At the March 8, 2022 Public Meeting, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (the Oregon Commission) denied Idaho Power Company’s (Idaho Power) waiver request of Oregon’s competitive bidding rules. Oregon’s competitive bidding rules lay out the process for a Request for Proposals (RFP) when a utility will acquire resources of an aggregate of 80 megawatts for five years or more and require an Independent Evaluator to oversee the RFP process. [Read more…]
Oregon Commission Denied Idaho Power Company’s Request to Waive the Competitive Bidding Rules
March 17, 2022 By
Oregon Updates Community Solar Rules on Dispute Resolution and Status Revocation
March 15, 2022 By
On March 8, 2022, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (the Commission) updated its community solar program (CSP) rules to clarify the procedures for dispute resolution and status revocation. Community solar allows ratepayers to support solar projects by subscribing to a share of a project’s output. The Oregon Solar + Storage Industries Association (OSSIA) was the only stakeholder to provide written comments. OSSIA and Commission Staff reached agreement on almost all of the proposed rule language. [Read more…]
OPUC Adopted New Rules Related to Small-Scale Renewable Energy Mandate
February 1, 2022 By
On December 15, 2021, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (the Commission) adopted new rules outlining electric utilities’ compliance with the small-scale renewable energy mandate in Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 469A.210. Oregon House Bill 2021 increased the percentage of the utility’s aggregate electrical capacity that must come from eligible small-scale renewable projects from eight percent to ten percent. House Bill 2021 also expanded the compliance deadline from 2025 to 2030. [Read more…]
OPUC Acknowledged PacifiCorp’s 2020 RFP Shortlist with Conditions
December 2, 2021 By
On November 24, 2021, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (the Oregon Commission) acknowledged PacifiCorp’s 2020 Request for Proposals (RFP) final shortlist with several conditions. PacifiCorp will now negotiate power purchase agreement and build own transfer agreements with some or all of the over 3,500 MW of new wind, solar and battery storage projects. [Read more…]
OPUC Declines Jurisdiction over QF PPAs
June 30, 2021 By
On June 25, 2021, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (the Oregon Commission) dismissed the case brought against NewSun Energy (NewSun) by Portland General Electric (PGE) that sought to terminate the power purchase agreements (PPAs) of select qualified facilities (QFs). The primary dispute was over the timeline of the QFs to come online and be commercially viable. NewSun argued there was force majeure, or, unforeseeable and unpreventable circumstances which prevented the facilities from achieving their commercial operation dates. The Commission agreed concluded that case should be adjudicated in court and dismissed the case, without prejudice. [Read more…]
