Oregon Turns Data Centers Into a Quarter-Grid AI Infrastructure Test

A new ECOnorthwest and University of Virginia assessment, reported by Oregon outlets and presented to state advisers, puts Oregon data centers at about 23% of statewide retail electricity sales in 2025. The state is now treating the sector as a systemic planning challenge, with a Data Center Advisory Committee taking public comment through October 24, 2026 and POWER Act implementation shifting large-load grid costs toward data centers.