Renewable Energy Initiatives Put Oregon’s PGE Ahead of Other U.S. Utilities

Portland General Electric (PGE), based in Portland, Oregon, has a higher percentage of renewable energy customers than any other utility in the country, according to an annual ranking by DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The top green pricing program rankings show that in 2009 PGE had almost 73,000 business and residential customers, a little over 10% of its customer base. That's five times the national average. It's the first time PGE has taken the top spot in the NREL rankings, although this is the fifth consecutive year the utility has been at the top of the list for renewable energy sales to residential customers. A PGE representative said the ranking reflects customers' willingness to reduce their environmental impact by taking advantage of renewable power options.

Quick Take: The ranking shouldn't be much of a surprise. Oregon generally takes a pretty green approach, from being the home of what will be the country's largest wind farm with more on the way to hydrokinetic demonstration projects on the Oregon coast.

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