Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is expected to sign into law a bill passed by the legislature in June mandating 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. 

State House Bill (HB) 2021 requires electric utilities to transition to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from their generation sources until they provide only carbon-free power supplies to Oregon consumers over the next 19 years.

Oregon’s major electric utility, Portland General Electric (PGE), said HB 2021 was an “important step toward a clean energy future” that the utility has been working toward, according to spokesperson Dave Robertson. 

“It provides a clear path for this critical transition while protecting the affordability and reliability of electricity, and it establishes GHG emission reduction targets that are in...