Governor Kotek Takes Decisive Action

Governor Kotek, a Democrat, has responded with two executive orders mandating state agencies to expedite renewable energy development. These orders include measures to fast-track permitting processes and explore direct funding for new transmission lines. This represents a significant shift in approach, prioritizing proactive solutions over prolonged deliberation.

The state’s energy department has, for the first time, recommended the creation of a state entity dedicated to financing, planning, and constructing transmission lines. Representative Mark Gamba, whose previous bill to establish such an authority failed, now expresses renewed optimism, citing collaboration with the governor’s office. “Her leaning in the way she has is what we needed,” Gamba stated.

What was once a largely overlooked problem has now captured the full attention of the governor and key state agencies. Washington state is also experiencing a renewed focus on electrical transmission capacity.

Federal Obstacles and Rising Demand

This shift in state policy comes amidst increasing challenges at the federal level. President Donald Trump’s administration removed tax credits that incentivized wind and solar development, blocked new wind permits, and dismissed personnel within the federal agency responsible for reviewing such projects. These actions have created additional headwinds for the renewable energy sector.

Governor Kotek acknowledged the confluence of factors driving the urgency. “This was the year where you’ve seen all these factors coming together — we know that our outdated grid is choking our ability to grow across the state, and we’re already paying more for electricity,” she said in a recent interview. She also directly credited the reporting by OPB and ProPublica for prompting the changes, stating, “You’ve been doing some great stories.”

In May, OPB and ProPublica revealed that Oregon ranked 47th in renewable energy growth over the past decade, with Washington state faring even worse at 50th. The analysis highlighted the significant challenges Northwest wind and solar farms face in connecting to the power grid, a process heavily controlled by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA).

Of the 469 large renewable energy projects seeking access to BPA’s system since 2015, only one has successfully connected. The vast majority have been abandoned or remain indefinitely delayed, awaiting necessary grid upgrades.

Northwest utilities are increasingly concerned about potential rolling blackouts within the next decade, driven by expanding energy demand, particularly from data centers supporting artificial intelligence. This escalating demand underscores the critical need for increased transmission capacity.

Governor Kotek admitted she was unaware of Oregon’s low ranking in renewable energy growth prior to the OPB and ProPublica reporting. “I hope — and we will be planning — to make our numbers look better and better in the coming years,” she affirmed.

The state’s 2021 plan to eliminate fossil fuels in electricity generation by 2040 failed to adequately address the transmission bottleneck and the slow pace of improvements at Bonneville. The agency has maintained that its project approval decisions are guided by financial prudence.

Oregon’s permitting process for energy projects, rooted in the 1970s antinuclear movement, has also contributed to the delays. Opponents of transmission lines and wind farms often utilize the system to prolong permit decisions, citing concerns about landscape aesthetics. Attempts to streamline the process or bypass Bonneville have consistently failed.

Emily Moore, director of climate and energy for the Seattle-based Sightline Institute, lauded the reporting by OPB and ProPublica as “invaluable” in catalyzing change. “It has motivated policymakers and advocates alike to try to find solutions to get Oregon and Washington unstuck and is recruiting new people to the effort,” Moore explained.

Governor Kotek’s recent executive orders direct a broad range of state agencies to identify and overcome obstacles to clean energy development, building on a previous order issued in October to fast-track solar and wind permits.

The state’s energy department has also recommended establishing a state financing authority, modeled after similar entities in Colorado and New Mexico, to plan transmission routes, partner with developers, and secure funding for construction. A December report by a Washington state working group, created by Governor Bob Ferguson, echoed this recommendation, citing the OPB and ProPublica coverage in highlighting Washington’s lagging infrastructure.

“This would be something that could potentially really help move the needle,” said Joni Sliger, a senior policy analyst with the Oregon energy department.

The governor has also instructed the energy department and utilities regulators to identify and designate streamlined permitting pathways for transmission lines and to explore funding mechanisms for projects that serve the public interest.

Governor Kotek specifically cited the Boardman to Hemingway transmission line in Eastern Oregon, which languished in permitting limbo for nearly 20 years, as a stark example of the state’s past failures. “We have to get out of our own way,” she emphasized.

The governor’s executive orders have garnered praise from a diverse range of organizations, including clean energy advocates and business groups. Nora Apter, Oregon director for Climate Solutions, stated that the actions would “make our energy system stronger and more reliable.” Tim Miller, director of Oregon Business for Climate, added that the orders “remind the state that we also have to get things done.”

Lawmakers are now working on a plan to enact a state transmission financing authority during the next legislative session in early 2027. Representative Mark Gamba, whose previous attempt failed, believes the governor’s involvement will be pivotal to its success.

“I’ve gotten calls from interests that typically I’m on the other side of the fight with,” Gamba said, “because they recognize that this is an economic development issue as well.”

Frequently Asked Questions About Oregon’s Renewable Energy Grid