Grounded Podcast Episode 51: Directors’ Stories of ODOE at 50
2025 marks 50 years of Oregon Department of Energy public service. As we continue leading Oregon to a safe, equitable, clean, and sustainable future for the next 50 years (and beyond!), we’re taking time to look back and reflect on what got us here.
The Oregon Department of Energy’s founding statute was written after a workshop on Mt. Hood 51 years ago. The author, Lon Topaz, would become the agency’s first director the following year.
Born after the 1973 oil embargo, the agency’s mission was to promote efficient use of energy resources and sustainable energy resources. At the time, energy efficiency was not viewed as a resource and methods for forecasting energy weren’t well-received. Now, ODOE’s current Director Janine Benner can say with confidence, “Oregonians know energy efficiency can reduce energy costs.”
As the agency aged, some topics were present for each of the directors interviewed, including conversations around nuclear energy and the cleanup at the Hanford site in Richland, Washington. Throughout its 50 years, ODOE has advanced energy efficiency measures, bolstered clean energy, and reduced emissions through tax credits, rebates, or incentives; supported energy in schools through the Public Purpose Charge; and established a CO2 standard for energy facilities and greenhouse gas reduction goals, among many other efforts.
In this episode of grounded, we’re joined by five former directors ( Lon Topaz, David Yaden, John Savage, Michael Grainey, and Mike Kaplan) and current Director Benner, who each share memories of their time at ODOE as we highlight key moments from ODOE’s 50 years.
