Data centers are driving demand for gas from Northwest utilities, reports find

Data centers are driving demand for gas from Northwest utilities, reports find

An explosion of data center facilities, including the one pictured here in Umatilla County on May 18, 2026, have been built in Oregon along the Columbia River Gorge during the last few years. The boom has caused a more than 500% load growth for the Umatilla Electric Cooperative during the last decade, which has had to buy more gas and coal-powered electricity on the wholesale market to meet demand. (Photo by Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)…