This presentation was part of the Winter Term 2026 speaker series, Critical AI Literacy in Practice and Community, hosted and coordinated by Critical AI Literacy Fellow, Dr. Anna Guasco. The presenter is Sarah Wochele of the Oregon
Citizens' Utility Board (CUB). This presentation was supported by the
AI Literacy Center at Oregon State University and the OSU Libraries Gray Family Fund.
Description:
Most Oregonians are unfairly subsidizing data center energy bills in their own energy bills. At the same time, data centers are making it more difficult to meet emissions reductions requirements in Oregon, while also threatening our shared grid’s ability to power through really hot and cold days, and other extreme weather. This impacts our wallets, our health and safety, and our future. In 2025, Oregon passed the POWER Act - Protecting Oregonians with Energy Responsibility (HB 3546). This bill sought to protect families from energy costs caused by data centers, ensuring data centers pay their fair share in for-profit electric utility territories in Oregon. This is a huge and important step forward, and still we are facing other headwinds. Sarah will give an overview of how we got here–including a focus on growing energy unaffordability and the energy insecurity that comes with that, how we are seeking to solve the problems before us, and what opportunities we might have to address the other energy-related risks that are coming with data centers.
*Note, Sarah Wochele delivered the original presentation on Wednesday, March 4th. Due to technical difficulties that presentation was lost and Sarah generously re-recorded this presentation to publicly share.
