Building Community Power in the Clean Energy Transition
Oregon and Washington Energy Justice Leadership Programs
The clean energy transition is reshaping how electricity is generated, delivered, and paid for, and the communities most affected by these decisions deserve a real say in them. For nearly a decade, NWEC has built programs that pair community leadership with our technical expertise in utility regulation and energy policy, translating voice into lasting influence. Our leadership programs model that began in Oregon has now scaled to Washington, creating networks of advocates and building movements that will last long after participants leave the programs.
Oregon
Energy Advocates
In Oregon, we convene the Energy Advocates, a coalition of environmental, consumer, and community-based organizations that have spent the last 6 years shaping utility policy before the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC), primarily on the implementation of HB 2021.
HB 2021 (2021) established a framework for transitioning Oregon’s electricity sector toward 100% clean energy, with targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electricity. The bill also directed the OPUC to oversee clean energy plans for regulated utilities, while considering reliability, affordability, and community benefits. Meeting regularly as Energy Advocates has strengthened coordination across groups and helped optimize our collective capacity. This collaboration has supported a substantial amount of comments and engagement at the OPUC, while also helping identify overlaps between state energy policies.
Energy Justice Leadership Program
In 2023, we launched the Oregon Energy Justice Leadership Program in partnership with the Coalition of Communities of Color, Verde, Oregon Just Transition Alliance, and Multnomah County Office of Sustainability. Every year, 20 participants from across Oregon learn how the energy system and regulatory process work, and get to go on a field trip to a community-based renewable energy project. This program provides stipends, language access, and hands-on experience in real proceedings, with support designed to open the door to people who have historically been shut out of energy spaces. Participants have directly shaped Oregon policy on energy affordability, utility bill assistance, and have been panelists or testifiers, sharing what they have learned and their lived experiences. The current program is running from June 2026-January 2027.
In October 2025, frontline leaders from Oregon visited Hood River County to see community-owned clean energy in action. Members of the program visited four hydroelectric sites and reflected on how producing clean energy within communities is part of the advancement of energy justice.
Washington
Energy Justice Leadership Program: Shifting Power on Data Centers
In 2026, NWEC and Front And Centered launched a companion Washington Energy Justice Leadership Program, modeled after the successful work in Oregon. This leadership program is designed to help participants self-advocate for their community’s energy needs and is focused on knowledge exchange and advocacy related to the build out of hyperscale data centers in Washington, but draws on existing expertise and energy-related challenges that frontline communities in Washington face. Like its sister program in Oregon, it will create and expand pathways for community leaders to participate in regulatory and legislative advocacy, and set up a model to maintain engagement with a network of advocates beyond this first phase of the program to continue movement building. Approximately 11 local leaders are being selected for the program, which includes a mix of in-person and virtual events, that kicked off in late July 2026 and will culminate in a lobby day in Olympia in February during the 2027 legislative session.
Stay tuned for updates on future programs!