Transportation
Oregon’s utilities play an important role in helping Oregon reach its goal of 50,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in the state by the end of 2020 (Governor Brown’s Executive Order 17-21). Electric utilities power the transportation infrastructure necessary for EV adoption and use. Two activities are currently underway at Oregon’s investor-owned utilities to support Oregon’s transition to EVs.
Transportation Electrification Pilots
In 2016, the Oregon legislature directed the investor-owned electric utilities to file programs to accelerate transportation electrification as part of Senate Bill 1547. As a result, the PUC currently has three ongoing transportation electrification dockets –
UM 1810 (PacifiCorp),
UM 1811 (PGE), and
UM 1815 (Idaho Power). To date, the PUC has approved three pilot programs for both PacifiCorp and PGE, as well as an education program for Idaho Power. Through these pilots, more charging stations will be installed in Bend, Coos Bay, Roseburg, Medford, East Portland, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Portland, and Wilsonville. PGE is also working with TriMet to electrify buses, while Idaho Power is implementing an education and outreach program in its rural service territory.
The PUC adopted rules in
AR 609 to specify how the utilities should file transportation electrification plans, including a description of their transportation electrification roadmap and preparation.
Learn more about the program rules.
Clean Fuels Program
The PUC is working with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to promote the electric utilities’ use of revenues from the
DEQ Clean Fuels Program to support transportation electrification in Oregon. One emphasis of these programs is to provide benefits to traditionally underserved communities.