilities and requires biennial reporting to the Legislature.

Representative Pam Marsh, the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure is “designed to make sure that certain of our very large energy users pay the cost of their own power. We're not asking them to subsidize other people.” Marsh said the bill would let the PUC create a special rate class for those users, require long‑term contracts for new facilities and use data to calculate cost‑based rates.

The bill defines a “large energy use facility” as one with a contracted demand of 20 megawatts or more and ties that definition to industry classifications; legislative staff noted the definition captures data centers and crypto‑mining operations as identified by NAICS codes. The A‑7 amendment, adopted in committee, clarifies that minimum contract payments will be based on projected usage for the electricity services the electric company contracts to provide and that a utility may include charges for excess demand on those contracted services. The amendment also clarifies that the act does not restrict facilities from using PUC‑approved direct access arrangements.

Marsh said two stakeholder changes were included in the A‑7 language: edits requested by the Northwest and Intermountain Power Producers Coalition (NPSI) to ensure direct‑access customers are not double‑charged, and a clarification requested by data centers allowing alternative green power or renewable tariffs as permissible pathways. Marsh said the PUC will set rates using data and that data centers could participate as intervenors in the rate‑setting process.

Several senators voiced concern about singling out the data center industry. Senator [name recorded in transcript] asked why the bill targets data centers and crypto‑mining specifically rather than all very large users. Marsh replied the industries targeted have produced rapid, concentrated growth and “are putting this enormous stress” on the grid in ways she said other large users have not demonstrated. Another senator said she is “personally concerned” about singling out one industry and would prefer a broader approach that examines large users in general.

Committee discussion also noted that utilities have already documented costly upgrades in some local service territories related to new, high‑capacity customers. Proponents argued the PUC needs statutory tools to assign cost responsibility and to reduce the risk of stranded assets for other ratepayers.

The committee adopted the A‑7 amendment on a voice vote and moved the bill to the floor with a do‑pass recommendation. A roll call on the do‑pass motion recorded Aye votes from Senators Wilson, Benn and the chair; No votes from Senator Robinson and the vice chair; the motion carried.

Representative Marsh and committee members said the PUC remains the primary arbiter for rate design and that affected facilities may challenge PUC rate orders in court under existing administrative review processes. Marsh said the bill includes a ten‑year contract expectation for new facilities to align with long‑term infrastructure investment.

The bill record on OLIS shows two amendment drafts (A‑6 and A‑7) discussed in committee; the A‑6 draft adjusts the large‑user definition and contract language, while the A‑7 text incorporated the projected‑usage payment language and direct‑access clarification. The committee’s action sends the amended bill to the Senate floor for further consideration.

The committee’s discussion included repeated references to the role of NAICS industry codes in the bill’s definition, the PUC’s ability to implement cost allocation practices, and stakeholder involvement from investor‑owned utilities, consumer advocates and affected industries.

Next steps: the bill will proceed to the Senate floor under the due‑pass recommendation. The PUC would be required by the bill to submit a report to the Legislature (statutory date language in the bill requires reports by Sept. 1 of even‑numbered years), and affected parties would have the administrative processes available to challenge PUC orders.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee On Energy and Environment 05/14/2025 3:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Oregon Senate Committee on Energy and Environment on May 14 voted to advance House Bill 3546A, as amended, directing the Public Utility Commission to create a rate class and contracting framework for very large energy users (20 megawatts and up) and requiring biennial reporting to the Legislature.","taxTitle","Energy and Environment, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17629,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6055274,"Informational hearing: committee hears microgrid bills aimed at community resilience, interconnection speed and PUC investigation",1473,2352000,3825000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3319848-a3ffa145f80953ef482965adf4c12c3b&start=2352&end=3825","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3319848-a3ffa145f80953ef482965adf4c12c3b/thumbnail_2352000.jpg","/articles/6055274/Oregon/Informational-hearing-committee-hears-microgrid-bills-aimed-at-community-resilience-interconnection-speed-and-PUC-investigation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6055274-60a0ae6fdc8b65ac27a69697b4459165/orig.mp4?Expires=1773585725&Signature=m6mfLKRqdxiIArHN0HvKkRR~N6nnb5J8~Btmvz7zrdSNouTpPzHb3leWywwH6FE1wAaW-9JRaBlcB7BdEr8mPoECMtam6VUqNoypokogVeQ-k9SXfaoUszUAV8XemhMkuLBxJMiADSG1jH6laBzqiQUvbx4z1Ou-TNEwB3RgOQcsASp-yy1rHB7jKHGAPCJZjUsmkSLMQtQKiQlLm8fh~Lghc9l1JU56GOtmh8UGCmNHWoQnYp9IxHjSrHnq6hsdR3u6XDkPwziI1tlFj3KSZVrrrrQ9tYKUIHdu0e4FrEMgw6pVFK6~mqQdcNWbKmQH4Vbpw~9wB85oiTKMcgKQlQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Energy and Environment Committee held an informational hearing on May 14 to review two microgrid bills and related programs aimed at improving community energy resilience and speeding interconnection of distributed resources.

