July 2026 Newsletter
ODOE Submits Agency Request Budget for 2027-2029
Many thanks to those who joined us on July 15 for our public meeting about ODOE's 2027-2029 biennial budget. Today, we'll submit our Agency Request Budget to the Governor's Chief Financial Office, which includes our Current Service Level budget (the budget to keep ODOE programs and activities as-is) and the Policy Option Packages that, if supported by the Governor and Legislature, could change it.
Given a tough budget season with limited dollars, ODOE’s proposed Policy Option Packages are budget-neutral, meaning they wouldn’t add new dollars to our budget:
Roll over remaining funds in current ODOE incentive programs, including state and federal funds for the Community Renewable Energy Grant Program, heat pump incentive programs, Grid Resilience dollars, to-be-launch home energy rebates, and others.
Add a Compliance Officer position to the energy facility siting team to better serve the high volume of compliance activities that ensure approved facilities meet Oregon’s construction, operating, and decommissioning standards.
We hope you'll stay involved as we continue developing our budget to best serve Oregonians over the next two years. The next step in the process will be the Governor’s Recommended Budget, which will likely be released in December 2026. More on ODOE’s budget and a recording of the July 15 meeting are available on our website.
ODOE Grant Supports Forest Grove Resilience Project
Power poles and the electric lines they hold are susceptible to falling trees and wind, car crashes, and wildfire. By putting the lines underground – commonly called undergrounding – the City of Forest Grove Light and Power Department is improving resilience in its community.
Forest Grove recently completed a project to move two-thirds of a mile of a main electricity line underground. Turning on the newly underground lines marked the first completed project through the Oregon Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience Grant Program.
The project is located at the base of a ridge with a residential neighborhood and heavily wooded area adjacent to the Tillamook State Forest. The wooded and forested areas could provide fuel in the event of a wildfire, but activities like undergrounding lines are “grid hardening” and help to reduce the risks of wildfire and wildfire-caused damage. Grid hardening is part of the Resilience Pathway in the Oregon Energy Strategy.
When combined with another project, there are now three miles of underground lines along this county road. Undergrounding lines is just one of the grid-hardening measures the City of Forest Grove Light and Power District is taking. For example, the city has also upgraded three of four aging substation transformers. In addition to reducing wildfire risk and power outages, the city is also saving costs on vegetation removal along the stretches with underground lines.
ODOE awarded Forest Grove $438,190 for the project. The Grid Resilience program created through the 2021 federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make more projects like this one possible for utilities across the state. ODOE awarded 11 grants totaling $18 million for the first round of funding and announced nine utilities to receive $11.5 million in second round funding earlier this year.
ODOE Shares Concerns About Hanford Waste Transport Plans
On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Field Office released an update on its ongoing plans for where and how to treat, transport, and dispose of millions of gallons of radioactive and chemically hazardous tank waste from the west-area tank farms at Hanford. In its letter, U.S. DOE reports that it has decided to not, at this time, construct the facilities necessary to solidify and grout tank waste at the Hanford site.
This decision leaves open the option for U.S. DOE to ship radioactive tank waste in liquid form through Oregon. We reiterate Oregon’s long-held position that it is unacceptable for liquid radioactive Hanford tank waste to be transported through our state. We also remind U.S. DOE that the waste must be solidified before it is disposed, and encourage the federal government to invest in the facilities necessary to solidify and grout the tank waste, either at the Hanford site, or elsewhere in the Tri-Cities area, before entering Oregon.
The Hanford site is embarking on multiple decades-long waste shipment campaigns, all of which are expected to travel through Oregon, to disposal locations elsewhere in our nation. This will include west-area tank farm waste, transuranic waste, effluent from the waste treatment plant, and even considerations of east-area tank farm waste diverted from the direct-feed low-activity waste treatment vitrification plant. The cumulative risks and potential impacts of these transportation campaigns to Oregonians and our environment must be considered.
Oregon supports the safe cleanup of Hanford, including the offsite disposal of solidified tank waste, and the safety of Oregonians and our environment is and always will be our top concern. Oregon stands by its position that transportation of grouted and solidified Hanford tank waste must be done in transparency and coordination with Oregon state government, Tribal nations, communities, and emergency response personnel.
Learn more about ODOE's nuclear safety and energy security work on our website.
ODOE Heat Pump Incentive Programs Support Summer Cooling
About a quarter of Oregon’s overall energy use comes from homes, from lighting and cooking to heating and cooling. Making the switch to energy efficient appliances and technologies means less energy use, lower energy bills, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and more comfortable homes. Heat pumps have become increasingly popular in Oregon homes thanks to their efficient heating and cooling, lower energy use, and potential incentive savings.
With mid-summer heating up in Oregon, now is a great time to consider an efficient heat pump for your home.
