Oregon to Study Benefits and Challenges of Participation in Regional Transmission Organization

Source: RL Martin

In 2021, the Oregon legislature directed the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) in SB 589 to examine the benefits and challenges of participating in a Regional Transmission Organization (RTO). The Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) Study will consist of a literature review by ODOE of recent relevant studies, followed by structured engagement with stakeholders to identify the key opportunities, benefits, and challenges of RTO formation. At the study kick-off in July 2021, ODOE formed a Stakeholder Advisory Committee with representatives from a wide variety of stakeholders, such as investor-owned utilities and consumer-owned utilities, independent power producers, unions, the Oregon legislature, low-income communities, the renewable energy sector, and the Oregon Public Utility Commission. Additionally, ODOE is collecting feedback from the interested public through a questionnaire via a new web comment portal and two webinars. ODOE will synthesize key findings from the literature with perspectives from the advisory committee in a report to the legislature that is due on December 31, 2021.