Oregon

High-voltage substation construction and transformer work across Oregon. Here is the grid ESS operates in.

How Oregon makes its power

Hydroelectric power is Oregon's largest electricity source, supplying about 41 percent of in-state net generation in 2024, much of it from federal dams on the Columbia River such as The Dalles and John Day. Natural gas and wind are the next largest sources, at roughly 20 percent and 15 percent respectively, and renewable resources together provide around 62 percent of the state's generation. Oregon retired its last coal-fired power plant, Boardman, in 2020.

Grid challenges

Integrating growing wind and solar generation strains existing transmission, and Bonneville Power Administration lines that carry much of the region's power face congestion. Wildfire risk has become a major concern, with PacifiCorp incurring more than a billion dollars in liability tied to the 2020 Labor Day fires. Oregon's heavy reliance on hydropower also exposes the grid to year-to-year variation in output driven by drought and snowpack conditions.

Major utilities and grid operators

  • Portland General Electric (PGE)
  • Pacific Power (PacifiCorp)
  • Idaho Power
  • Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)
  • Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB)
  • WECC / Western Energy Imbalance Market

Sources

Substation work in Oregon?

Tell us the voltage class, the site, and the timeline. ESS mobilizes across the West.

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