OPB’s First Look: Data centers to pay more for power

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Good morning, Northwest.

Electricity is about to get more expensive for data centers and other power-hungry industries served by Portland General Electric.

The utility is raising rates on that class of users — and cutting them for others — because of a new state law. OPB climate reporter Monica Samayoa reports on the changes to start today’s newsletter.

Also this morning, is Portland a bagel city now?

Here’s your First Look at Friday’s news.

— Bradley W. Parks

Top story

PGE will increase rates for data centers, decrease for residents

Data centers served by Portland General Electric are about to pay more for power.

The electrical utility announced yesterday that it will increase rates by 29% for businesses like data centers and cryptocurrency that use lots of electricity. It’s in accordance with a new law approved by the Oregon Legislature last year.

The goal of the POWER Act, as it’s known, is to make energy-heavy industry pay for their share of electrical usage.

As a result of the rate increase for large-load users, residential and commercial rates will tick down slightly. (Monica Samayoa)

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3 things to know

• Portland city councilors voted 7-5 yesterday to ban the sale of foie gras, a fatty liver dish traditionally made by force-feeding ducks or geese. (Alex Zielinski)
• On Tuesday, a district court judge in Oregon ruled a lawsuit filed by the estate of Aaron Stanton, who was shot and killed by Portland police officer Joshua Dyk in 2022, can proceed to trial. (Conrad Wilson)
• Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who represents Longview, Washington, successfully spearheaded an effort to restore funding for the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, the agency charged with identifying what caused the deadly tank rupture at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. (Lauren Dake)

Longview picks up the pieces after mill tragedy

Last month, Southwest Washington was struck by tragedy when 11 people were killed at a Longview paper mill. As the community tries to find out what happened, an investigation into the incident may be jeopardized by national politics. On the latest episode of “OPB Politics Now,” reporters talk about the fallout from the tragedy. (Erik Neumann, Lauren Dake and Dirk VanderHart)

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Northwest headlines

• Portland’s bagel boom is on the rise (Crystal Ligori)
• A proposed Willamette Valley solar park is back. Neighbors still oppose it (Alejandro Figueroa)
• Ocean observatories go dark off Pacific Northwest coast (John Ryan, KUOW)
• With clock ticking, Southern Oregon University students question their futures (Jane Vaughan, JPR)
• Foes of Washington income tax race to collect initiative signatures (Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard)
• New amenities and repairs coming to Oregon parks this summer (Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Listen in on OPB’s daily conversation

“Think Out Loud” airs at noon and 8 p.m. weekdays on OPB Radio, opb.org and the OPB News app. Today’s planned topics (subject to change):

• Eugene Difficult Music Ensemble asks audiences to listen differently
• For first time, tribal representative joins Governor’s Fire Service Policy Council
• How should creative writers use AI?

One more look

Superabundant recipe: Oregon dulse and fava bean salad for total bento bliss

School’s out for summer! Even if that doesn’t actually change anything in your day-to-day, you’ve got to admit summer break is more than a calendar item for students. It’s a state of mind.

To channel that brain state, have a picnic, take a train somewhere, stare into open water — whatever you do or wherever you go, pack a lunch.

When it comes to picnics and lunch boxes, it’s kind of hard to beat the Japanese bento box. This seaweed salad, hijiki no-nimono, is a perfect fit. (Heather Arndt Anderson)

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