Oregon goes green with new generation unit additions

Developers are proposing about 7,950 megawatts (MW) of new generation in Oregon. If these projects are constructed, this could increase Oregon's generation capacity by more than 59%, bringing the state's capacity up from about 13,900 MW to about 21,300 MW.

New planned generation unit additions will primarily use renewable sources: wind, hydroelectric (conventional and hydrokinetic), geothermal and some biomass.

About 90% of the new generation being developed that would utilize renewable energy could produce about 7,200 MW. Plans for new hydroelectric generation would come to about 4,000 MW with about 2,250 MW being conventional and about 1,750 MW being hydrokinetic.

Hydrokinetic energy is the use of normal currents that requires no dam or other impoundment like conventional hydroelectric projects.

New power generation that would use wind as a fuel source would provide about 2,900 MW. Geothermal comes in third with plans for 230 MW of new generation. Biomass generation is last with only about 50 MW.

Oregon's current power generation capacity is made up of about 70% renewable energy with about 9,300 MW. The plans for the additional 7,200 MW will bring renewable energy to 16,500 MW, which will increase renewable energy to about 77% of the total power generation.