Dive Brief:

• Oregon stakeholders are working on a measure that would tweak the state's renewable portfolio standard (RPS) to avoid a ballot measure that would render the law meaningless.
• Last year, several small public utilities asked the Legislature to allow them to count large hydroelectric resources towards the renewable mandate (close to 40% of Oregon's power supply comes from hydro). Their idea was rejected so the utilities are backing a ballot measure to let hydro count towards the RPS.
• The compromise would allow them to buy renewable energy credits instead of building or buying renewable generation.
• PacifiCorp also wants extra flexibility so it can sell renewable power to large customers that want to offset their carbon footprint.

Dive Insight:

It appears some changes are likely for Oregon's 25%-by-2025 RPS. But those changes will fall far short of the sweeping ballot measure offered by Umatilla Electric Cooperative.