Portland General Electric and GridCARE Accelerate Hundreds of Megawatts of Data Center Power in Leading U.S. Market

Rhea-AI Summary

Portland General Electric (POR) and GridCARE completed a joint project to accelerate data center interconnections in Hillsboro, Oregon, enabling over 80 MW of incremental capacity in 2026 and a total of more than 400 MW to be energized by 2029. The project used GridCARE's patented DeFlex™ generative AI forecasting, hourly demand modeling, and flexibility (batteries and onsite generation) to validate capacity on existing infrastructure and bring large loads online years earlier than planned. The approach aims to lower upgrade costs, preserve reliability, and support broader data center-driven investment in the region while addressing growing electricity demand nationally.

Positive

• Over 80 MW incremental capacity available for 2026
• More than 400 MW energized by 2029
• Generative AI DeFlex™ forecasting validated capacity on existing grid
• Interconnections delivered years earlier than expected using flexibility
• Optimizes batteries and onsite generation to avoid multi‑year upgrades

Negative

• None.

Insights

Grid infrastructure analyst

PGE and GridCARE's AI-driven interconnection plan frees hundreds of MWs faster, providing measurable capacity gains through 2026–2029.

By applying GridCARE's DeFlex™ generative AI forecasting and flexibility modeling, Portland General Electric validated incremental capacity without immediate heavy capital upgrades. The project yields >80 MW available for data centers in 2026 and over 400 MW energized by 2029, which directly accelerates large-load interconnections and shortens traditional queue timelines.

Key dependencies and risks include the operational availability and dispatch rules for flexible resources (batteries, onsite generation), the accuracy of the AI-driven hourly demand forecasts, and the regulatory treatment of cost allocation. If flexibility is constrained or forecast errors occur, the timing or reliability of the stated capacity could shift.

Watch implementation metrics over the next 12–48 months: actual MW energized in 2026, demonstrated battery/onsite dispatch performance, and any regulatory filings that define cost allocation. Also monitor whether this model scales beyond Hillsboro to achieve the stated >400 MW by 2029.

GridCARE's AI-enabled grid planning approach accelerates time-to-power in Hillsboro, Oregon

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Oct. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Portland General Electric (PGE) and GridCARE successfully completed their first joint project to accelerate large load interconnections using flexibility for data centers in Hillsboro, Oregon. This will result in over 80 MW of incremental capacity available for data center load in 2026, part of a total of more than 400 MW that will be energized by 2029. The novel generative AI-forecasting methodology more efficiently uses existing grid infrastructure to meet growing electricity demand in key economic sectors.

Hillsboro is a major data center hub in the U.S., thanks to its access to a diverse energy mix, robust fiber connectivity, and temperate climate. These advantages have attracted a large number of data center projects with billions of dollars to invest. Meeting this demand requires innovative approaches that both accelerate load interconnections and safeguard affordability for all customers.

"Delivering safe, reliable electricity at the lowest possible cost are our core customer commitments," said Larry Bekkedahl, SVP of Strategy and Advanced Energy Delivery, Portland General Electric. "By working with GridCARE, we've successfully implemented an AI-based approach that helps us serve fast-growing data center demand while keeping costs low and maintaining system reliability. This kind of beneficial electrification is a win for our customers, our communities, and Oregon's economy."

A Breakthrough Approach

To identify and validate capacity on the existing system, PGE used GridCARE's patented DeFlex™ methodology, to apply generative AI forecasting, detailed hourly demand modeling, and grid flexibility solutions. By optimizing the use of flexible resources such as batteries and onsite generation, PGE is able to interconnect multiple data center customers years earlier than initially expected.

This breakthrough approach provides multiple benefits:

• Faster interconnection for large loads without waiting for multi-year upgrades,
• More efficient use of existing grid assets, controlling costs for all customers, and
• Increased flexibility that supports both system reliability and energy goals.

"The pace of AI and cloud growth demands new thinking about how we power the digital economy," said Christian Belady, retired VP of Datacenter Advanced Development at Microsoft. "What PGE and GridCARE have accomplished in Hillsboro is the kind of innovation that not only enables AI and cloud expansion — it unlocks billions in new investment and accelerates returns across the entire North American ecosystem."

Broader Impact

Nationally, electricity demand from data centers is projected to reach 6.7% to 12% of U.S. consumption by 2028, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Lab¹. Utilities everywhere are grappling with how to deliver new capacity quickly while managing system costs and maintaining fair cost allocation for growth demand across customer classes.

GridCARE's platform helps utilities validate their planning, model flexibility at scale, and relieve interconnection queues. By doing so, it supports billions in new local and regional economic investment while reinforcing the utility's core mission of reliable and safe power delivery, while serving energy at the lowest cost possible.

This partnership strengthens Oregon's role as a national technology hub and also positions Portland General Electric as one of the first utilities to utilize AI for large-scale load forecasting to benefit the grid and customers. 

"Utilities face a once-in-a-generation opportunity to meet exponential load growth," said Amit Narayan, CEO of GridCARE. "By combining generative AI with grid flexibility, we help utilities like PGE move at the pace the AI economy requires. This project shows what's possible when utilities and innovators partner closely."

About GridCARE
GridCARE solves data center developers' most urgent bottleneck — immediate access to power — through a pioneering physics-based generative AI platform that unlocks gigawatts of near-term capacity from today's grid. Partnering with utilities, GridCARE applies a proprietary playbook to create additional network capacity on existing transmission infrastructure without costly upgrades or multi-year delays. Founded at Stanford's Doerr School and backed by leading investors in Energy and AI, GridCARE is working with major technology and data center companies to accelerate interconnection requests for large-load and data center projects.

About Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is an integrated energy company that generates, transmits and distributes electricity to nearly 950,000 customers serving an area of 1.9 million Oregonians. Since 1889, Portland General Electric (PGE) has been powering social progress, delivering safe, affordable, reliable and increasingly clean electricity while working to transform energy systems to meet evolving customer needs. PGE customers have set the standard for prioritizing clean energy with the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the country. PGE was ranked the No. 1 utility in the 2024 Forrester U.S. Customer Experience Index and is committed to reducing emissions from its retail power supply by 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2040. In 2024, PGE employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $5.5 million and volunteered nearly 23,000 hours to more than 480 nonprofit organizations. For more information visit www.PortlandGeneral.com/news

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¹ Shehabi, A.; Newkirk, A.; Smith, S.; Hubbard, A.; Lei, N.; Siddik, M., et al. (2024). 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Report #: LBNL-2001637. http://dx.doi.org/10.71468/P1WC7Q Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/32d6m0d1

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SOURCE GridCARE

FAQ

What capacity did Portland General Electric (POR) and GridCARE enable in Hillsboro for 2026?

They enabled over 80 MW of incremental data center capacity available in 2026.

How much total data center capacity will be energized in Hillsboro by 2029 under the POR/GridCARE project?

The project supports a total of more than 400 MW to be energized by 2029.

What technology did POR use to accelerate interconnections for data centers?

POR used GridCARE's patented DeFlex™ generative AI forecasting plus hourly demand modeling and grid flexibility.

How does the POR/GridCARE approach affect grid upgrade timelines and costs?

By optimizing flexibility (batteries and onsite generation), the approach brings large interconnections years earlier and reduces the need for multi‑year upgrades.

What national electricity demand projection for data centers was cited in the announcement?

The announcement referenced a projection that data centers could reach 6.7% to 12% of U.S. electricity consumption by 2028.

What is the investor relevance of POR's Hillsboro project with GridCARE?

The project signals POR adopting AI‑enabled planning to unlock near‑term capacity growth and support regional data center investment.