PGE Announces Winners of Electric School Bus Funding
Beaverton, Centennial, Gresham-Barlow, Hillsboro, Portland and Salem-Keizer school districts are the winners of Portland General Electric’s 2021 Electric School Bus Fund. The six districts will each receive funding from the Oregon Clean Fuels Program to purchase an electric school bus, install charging infrastructure, and receive technical and training support. This is the second year of electric school bus competitive grant awards. Last year, PGE awarded buses to five school districts, several of which are now on the road .
Oregon School districts may use Public Purpose Charge funds to complete a fleet audit, purchase or lease zero-emissions vehicles, including buses, and purchase or install electric vehicle charging stations.
Senate Bill 1149 directed Oregon's two largest utilities, Portland General Electric and Pacific Power , to collect a "public purpose charge" from their customers. The first ten percent of funds collected go to Schools Districts to complete energy audits and implement energy efficiency measures in public schools within the PGE and Pacific Power service areas.
School improvements can include new windows, upgraded heating and cooling systems, building envelope improvements, energy efficient lighting, domestic hot water systems, and more. Effective January 1, 2020, school districts may use Public Purpose Charge funds to complete a fleet audit, purchase or lease zero-emissions vehicles, including buses, and purchase or install electric vehicle charging stations. School districts that would like to utilize Public Purpose Charge funds for electric vehicles and/or charging stations must follow the steps outlined here.