State of Oregon: Facilities - EFSC Project Updates: March 2025

This page has the latest information on energy projects under state jurisdiction. We update this page monthly to help you stay involved and in-the-know about energy facility news.

 March 2025 Siting Project Updates

The Latest Updates
Approved Facilities Under Construction: Bakeoven Solar Project Daybreak Solar Project Wheatridge Renewable Energy East
Boardman Coal Plant – Review of Termination Request The Department is conducting its review of the termination request, in conjunction/consultation with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Public Utilities Commission staff. This review is expected to continue through Feb/March 2025. The Department will present its recommendations to Council for concurrence, modification, or rejection to terminate the site certificate, expected during the first quarter of 2025.
Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line – Amendment 2 Appeal The Supreme Court will review the petitions and the responses to petitions and will render an opinion in the coming months.
Buckley Solar Facility – Notice of Intent On December 26, 2024, the Department issued a Project Order establishing the statutes, administrative rules, Council standards, local ordinances, and other requirements for the site certificate application. The applicant has indicated that they intend to submit a preliminary application for site certificate (pASC) in May 2025. pASC must be submitted by August 2026.
Carty Generating Station – Preliminary Request for Amendment 4 The Department determined the request for amendment was incomplete and has paused work on the Draft Proposed Order until responses to the RAI are received.
Cascade Renewable Transmission System – Notice of Intent The applicant’s request to extend the expiration of the NOI by one year, to March 7, 2026, will be reviewed at the March Council meeting. The applicant has indicated that it intends to submit the preliminary Application for Site Certificate (pASC) in mid-2025.
Deschutes Solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Facility – Notice of Intent The applicant submitted a revised NOI on February 21, 2025. The Department issued a Public Notice of the NOI and Notice of Public Information Meeting and a Public Comment Period on the NOI on February 26, 2025. The Public Notice and information on how to submit Public Comments are available on the Project webpage. The Department will hold a Public Informational Meeting in Maupin on March 27, 2025. Details on how to participate in the Public Informational Meeting are in the Public Notice. The Public Comment Period Closes on April 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM Pacific Time.
Klamath Falls Energy Center – Notice of Intent (no ODOE webpage) Review and Notice of the NOI is on hold pending the submission of a new NOI.
Leaning Juniper IIB Wind Power Facility – Amendment 3 On January 23, 2025, the certificate holder submitted preliminary Request for Amendment 3 (pRFA3). The Department issued Notice of pRFA3 on February 6, 2025. On February 13, 2025, the Department deemed pRFA3 incomplete and issued requests for additional information (RAI’s). The Department is reviewing pRFA3 in conjunction with reviewing agencies and local governments, and will begin drafting the draft proposed order. ADR Type B Requested (under review) On January 23, 2025, the certificate holder submitted an ADR with its pRFA3. The Department will review the ADR and make a determination. The determination will be posted to the Department’s project webpage; a courtesy electronic notification will be issued, notifying recipients of the Department’s determination and its availability.
Madras Solar Energy Facility – Proposed Order The Department issued the Proposed Order and a Public Notice of Proposed Order and Opportunity to Request a Contested Case on January 30, 2025. The Opportunity to Request a Contested Case closes on March 3, 2025. Council will review the Proposed Order and any requests for a Contested Case at the March 21, 2025 EFSC meeting.
Muddy Creek Energy Park – Notice of Intent The applicant must submit its preliminary Application for Site Certificate by May 2025.
Obsidian Solar Center – Preliminary Request for Amendment 2 The certificate holder provided initial responses to the Department's first set of Requests for Additional Information (RAIs) on January 23 and February 21, 2025. The Department reviewed and issued and second set of RAIs on February 24, 2025. The Department will continue to review responses to RAIs and, after receiving all requested information, will make a determination of whether the pRFA is complete. ADR - Determination On February 26, 2025, the Department issued its determination that Type B review was justified for the review of the requested amendment.
Summit Ridge Renewable Energy Facility – Notice of Intent The preliminary Application for Site Certificate must be submitted by January 2026.
Sunrise Solar and Storage Projects – Notice of Intent (ODOE webpage coming soon) The applicant submitted the NOI on February 27, 2025. The Department will establish a project webpage and issue a Public Notice of the NOI with a Public Information Meeting date and location as well as a Public Comment Period on the NOI on February 26, 2025.
Umatilla-Morrow County Connect Project – Notice of Intent Preliminary Application for Site Certificate must be submitted by September 2025.
Yellow Rosebush Energy Center – Preliminary Application for Site Certificate (pASC) The Department is waiting to receive additional application information. Reviewing agency coordination is on-going and the Department is preparing the Draft Proposed Order.
Rulemaking – Tribal Government Staff presented draft rule language for review by the tribes at the January 28, 2025 Cultural Resource Cluster meeting. Staff are in the process of reaching out to the Federally recognized tribes of Oregon to discuss updated draft language. Once this process of collaboration with the tribes is complete, staff will present draft rule language to Council at a future Council meeting (TBD) for consideration as part of a notice of proposed rulemaking and the start of the formal rulemaking process.
Rulemaking – Site Certificate Amendment Staff are incorporating feedback received into draft language of the rules to be reviewed by the RAC at its next meeting, which will occur in the next 4-5 weeks.
Rulemaking - Application Process Phase 2 The public comment period closed at 5:00 p.m. on February 5, 2025. Staff will provide feedback to Council for their consideration of possible permanent adoption at the Council’s March meeting.

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EFSC Project Updates: March 2025

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