Wyden, Merkley: Oregon to Receive Nearly $450 Million in Federal Funds to Modernize the Power Grid
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they welcomed the Biden administration announcement that Oregon will receive about $449.5 million in federal assistance to modernize the power grid, bolstering its ability to withstand fires, bad weather, natural disasters and more.
“Whether it’s been wildfires, windstorms, ice storms or other calamities, Oregon communities in recent years have suffered prolonged power outages among the dangers that arise when the grid goes down,” said Wyden, whose Disaster Safe Power Grid Act became law in 2021 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “I’m glad to see the Disaster Safe Power Grid Act I fought for, now making the power grid more resilient and helping to bring more renewables online. This major federal investment means Oregonians can feel more secure that they won’t freeze in the winter, bake in the summer and able to count on electricity year-round in their homes and small businesses.”
“It’s crucial for our power grids to remain up to date, especially as summer droughts and intense winter storms become more common and severe,” said Senator Merkley. “Oregonians shouldn’t have to worry about their health and lives being at risk due to power outages leaving them stranded without electricity for days or weeks, or because a stray power line sparked a catastrophic wildfire. This funding is a critical investment to modernize our power grids and help reduce the chance of outages or sparks.”
The $449.5 million from the federal Department of Energy will be distributed as follows:
· $250 million to a partnership between Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to upgrade transmission capacity between PGE’s load centers, and renewable generation resources east of the Cascades -- including those on the Warm Springs reservation
· $99.6 million to PacifiCorp for grid resilience and equitable workforce development in the West
· $50 million to Portland General Electric to accelerate and deploy grid-edge computing for about 10 percent of PGE’s distribution system
· $49.9 million to PacifiCorp to create a holistic ecosystem that reduces or mitigates wildfires and improves grid flexibility, reliability and resiliency.
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