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The EFSC Process

Large energy facilities located in Oregon must have an energy facility site certificate. In order to construct the Cascade Crossing Transmission Project (Cascade Crossing), Portland General Electric (PGE) must apply for, and receive, an energy facility site certificate from Oregon Department of Energy – Energy Facility Siting Council (ODOE-EFSC).

Oregon’s energy facility siting process combines all state and local government requirements associated with Cascade Crossing into a single decision. This process has two major phases each having opportunities for public participation. The phases are:

  1. Phase 1 – Notice of Intent
    • PGE submitted a Notice of Intent (NOI) on May 17, 2010 to ODOE-EFSC describing the project.
    • ODOE solicited input from the public, state and local agencies regarding the NOI through August 2, 2010.
    • Based on comments from the public and agencies, ODOE will publish a Project Order describing the issues, laws and regulations PGE will have to address in its Application for Site Certificate.
  2. Phase 2 – Application for Site Certificate
    • The second phase begins when PGE submits a Preliminary Application for an Energy Facility Site Certificate to ODOE-EFSC.
    • This phase concludes when EFSC decides whether to approve or deny PGE’s Site Certificate.

The diagram below outlines the steps in EFSC’s permitting process, and the orange circles indicate public participation opportunities. Click on the diagram for more details about the process.

This diagram shows Oregon’s Energy Facility Siting Council process which starts when the applicant, in this case Portland General Electric, submits a Notice of Intent to prepare an Application for Site Certificate, which is followed by public information meetings and a comment period. Following the Notice of Intent, the Oregon Department of Energy will publish the Project Order. The next stage of the process begins when the applicant, PGE, submits the Application for Site Certificate. The Oregon Department of Energy will request comments on this Application and will produce a Draft Proposed Order, followed by a public hearing . The Oregon Department of Energy then publishes a Proposed Order, which is followed by a Contested Case Hearing. Finally, the Energy Facility Siting Council will approve or deny the application in the Final Order.
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EFSC’s Decision-making Guidelines

ODOE-EFSC review PGE’s Application for Site Certificate and will decide whether to issue a Site Certificate based on:

  • EFSC’s pass/fail siting standards.
  • Comments received by the public, state agencies and local governments.
  • Applicable state and local regulations.