New order launches a coordinated state effort to accelerate much needed transmission and renewable energy buildout.
PRESS RELEASE
November 20th, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT
Sam Pape – Oregon Environmental Council, Senior Communications and Marketing Manager
503-522-0342
SALEM, OR — The Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative – a broad coalition of Tribal, environmental justice, labor, business, climate, and conservation organizations – commend Governor Kotek for issuing Executive Order 25-29 yesterday. The order directs state agencies to accelerate Oregon’s transition to affordable, reliable, clean energy, and to remove barriers to renewable energy and transmission development. It follows least-cost decarbonization pathways outlined in the Oregon Energy Strategy and compliments the Governor’s Executive Order last month directing agencies to expedite wind and solar projects threatened by federal tax credit rollbacks.
The Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative’s members – who work together on state and regional energy policy – applaud the Governor’s recognition of the urgency to build needed infrastructure to meet the state’s climate goals and ensure a reliable, affordable grid for all Oregonians.
“For too long, Oregon has been held back by oil and gas interests that kept our grid stuck in the past, hooked on fossil fuels, and unprepared for climate catastrophe,” said Joel Iboa, Executive Director of Oregon Just Transition Alliance. “I’m glad the Governor is pushing agencies to take action and bring Oregon’s energy infrastructure into the modern era. Doing so will make our most vulnerable communities safer, healthier, and more resilient.”
“This Executive Order is what our coalition has long called for – a commitment from the state to unlock clean, reliable and affordable power that Oregon families and businesses count on,” said Jessie Kochaver, Oregon Clean Grid Campaign Manager at Oregon Environmental Council. “We stand ready to ensure that this work is done in partnership with labor, Tribal, community, business, and environmental partners.”
Executive Order 25-29 directs state agencies to work collaboratively to examine and address barriers to updating and expanding Oregon’s clean energy infrastructure, including developing a framework to expedite siting and permitting of transmission corridors. A lack of “transmission” – the poles and wires that carry electricity from where it is generated to homes and businesses – is one of the biggest barriers to bringing new, affordable, and abundant renewable energy online. To meet current and future electricity demand with low-cost clean energy, Oregon cannot afford to let projects sit idle in queues waiting for transmission. New transmission infrastructure that is planned and permitted with strong community partnership is essential to delivering affordable and reliable clean energy to the grid.
“Governor Kotek’s leadership in driving a coordinated statewide approach to clean energy is a critical step forward for Oregon. By accelerating the clean energy buildout in ways that strengthen communities and protect nature, we can deliver clean, affordable, and reliable power while honoring the values Oregonians hold dear: clean air and water, thriving communities, and healthy natural and working lands,” said Lauren Link, Oregon State Policy Advisor for The Nature Conservancy. “Upgrading aging infrastructure, leveraging existing transmission corridors, and deploying grid-enhancing technologies are powerful examples of how Oregon can expand clean energy generation, transform the grid, and safeguard our most sensitive landscapes.”
Without additional transmission, Oregon risks higher energy costs, increasing grid constraints during weather extremes, and missed opportunities for economic development.
“Executive Order 25-29 brings crucial clean energy, storage, and transmission projects within reach,” said Ranfis Giannettino Villatoro, Oregon Policy Manager at Blue Green Alliance. “We look forward to working with the Governor, state agencies, and labor partners to ensure these are life-changing union jobs and a boost to the local economy and energy resilience.”
“The Governor’s Executive Order calls for much-needed streamlining across agencies and others to accelerate transmission development, renewables, and other key strategies,” added Tim Miller, Director of Oregon Business for Climate. “Along with affordability and the economic multipliers that come with it, this build-out will directly create jobs in a range of businesses, large and small, across Oregon.”
The Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative thanks Governor Kotek for her partnership and engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders on this issue and emphasizes the need for ongoing collaboration as agencies begin to implement this meaningful work. The Collaborative also commends the State Energy Strategy’s call for early Tribal consultation and recognizes Tribal environmental stewardship since time immemorial. Resolutions of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians demonstrate strong interest in energy policy, transmission planning, and grid governance, as well as emphasizing the necessity of free, prior and informed consent. Meaningful and timely Tribal consultation in execution of the State’s Energy Strategy and the Executive Orders is key to ensuring a mutually beneficial and resilient energy future for Oregon.
Members of the Oregon Clean Grid Collaborative include:
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
BlueGreen Alliance
Climate Solutions
Community Energy Project
Green Energy Institute at Lewis & Clark Law School
National Wildlife Federation
NW Energy Coalition
Oregon Business for Climate
Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board
Oregon Environmental Council
Oregon Just Transition Alliance
Oregon League of Conservation Voters
Renewable Northwest
The Nature Conservancy
Verde