Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Friday signed into law a bill requiring the elimination of coal-fired power generation from the state energy mix. The bill specifically states that “on or before January 1, 2030, an electric company shall eliminate coal-fired resources from its allocation of electricity.” Currently, only one coal-fired power plant is operating in Oregon. That facility is scheduled to close in 2020. However, the bill also applies to out-of-state coal-generated power imported to Oregonians. Those plants do not need to be shut down for utilities to comply, but cannot be used to meet the state’s energy needs.
“Knowing how important it is to Oregonians to act on climate change, a wide range of stakeholders came to the table around Oregonians’ investments in coal and renewable energy,” Brown said in a release. “Working together, they found a path to best equip our state with the energy resource mix of the future. Now, Oregon will be less reliant on fossil fuels and shift our focus to clean energy. I’m proud to sign a bill that moves Oregon forward, together with the shared values of current and future generations.”
