Article

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced the formation of a Data Center Advisory Committee to address the growth of data centers in the state while considering utility costs and environmental impacts. The committee aims to balance economic opportunities from data centers with the need for affordable energy and sustainable resource management.

Co-chaired by Margaret Hoffmann and Michael Jung, the committee will focus on encouraging data center siting that supports job creation and revenue for rural communities and aligns with Oregon's climate goals. The initiative follows the signing of the POWER Act, which establishes a separate pricing system for large energy users, ensuring companies are responsible for their utility bills. This legislative change aims to protect Oregonians from increased power rates due to large tech facilities, although concerns have been raised about its potential impact on the state's tech industry growth.