POWER Act Heads to Governor’s Desk with Bipartisan Support
Posted on June 5, 2025 by Charlotte Shuff
Tags, Press Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 5, 2025
POWER Act Heads to Governor’s Desk with Bipartisan Support
Landmark bill holds large energy users accountable, protects families and small businesses from rising energy costs
SALEM, OR — Today, the Oregon Legislature adopted the Protecting Oregonians With Energy Responsibility (POWER) Act (HB 3546) with bipartisan support, sending it to Governor Kotek’s desk to be signed into law. The legislation addresses one of Oregon’s most pressing energy challenges: rising utility costs driven in part by the explosive growth of energy-intensive data centers and cryptocurrency.
HB 3546 directs regulators to hold large energy users accountable for paying for their own energy costs. By creating a new customer category for data centers and cryptocurrency within Oregon’s for-profit electric utilities, utilities can track the energy costs of those businesses and bill them appropriately. This protects Oregonians and small businesses from paying for the initial costs of bringing data centers online and the ongoing costs for providing service.
“This measure not only shields households and small businesses from disproportionate costs, but it creates a system where large energy users are held accountable for the infrastructure required to meet their needs, rather than passing on costs to the general public,” said Janeen Sollman, State Senator for Senate District 15 in Washington County.
“The POWER Act focuses on a subset of energy users that have a massive impact on the electrical grid. A 30 megawatt data center will use as much electricity as the City of Ashland and can be constructed in less than two years—and the number of data centers requesting service is unparalleled,” said State Representative Pam Marsh, who represents Southern Jackson County, Oregon. “That demand is unique and requires a distinct solution.”
Energy bills have risen dramatically over the past few years for Oregon households and small businesses. PGE and Pacific Power have raised home billing rates by nearly 50 percent since 2021. Data centers have been a contributing factor. The POWER Act is a cornerstone of the 2025 Energy Affordability Package, a suite of legislation designed to address energy affordability and protect Oregonians from rising utility costs.
“Working families, low-income households, and small businesses — already stretched thin in a worsening economy — cannot subsidize the massive energy demands of corporate tech giants,” said Johnny Earl, President, SEIU Local 503. “I applaud the Oregon Legislature’s votes to make large energy users pay their fair share. This protects the working families and small businesses that are the foundation of Oregon’s economy.”
“Over the past four years, Oregonians have struggled with rising energy costs. We do not need to be paying for data centers’ energy costs, too,” said Jennifer Hill-Hart, Policy & Program Director, Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board. “We commend our lawmakers for working across the aisle to move Oregon toward more affordable energy for everyone.”
Oregon is particularly well-suited for data centers’ needs, making Oregon a top data center market in the country. The scale of energy needs of large energy users can add significant strain and cost to the energy system. A single 30 MW data center uses more electricity than the City of Ashland. Larger AI data centers (250 MW) require roughly the same electricity as the City of Eugene.
The POWER Act directly addresses this challenge by assigning the costs of utility investments to large energy customers who are creating the need for those expenses. It also requires data centers and cryptocurrency operations to sign long-term contracts (10+ years), ensuring they continue to cover the costs they create, helping utilities plan for a more stable, reliable grid.
“The POWER Act is a commonsense solution that ensures Oregon families and small businesses aren’t left footing the bill for the massive energy needs of data centers,” said Nora Apter, Oregon Director for Climate Solutions. “By giving the PUC clear direction, this law protects Oregonians from rising costs while giving utilities the certainty they need to plan for a reliable, resilient, and clean electric grid. It strikes the right balance— supporting critical infrastructure investments, maintaining Oregon’s competitive edge for tech investment, and ensuring fairness for all energy users. We are thrilled to celebrate this vital step toward a more resilient and equitable clean energy future.”
HB 3546 passed the Senate on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. With today’s bipartisan House concurrence vote, the POWER Act now heads to Governor Kotek’s desk to be signed into law.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Charlotte Shuff
Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board
503.719.8744 | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
