(Salem) “A tremendous amount of investment is
coming into House District 57 and my ratepayers are protected under Senate Bill
838,” said State Representative Greg
Smith as he spoke on the floor of the Oregon House this week. The measure
requires the largest electric companies in the state to use 25-percent renewable
power by the year 2025. It was adopted by the House 41-18
and
after the Senate gives final approval it’s expected to be signed by the
Governor.
Backers of SB
838 like Jeremiah Baumann, an advocate for Environment Oregon, call
it,
“a
significant victory for Oregon’s environment and for our rural
communities. We thank Representative Smith for his leadership.” The bill lets
utilities increase rates to customers to cover the cost of renewable energy such
as solar and wave energy. However, rural power providers were only required to
meet a 10-percent standard by 2025 offering them more flexibility.
“This
legislation helps rural electric cooperatives maintain local control,” said
Jerry Healy, General Manger of Columbia
Basin Electric Cooperative. “We will be able to protect our customers while
implementing the new standards for renewable energy in Oregon.”
Smith
pointed out back in the 1940’s and 1950’s during the electrification of rural
Oregon, these
co-ops were formed to take on the responsibility and the
liability to manage power distribution in the region. “Our rural partners helped
hold the integrity of that agreement in tact,” added Smith.
“In
Union
County, the center of
District 57, the largest, single investment that has ever been
made
is underway in anticipation of passage of Senate Bill 838,” explained Smith,
referring to
and
$10 million in tax revenue over the next 20 years. 61 wind turbines will be
installed on 10,000 acres of range land and once the project is finished next
year, it will generate enough electricity to serve 30,000
homes.
“Representative Smith was brilliant in weighing the
needs of the electrical suppliers in his district with the needs of the counties
to develop and harvest this great resource,” said John Lamoreau, former Union
County Commissioner. “Because of Representative Smith’s hard work our county
will likely see new capital investments approaching $1 billion in the next few
years. This investment will provide new family wage jobs, provide land owners
with a new source of income and provide extra funding that can help eliminate
cuts to important county programs.”
Senate Bill 838 establishes a Renewable Portfolio
Standard: a benchmark for utilities to reach by the year 2025. 24 other sates
have adopted similar standards over the past 5 years. The Oregon Public Utility
Commission will oversee the new standard and any proposed rate increases.
| 