Daniel Whalen, government affairs director at Sustainable Northwest, explained the bills’ aims and why rural communities have pressed for microgrid options after recent wildfires, ice storms and repeated public safety power shutoffs. Whalen said microgrids are not experimental technology but “off‑the‑shelf stuff” organized differently to allow communities to keep power to critical services during extended outages.

House Bill 2066 directs the Oregon Public Utility Commission to investigate the benefits and constraints of microgrid development, clarify ownership and operational responsibilities for community‑led microgrids, and recommend interconnection standards and definitions for “islanding” (the ability to operate independently from the wider grid). Whalen said the PUC investigation would help communities decide whether microgrids are appropriate and would inform fair interconnection and cost allocation practices.

House Bill 2065 would let communities contract with licensed third‑party experts to perform studies and engineering evaluations needed for interconnection and would require professional stamping for studies used to interconnect community energy projects. Whalen said the measure aims to overcome a shortage of utility and technical staff that slows interconnection reviews and project development.

Nolan Moser, executive director of the Oregon Public Utility Commission, described the PUC’s approach and noted the wide variety of microgrid configurations. He said the PUC has engaged the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to help identify a regulatory framework and that microgrids offer “resilience value” for communities while enabling local clean energy investments. Moser flagged core issues the PUC would expect to address in any framework: technical standards, roles and responsibilities, cost allocation, liability and the interplay with existing monopoly utility service models.

Lehi Ditrio of Reimagine Power and the Microgrid Resources Coalition described microgrids’ operational benefits in both “blue sky” (normal) and “black sky” (emergency) conditions. Ditrio said widely deployed microgrids can provide grid services such as firm clean capacity and frequency regulation that lower system costs and reduce long‑distance transmission investments. He urged clear regulatory rules and compensation mechanisms so private capital and third‑party developers can scale projects.

Committee members asked for technical examples and operating case studies. Whalen and Ditrio pointed to existing projects elsewhere—Blue Lake Rancheria (tribal microgrid in Northern California), projects in Hawaii and California, and a design consultant who helped Wallowa County’s microgrid planning—as examples the committee could examine. Whalen also summarized the Oregon Department of Energy’s county energy resiliency planning grant program: 19 counties received $50,000 planning grants (March awards noted in committee testimony), and HB 3171 would extend the timeline for remaining counties to access the program.

Senators discussed tradeoffs between investing in additional long‑distance transmission versus distributed approaches such as microgrids. Several committee members said microgrids could attract private capital and provide customized, lower‑cost solutions in many communities. The PUC said the agency is “on new ground” but will study best practices and existing examples to inform potential rulemaking.

Because this was an informational hearing, no committee votes were taken on the microgrid bills. Testimony and committee questions emphasized further technical briefings and suggested bringing designers or operators of functioning microgrids to a future committee meeting or a field visit to an operating system.

Next steps: the committee did not take action on the bills during the hearing. The PUC and stakeholders indicated they will provide additional technical examples and reports to the committee record to assist in drafting possible future rulemaking or statutory language.","The Senate committee held an informational hearing on May 14 on HB 2065 and HB 2066, bills that would direct the PUC to investigate microgrid frameworks and speed interconnection of community energy projects.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate committee advances bill directing PUC to set rates for very large energy users; amendment clarifies payments and direct access

Informational hearing: committee hears microgrid bills aimed at community resilience, interconnection speed and PUC investigation