Oregon Department of Energy Releases Draft Oregon Energy Strategy for Public Comment

On August 14, 2025, the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) released its draft Oregon Energy Strategy for public comment. This strategy is intended to guide Oregon's policymakers, agencies, and residents in making decisions about the state's long-term energy future. The strategy establishes five pathways toward meeting an energy transition that will deliver clean, reliable, and affordable energy for all Oregonians. The five pathways include advancing energy efficiency, increasing electrification, investing in clean electricity, advancing the use of low-carbon fuels, and strengthening resilience. For each pathway, the strategy evaluates the benefits and challenges, considers impacts on household energy costs, air quality and public health, and employment in Oregon, and presents policy recommendations with those factors in mind.

ODOE has created several opportunities for the public to learn more about the draft strategy. On August 14, ODOE hosted a public webinar that provided an overview of the recommendations and modeling results from the draft strategy; a recording of the webinar is available here. In addition, two members of ODOE's Energy Strategy team, Jessica Reichers and Edith Bayer, recorded an episode of theGrounded Podcastwith Katelyn Jackson where they discuss the purpose, the approach, and the five pathways of the draft Energy Strategy. Reichers and Bayer provide an in-depth overview of the goals, policy recommendations, and actionable steps referenced in the draft Energy Strategy. ODOE also welcomes members of the public to observe meetings of the Oregon Energy Strategy Advisory Group and Working Group.

Oregonians are encouraged to participate in the planning process by submitting feedback during the public comment period, which is open until September 22, 2025. Feedback may be submitted through ODOE's website, by email, or during public forums and information sessions, which are open to all. All input received will be reviewed by ODOE and used to inform the final Oregon Energy Strategy report, which is due to Governor Tina Kotek and the Oregon legislature by November 1, 2025.

For more information, please view this press release from ODOE.