Regulators in Oregon have approved a new rate class for data centers and other large loads that will require them to cover the costs for the electricity grid infrastructure used to power their facilities.
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The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved the new regulations earlier this month. The rules are directed by the Protecting Oregonians With Energy Responsibility (POWER) Act, which was passed by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on June 5, 2025, and officially signed into law in August 2025.
The act creates a new rate class for data centers and crypto mining operations at 20MW and above, requiring that the rate reflect all costs of providing energy to those facilities. Secondly, it mandates a long-term contract between the utility and the incoming data center, specifically to address the stranded-asset risk at the heart of the ratepayer-protection problem.
Following the approval by the PUC, Portland General Electric (PGE), Oregon's largest utility, has until 3 June to file a new pricing framework. The new rates take effect on 10 June.
