Oregon POWER Act
Oregon POWER Act (HB 3546, 2025): Data Center Ratepayer Protection
Oregon · Or. HB 3546 (2025) (POWER Act)
- Status
- In effect
- Took effect
- June 5, 2025
- Applies to
- Data centers, cryptocurrency miners, and other large energy users (>20 MW) served by investor-owned utilities
- Enforced by
- Oregon Public Utility Commission
Oregon's first-in-the-nation POWER Act makes data centers and crypto-mining operations pay for their own grid costs instead of shifting them onto household utility bills. Large users over 20 MW are placed in a separate rate class and must sign long-term contracts committing to minimum payments.
Who is protected: Residential and small-business utility ratepayers in Oregon
Legal detail
HB 3546 directs the Oregon PUC to create a stand-alone rate class for large loads (>20 MW) served by investor-owned utilities, with 10-year minimum take-or-pay contracts and cost attribution for power, capacity, and transmission.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Oregon |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | June 5, 2025 |
| Citation | Or. HB 3546 (2025) (POWER Act) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Contractual minimum payments, deposits, and penalties for exceeding contracted usage (per PUC implementation) |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · consumer protection |
| Bill text | Oregon Legislature passes 'POWER Act' — OPB |
More AI rules in Oregon
- Oregon SB 1546 (AI companion chatbot disclosure + private right of action) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Oregon state-land data center transaction pause (2026) · In effect
- Oregon SB 1516 — ALPR limits and vendor liability (2026) · In effect
- Oregon HB 4084 Data Center Tax Moratorium · In effect
- OR weaponized-drone ban · In effect
- Oregon SB 1571 (campaign ads must disclose AI/synthetic media) · In effect
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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