Portland General Electric updates Troutdale on battery storage, wildfire planning and undergrounding
Loading...
Summary
Portland General Electric told the Troutdale City Council about a nearby battery storage installation and answered questions about how batteries, undergrounding and customer programs support resiliency and affordability.
Portland General Electric (PGE) representatives updated the Troutdale City Council on regional grid projects, customer programs and wildfire and storm resilience measures. PGE said about 200 megawatts of battery storage have been installed near the river and that a roughly 34-megawatt local load exists in Troutdale; PGE said the batteries provide grid services that can reduce peak costs and provide local resiliency.
Larry Beckenall, PGE senior vice president for advanced energy delivery and strategy, said batteries supply ancillary services and reserves that help stabilize frequency and voltage and that the utility is learning how to integrate battery-provided services alongside hydro and thermal generation. "We found 14 different ancillary services that a battery provides to the grid," he said.
Councilors pressed PGE on how often batteries operate and on lifecycle and replacement plans. PGE said batteries are active daily, cycling to charge when power is cheaper and discharge during peak periods; some projects are expected to be planned for roughly a 20-year lifecycle with planned replacements and maintenance. PGE also said it is offering customer programs aimed at affordability: time-of-use rates, low-income assistance and other customer response programs. PGE reported about 864 households were enrolled in assistance programs referenced in the presentation slides.
Councilors and PGE staff discussed undergrounding distribution lines, particularly along Bridal Road, and the Sylval (Sundial/Sundial) battery project along the river. PGE said undergrounding is most economical during initial construction and that coordinated planning with the city can reduce future conversion costs. The utility said it will coordinate with Troutdale on planned projects and offered to host tours of the integrated operations and battery facilities on weekdays (PGE said some tours are daytime and staff could arrange a later tour for councilors).
Ending: PGE said it will continue to coordinate with the city during transmission and distribution planning, to share information about customer assistance programs and to provide follow-up on the scope and timing of local projects including undergrounding and battery-related operations.
