October 20, 2023 3:00 a.m.
On Thursdays, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said they welcomed the Biden administration announcement that Oregon will receive $449.5 million in federal assistance to modernize the power grid, bolstering its ability to withstand fires, bad weather, natural disasters and more:
Wyden said, “Whether its 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 gird goes down”. Wyden’s Disaster Safe Power Grid Act became law in 2021 as part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Wyden said he is glad the legislation will make the power grid more resilient and help to bring more renewables online. Wyden said, “This major federal investment means Oregonians can feel more secure that they won’t freeze in the winter, bake in the summer and be able to count on electricity year-round in their homes and small businesses”.
Merkley said its crucial for power grids to remain up to date, especially as summer droughts and intense winter storms become more common and severe. Merkley said, “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”. Merkley said the funding is a critical investment to modernize the power grid and help reduce the chance of outages or sparks.
The federal funds will be distributed with:
*$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 and mitigates wildfires and improves grid flexibility, reliability and resiliency.