PJM adds utility, reliability executives to board. VALLEY FORGE, PA - PJM Interconnection elected former utility executive Larry Bekkedahl and former North American Electric Reliability Corporation executive Charles Berardesco to three-year terms on its Board of Managers, as the regional grid operator confronts mounting reliability and transmission challenges across the U.S. power sector. PJM members also reelected current board member Margaret Loebl to an additional three-year term, the organization announced. The appointments took effect immediately following the election process conducted under PJM's FERC-approved operating agreement. Bekkedahl recently retired as senior vice president of strategy and advanced delivery at Portland General Electric and brings more than four decades of experience across utilities and transmission organizations, including roles with Bonneville Power Administration, PacifiCorp and Montana Power. Berardesco previously served as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, where he also held interim chief executive responsibilities. "Larry and Charlie come to the Board with both regional and national perspectives in the electricity sector," PJM President and Chief Executive Officer David E. Mills stated. Their appointments come as PJM and other U.S. grid operators face growing scrutiny over electricity demand growth, transmission expansion, power plant retirements and long-term grid reliability. Loebl, who joined the PJM board in 2020, currently chairs the organization's Risk & Audit Committee. Mills credited Loebl with helping oversee changes to PJM's enterprise risk management, customer verification and credit programs during her tenure. "We're grateful to have her keen insight and experience for another term," Mills stated. Loebl previously served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of AgroFresh Solutions and has held finance, accounting and risk management leadership positions at multiple Fortune 500 companies. PJM operates the nation's largest electric grid, coordinating wholesale electricity markets and transmission systems across 13 states and the District of Columbia. Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources - free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.

Portland General Electric reported first quarter 2026 net income of $45 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, compared to $100 million, or $0.91 per diluted share, in the same period last year. The decline reflects unusually mild winter weather and lower residential and commercial usage, though industrial demand grew 10% quarter-over-quarter, driven by data centres and high-tech customers. On a non-GAAP basis, adjusting for regulatory deferrals and business transformation expenses, net income was $68 million, or $0.58 per diluted share. The company reaffirmed its 2026 adjusted earnings guidance of $3.33 to $3.53 per diluted share. PGE is pursuing acquisition of PacifiCorp's Washington utility operations, with regulatory applications submitted and closing expected in 2027.

New Partnership with PGE will help restore Oregon rivers and protect local fish. * March 20, 2026 * Danielle Dumont * Projects Oregon's beautiful rivers provide clean drinking water, irrigate forests and agriculture, create memorable recreation opportunities, and support unique fish and wildlife habitats. There are many ways to keep its rivers healthy, including supporting local projects that restore fish habitats. Beginning in 2026, The Freshwater Trust is partnering with Portland General Electric to distribute funds from PGE's Habitat Support Fund to benefit multiple rivers throughout its service area, including the Willamette, Sandy, and Deschutes rivers. PGE's Habitat Support Fund assists local habitat restoration projects that benefit Oregon's cold-water fish and create stronger river systems for all. The fund is made possible by Habitat Support Fund participants, who opt to pay an additional $2.50 a month to support anadromous fish habitats. "Together, PGE and The Freshwater Trust are strengthening natural ecosystems for our communities through meaningful fish habitat restoration," said Juliáe Riva, PGE Clean Energy & Environmental Grants Manager. Since 2003, PGE's Habitat Support Fund and its partners have supported hundreds of freshwater habitat restoration projects throughout Oregon. These projects benefit native fish - including salmon, steelhead, trout, and lamprey - in more than 750 miles of rivers and streams. About 10,000 PGE Green Future customers currently participate in the Habitat Support Fund. "This program provides an excellent opportunity for PGE customers to contribute to improving the Pacific Northwest's ecology," said Monique Leslie, Senior Restoration Project Manager at The Freshwater Trust. Restoration actions that have been implemented for past projects include removing fish passage barriers, opening streamflow in tributaries and side channels, creating natural, safe refuges, and restoring wetlands and riparian (or streamside) vegetation. "Oregon's migratory fish, such as salmon, are amazing and resilient species," said Leslie. "If we build the right natural conditions, they will return. Once the fish return, the whole stretch of river comes alive." New applications for funding projects will kick off in April. To learn more about the Habitat Support Fund grants and application process, please contact Monique Leslie. The Freshwater Trust is a nonprofit organization with roots in Oregon and a mission to preserve and restore freshwater ecosystems. In addition to administering the PGE Habitat Support Fund, TFT has administered the Pacific Power Blue Sky Habitat Fund, which funds projects to restore Oregon's native fish habitats, since 2011. TFT is also a member of the Drinking Water Providers Partnership, which supports restoration projects across Oregon and Washington that provide benefits to both drinking water systems and native fish. Photo credit: Freshwaters Illustrated / David Herasimtschuk