Pacific Power has agreed to purchase the renewable energy from seven wind and solar projects across the West, including four new solar installations in Oregon.

The utility has until 2040 to start generating half its electricity from renewable sources under the Oregon Renewable Portfolio Standard. These contracts will help keep Pacific Power in compliance through 2028, said Rick Link, the company’s director of origination.

“As the result of our recent request for proposals for renewable resources, we have found these acquisitions to be cost-effective steps we can take to provide customers the cleaner energy they want,” Link said in a statement.

All together, the seven projects will provide 168.5 megawatts onto Pacific Power’s grid — enough to power about 25,000 homes. The four solar projects in Oregon will account for 38.5 megawatts, and are scheduled to be completed before the end of the year. They include the Bear Creek Solar Center in Bend; Bly Solar Center in Klamath County; and Adams Solar Center and Elbe Solar Center, both in Madras.

The other two solar projects are located in Utah. Pacific Power has also contracted to buy renewable energy certificates from the Logan Wind Energy facility in Logan, Colorado, which will generate 201 megawatts but is not connected directly onto the PacifiCorp system.

Oregon customers can expect a one-time rate impact around one-twentieth of 1 percent, or about a nickel on a $100 energy bill, according to Pacific Power. Spokesman Ry Schwark said the company expects to go out for another round of renewable energy bids in the near future.

“Things are changing in the market so quickly,” Schwark said.

Pacific Power serves 740,000 customers in Oregon, Washington and California, including 17,864 customers in Umatilla County.

In addition, the Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Act directs Pacific Power to stop serving Oregon customers with coal-fired electricity by 2030. Earlier this month, regulators announced the 427-megawatt Craig Station Unit 1 in Colorado will shut down by Dec. 31, 2025, to comply with that state’s regional haze plan. PacifiCorp, the parent company of Pacific Power, is a part-owner in the Craig facility.

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Contact George Plaven at gplaven@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0825.