Oregon’s last coal-fired power plant demolished

On Thursday, Portland General Electric demolished its last standing coal-fired power plant, officially ending the era of coal power generation in Oregon. This demolition comes after the Boardman coal plant was taken offline– ahead of schedule– in 2020.

In recent years, Oregon has made strong commitments to clean up our electric grid by transitioning away from burning fossil fuels while making  big investments in renewable energy like wind and solar. This includes a law passed by the Oregon legislature and signed by Governor Brown in 2021 that commits Oregon to getting 100% of our electricity from clean sources by 2040– one of the most ambitious timelines in the country.

It’s the beginning of a new era in Oregon– one that is better for our air, our health and our climate.

You can watch the Boardman smokestack get demolished on the Portland General Electric YouTube page (it starts around minute 24).