While heat pump technology dates back to the 19th century, the technology didn’t become widely available until the 2000s. As ODOE reported in our inaugural Biennial Oregon Heat Pump Report, we expect Oregon could reach the state’s goal of 500,000 new heat pump installations by mid-2033.
There are some barriers Oregonians still face to heat pump adoption, including upfront cost of installation. Heat pumps often cost more to install than a traditional heating system. The Oregon Department of Energy can help make heat pumps more accessible for Oregon households through our incentive programs, including the federally funded Heat Pump Purchase Program, which offers a $2,000 incentive per household (currently available for rental units and newly constructed homes). Learn more and find approved program contractors on ODOE’s website.
ODOE Leads Regional Effort to Improve BPA Compensation
After a conversation among Pacific Northwest states at a recent western electricity conference, ODOE drafted and coordinated a multistate letter urging Congress to provide the Bonneville Power Administration with authority to offer competitive compensation for its Administrator. The joint letter, signed by Pacific Northwest state energy office directors and public utility commissioners, emphasizes that BPA’s leadership is critical as the region undergoes a major transition in how electricity is generated, stored, transmitted, and delivered.
BPA markets clean and affordable hydropower, owns and operates roughly three-quarters of the high voltage transmission network in the region, and plays a critical role in grid reliability, economic development, and environmental stewardship. The joint letter underscores the growing complexity of the Administrator’s responsibilities in this work and in engaging with Tribal, state, and local partners. Increasing compensation to be more competitive will make it easier for BPA to attract and retain the leadership needed to meet the region’s evolving energy challenges. The letter also states that any adjustments to the Administrator’s salary should remain reasonable and not overburden Northwest ratepayers, especially at a time of rising concerns about energy affordability.
The joint letter reflects a shared commitment to maintaining BPA as a strong, innovative, and reliable partner for Northwest states and the millions of residents and businesses who depend on its services every day.
Grounded Podcast: EV Electricity Needs
Electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity, with more than 137,000 EVs registered in Oregon as of February 2026. Multnomah County tops the list with more than 36,000 registered EVs, and we're seeing more and more people in other Oregon counties who are choosing to go electric. With increased electric vehicles comes increased electricity needs.
Electrification is a powerful energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction tool and one of the five pathways to our energy future outlined in the Oregon Energy Strategy. Advancing efforts to electrify transportation helps meet the state’s electrification and electric vehicle goals.
In the latest episode of Grounded, host Katelyn Jackson is joined by two electric utility providers – Portland General Electric and Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative – that serve different areas of Oregon. The utilities discuss how they are planning for an increasing number of electric vehicles plugging into their networks.
Give it a listen on our blog or your favorite podcast app.
Reports from Around the Agency
Note to Oregonians: ODOE does not send employees or representatives for door-to-door visits in neighborhoods or communities. If an ODOE employee were to visit a property, they would schedule the visit in advance, identify themselves and their affiliation, and provide a photo ID badge as proof. Be sure to ask all unknown visitors to your home for clear identification. Please don’t hesitate to call us to confirm a visit if someone is claiming to represent our agency: 503-378-4040
Join our team! ODOE is currently recruiting for an Accounting Manager and a Budget Analyst. Learn more and please share with your networks.
Planning to join a virtual ODOE meeting? We have transitioned all of our public meetings to the Microsoft Teams platform. Check out this handy guide to get started. We hope to see you in a meeting soon!
ODOE was proud to be an ally sponsor for Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy’s Energy Empowerment event for PNW Climate Week! The event was centered around energy empowerment in the home and community. ODOE hosted an information table with resources on heat pump incentives, the Oregon Energy Strategy, and more.
Members of ODOE's Schools Team attended the 2026 Oregon Association of School Business Officials conference in Bend to share information with attendees about potential funding opportunities for energy projects in schools, including fleet electrification.
ODOE Director Janine Benner attended the National Association of State Energy Officials Board of Directors meeting in Arlington, VA. NASEO is an important partner to ODOE and provides a venue for state energy officials to discuss actions and issues around energy. Janine serves as a Regional Representative on the board.
Did you know ODOE's Energy Facility Siting Team is currently reviewing more than a dozen proposed or amended energy facilities? From wind to solar facilities – to combined wind, solar, and storage facilities – you can learn more about the state's process and how to get involved on our website. You can also sign up to receive a monthly facility siting update showing the latest and greatest.
LOOKING AHEAD
Oregon Climate Action Commission | August 14, 2026 | Via Webinar
Oregon Climate Action Committee Meetings | Various Dates and Times
Energy Facility Siting Council | August 20-21, 2026 | Arlington and The Dalles, and Via Webinar
Current Rulemakings (click to see details)
Other Stakeholder Groups (click to see details)
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