Portland General Electric (PGE) has reached a new milestone in renewable energy production, thanks to the Clearwater Wind Energy Center. In its first ten months of operation, the center helped PGE achieve a record-breaking 1 gigawatt of wind power, enough to power 830,000 homes, or about half of Oregon’s households.
Located in Eastern Montana, the Clearwater facility provides PGE with 311 megawatts of energy through a mix of owned and contracted power. This additional capacity has been particularly beneficial during peak winter and summer demand periods. Since beginning operations in January 2024, the center has contributed significantly to PGE’s growing wind generation portfolio, which also includes wind facilities in the Columbia River Gorge.
The Clearwater Wind Energy Center, operated by NextEra Energy Resources, has not only bolstered PGE’s renewable energy efforts but also created up to 350 jobs during its construction. With consistent winds across Montana’s plains, the facility regularly delivers high production levels, adding stability and diversity to PGE’s energy mix. This contribution played a key role in helping the company set new records in wind power generation, with a peak of 1,056 megawatts on February 26, 2024.