Portland General Electric’s new wind farm contributes to record-high wind generation for Oregon customers

1. Home
2. Newsroom

The Clearwater Wind Energy Center helped PGE generate more than one gigawatt of power from wind sources alone for the first time in company history

PORTLAND, Ore., November 13, 2024 - In its first ten months serving PGE customers, the Clearwater Wind Energy Center contributed to new records for PGE wind generation, including helping the company produce one gigawatt of power from wind sources alone - a new milestone. One gigawatt (or 1,000 megawatts) is enough electricity to power the equivalent of 830,000 homes, or about half the number of homes in Oregon.

The Clearwater Wind Energy Center, located in Rosebud, Custer, and Garfield counties in Eastern Montana, was developed in four phases by a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which operates and owns part of the facility. PGE owns 208 megawatts of the center and purchases an additional 103 megawatts through a Power Purchase Agreement, supplying customers a total of 311 megawatts.

The portions of the facility serving PGE customers achieved commercial operations by January 2024 and take advantage of consistent winds from the vast plains of the Treasure State. Alongside other renewable energy projects in the Pacific Northwest, the Clearwater Wind Energy Center adds diversity and consistency to PGE's energy portfolio, allowing the company to source power for customers when it's available from a variety of resource types and locations.

With Montana's abundant and consistent wind, the Clearwater Wind Energy Center delivers high levels of production during the winter and summer, allowing PGE to serve Oregon customers additional reliable clean energy during periods of high demand. In January 2024, PGE's owned and contracted wind facilities produced a maximum output of more than one gigawatt of wind power for the first time, thanks in large part to the addition of the Clearwater Wind Energy Center. This milestone was achieved again on another 25 days throughout 2024, including on February 26, when PGE reached its all-time record for maximum wind generation at 1,056 megawatts. In addition to the Clearwater Wind Energy Center, which consistently contributes about 34% of PGE's daily wind generation, PGE also operates wind facilities in the Columbia River Gorge.

"The Clearwater Wind Energy Center is an important component of the future of the Western clean energy landscape," said Maria Pope. "Sourcing energy from diverse geographies improves reliability at lower costs for customers."

During each phase of construction, the Clearwater Wind Energy Center created up to 350 jobs and continues to employ operations workers onsite, while generating revenue for the local community. Wind power continues to be an important piece of PGE's portfolio as the company works to decarbonize while providing reliable, affordable electricity to customers.

View or download b-roll, photos, and videos of the Clearwater Wind Energy Center.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this news release that relate to future plans, objectives, expectations, performance, events and the like may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the company's future energy mix; statements concerning the company's integration of smart-grid technologies and renewable energy into the grid; statements regarding acquisition, construction, completion, and operation of generating and battery storage facilities; as well as other statements containing words such as "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "promises," "expects," "should," "conditioned upon," "will," "would," "could" and similar expressions. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including construction and operational risks relating to the generation and battery storage facilities, including wind conditions and unscheduled delays or plant outages, which may result in unanticipated operating, maintenance and repair costs, as well as replacement power costs; the costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations, including changes in weather, hydroelectric and energy markets conditions, which could affect the availability and cost of purchased power and fuel; changes in capital market conditions, which could affect the availability and cost of capital and result in delay or cancellation of capital projects; failure to complete capital projects on schedule or within budget, failure of the counterparty to perform under the agreements, or the abandonment of capital projects, which could result in the company's inability to recover project costs; the outcome of various legal and regulatory proceedings; and general economic and financial market conditions. As a result, actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on information available to the company on the date hereof and such statements speak only as of the date hereof. The company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. Prospective investors should also review the risks and uncertainties listed in the company's most recent annual report on form 10-K and the company's reports on forms 8-K and 10-Q filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations and the risks described therein from time to time.

PGE Communications

503-464-2067

[email protected]