2026 Oregon Clean Grid Summit Recap

On May 18th, the Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative (OCGC) hosted the Clean Grid Summit in Salem, bringing together more than 100 attendees, including representatives from 13 legislative offices, to discuss the future of Oregon's electric grid and the policies needed to support a reliable, affordable, and clean energy future.

Through three panels, speakers explored the competing priorities shaping energy policy, the regional trends driving future needs across the west, and actions Oregon can take in the near term to move critical energy infrastructure from planning to reality.

Here are our biggest takeaways from the three panels throughout the day:

Panel 1 - What's at Stake: Competing Priorities on the Grid

The Summit opened with a diverse panel of stakeholders, including utility, consumer advocate, workforce and labor, contractor, and data center representatives, discussing the many demands on the electric system. Panelists explored the challenge of balancing maintaining affordability and reliability, workforce and economic development opportunities, and meeting the state's clean energy goals. While participants brought different perspectives across many sectors, there was broad agreement that the grid is facing unprecedented challenges, and requires significant investment.

Oregon is at a critical moment. Load growth is coming to the state from a variety of sources, including economic growth, electrification, and new large energy users. This is all happening on an aging system that is operating at capacity. At the same time, ratepayers are already feeling overburdened by rising electricity costs and cannot afford to shoulder the full cost of upgrading and expanding our grid.

While highlighting the challenges, panelists also explored the many opportunities that come with grid investment. New transmission and energy infrastructure can support family wage jobs, strengthen local communities, and enable access to lower-cost clean energy resources. At the same time, speakers acknowledged concerns about rising energy costs and the need to ensure that investments are equitably sited and are delivering benefits to ratepayers.

The discussion underscored a central theme that carried through the rest of the Summit: While stakeholders may disagree on specific solutions, there is no getting around the fact that Oregon needs to invest in energy infrastructure.

Panel 2 - What the Western Grid Needs, and How States are Responding

The second panel brought the conversation beyond Oregon's borders and examined the broader regional context.

Recent reports looking at the Western grid have identified substantial transmission investment needs as states work to meet reliability and energy demands. Panelists discussed findings from WestTEC, a recent regional planning initiative, and emphasized that the challenges Oregon faces are not unique and can only be solved through a coordinated, west-wide effort. Many (if not all) of Oregon's neighboring states are also grappling with aging infrastructure, increasing demand, and the need to transmit renewable energy over longer, more diverse geographic distances.

The discussion highlighted the important role transmission plays in maintaining a reliable grid, reducing costs, and enabling access to renewable energy. Because renewable energy projects are often located far from population centers, transmission infrastructure is the essential backbone that brings power from where it's created to where it's needed.

Panelists also discussed the importance of regional coordination. The grid does not stop at state lines, and many of the solutions panelists explored will require collaboration across the Western Interconnection. Additionally, the conversation explored how some of Oregon's neighboring states are exploring these challenges, including efforts to improve planning processes, permitting reforms, utility regulation tools, wildfire liability caps, and the creation of Transmission Authorities. While looking at each of these possible solutions, speakers emphasized the necessity of meaningful engagement with communities and Tribal nations.

Panel 3 - From Plans to Power: Building Momentum Toward a Reliable, Affordable Grid

The Summit closed out with a final panel focused on what comes next, and what it takes to actually bring projects from planning to construction.

Panelists discussed the many steps required in transmission development, from planning and permitting to financing and construction. While transmission projects can take years to complete (and often decades), speakers stressed that delays stem from a combination of factors.

A recurring theme was the need to make better use of the infrastructure we already have. While it was agreed that we will inevitably need to build new transmission lines, panelists also explored Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) that can increase the capacity of our current system and deliver more power at a lower cost, all while being deployed in just a few months.

Another policy solution that emerged as a key opportunity was the creation of a Transmission Authority - a tool that multiple neighboring states have deployed, including Washington, which was created during the 2026 legislative session. A Transmission Authority has the power to help coordinate transmission planning efforts, fund projects, and expedite projects that provide broad public benefits.

While panelists highlighted a number of different policy options, there was broad consensus that Oregon will need to take steps in the 2027 legislative session to ensure our energy system can meet future demand while maintaining reliability, affordability, and progress toward our clean energy requirements.

Looking Ahead

A common theme threaded through the panels: The decisions Oregon makes in the next few years are critical to shaping our energy future. Meeting growing demand, maintaining reliable and affordable service, and achieving clean energy requirements requires thoughtful planning, regional collaboration, and continued investment. The Summit provided an opportunity for attendees to engage in the conversation and begin identifying the actions required to move Oregon's energy future forward. We look forward to advocating for those solutions in the 2027 legislative session, and keeping the conversation and collaboration going at next year's Oregon Clean Grid Summit!

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