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Pacific Northwest utility consolidation

Pacific Northwest utility consolidation

Money Moves
By Newzino Staff |

Wildfire Liability and Energy Demand Reshape Regional Power Ownership

4 days ago: Portland General Electric Acquires PacifiCorp Washington Operations

Overview

Portland General Electric is paying $1.9 billion to acquire PacifiCorp's Washington utility operations—the first major cross-state utility acquisition in the Pacific Northwest in decades. The deal, announced February 17, 2026, transfers 140,000 customers, three power plants totaling 805 megawatts, and 4,500 miles of transmission lines from Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway to an Oregon-based utility partnering with Canadian infrastructure investors.

The sale comes as PacifiCorp faces up to $52 billion in wildfire liability claims from Oregon's 2020 Labor Day fires. Meanwhile, electricity demand across the region is surging—driven by data centers and semiconductor manufacturing—creating both pressure on distressed sellers and opportunity for well-capitalized buyers. With several sub-$10 billion utilities operating across five states, analysts expect this deal to accelerate further consolidation.

Key Indicators

$1.9B
Acquisition Price
Purchase price representing 1.4x estimated 2026 rate base
140,000
Customers Transferred
Washington state customers in Yakima, Walla Walla, and surrounding communities
$52B
PacifiCorp Wildfire Exposure
Potential liability from 2020 Oregon Labor Day fires
805 MW
Generation Capacity
Combined output from Chehalis gas plant (477 MW), Goodnoe Hills wind (94 MW), and Marengo wind (234 MW)

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People Involved

Maria Pope
Maria Pope
President and Chief Executive Officer, Portland General Electric (Leading PGE's Washington expansion)
Warren E. Buffett
Warren E. Buffett
Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway (Overseeing PacifiCorp wildfire liability response)
Gregory E. Abel
Gregory E. Abel
Vice Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway; CEO, Berkshire Hathaway Energy (Designated Berkshire successor, managing utility crisis)

Organizations Involved

Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric
Investor-Owned Utility
Status: Acquirer, expanding into Washington

Oregon's largest investor-owned utility, serving 950,000 customers across 1.9 million Oregonians.

PacifiCorp
PacifiCorp
Investor-Owned Utility (Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary)
Status: Seller, facing wildfire liability pressure

Multi-state utility serving 2 million customers across six western states, owned by Berkshire Hathaway Energy.

Manulife Investment Management
Manulife Investment Management
Infrastructure Investment Manager
Status: 49% partner in Washington utility acquisition

Canadian asset manager whose $5.5 billion Infrastructure Fund III focuses on North American utilities and renewable energy.

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
State Regulatory Agency
Status: Must approve acquisition

State regulator overseeing investor-owned utilities in Washington, including rate-setting and merger approval.

Timeline

  1. Portland General Electric Acquires PacifiCorp Washington Operations

    Acquisition

    PGE announces $1.9 billion deal to acquire PacifiCorp's Washington utility assets with Manulife as 49% partner. The deal includes 140,000 customers and 805 megawatts of generation.

  2. PacifiCorp Appeals Wildfire Rulings

    Legal

    PacifiCorp urges Oregon appeals court to overturn rulings exposing it to $52 billion in potential wildfire liabilities, arguing damages calculations are flawed.

  3. NorthWestern Energy Takes Control of Colstrip

    Transfer

    NorthWestern Energy assumes 55% ownership of Colstrip coal plant after acquiring shares from Puget Sound Energy and Avista, consolidating Montana coal generation.

  4. Manulife Infrastructure Fund III Closes at $5.5 Billion

    Investment

    Manulife Investment Management closes oversubscribed infrastructure fund focused on North American utilities and renewable energy, positioning for utility acquisitions.

  5. PacifiCorp Wildfire Settlements Reach $1.7 Billion

    Settlement

    PacifiCorp announces $150 million settlement with 1,434 plaintiffs, bringing total wildfire settlements to nearly $1.7 billion including a $125 million deal with Oregon wineries.

  6. S&P Downgrades PacifiCorp to BBB-

    Financial

    S&P Global Ratings cuts PacifiCorp to one notch above junk status, warning of potential further downgrades as wildfire litigation costs mount.

  7. Black Hills and NorthWestern Energy Agree to Merge

    Consolidation

    Two regional utilities serving Montana, South Dakota, and Nebraska announce merger, citing data center demand growth as driver for combination.

  8. Puget Sound Energy Exits Colstrip

    Divestiture

    Puget Sound Energy announces transfer of its 25% stake in Colstrip coal plant to NorthWestern Energy, effective January 2026, to comply with Washington's coal elimination mandate.

  9. PacifiCorp Wildfire Mini-Trials Begin

    Legal

    First of ongoing wildfire damages trials begins in Oregon. Juries find PacifiCorp liable in a series of mini-trials, with awards averaging $5 million per plaintiff.

  10. Labor Day Wildfires Devastate Oregon

    Disaster

    Catastrophic wildfires burn over 500,000 acres and destroy more than 2,000 structures in Oregon and Northern California. Investigations later attribute several fires to PacifiCorp equipment.

  11. Washington Passes Clean Energy Transformation Act

    Regulation

    Washington state enacts law requiring utilities to eliminate coal by 2025, achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2030, and reach 100% clean electricity by 2045.

  12. Berkshire Hathaway Acquires PacifiCorp

    Acquisition

    Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Energy completes $5.1 billion cash acquisition of PacifiCorp from ScottishPower, adding the six-state utility to its energy portfolio.

  13. Pacific Power & Light Founded

    Origin

    Pacific Power & Light formed from merger of financially troubled utilities serving Yakima, Walla Walla, and other Pacific Northwest communities. The new company had 14,344 customers.

Scenarios

1

PGE Acquisition Approved, Further Regional Consolidation Follows

Discussed by: Jefferies analysts, utility sector observers

Washington and federal regulators approve the deal within 12 months as projected. Success emboldens other sub-$10 billion Pacific Northwest utilities—Avista ($3B market cap), Idacorp ($6.8B)—to pursue or accept acquisition offers. Data center demand growth accelerates consolidation as utilities seek scale for infrastructure investment.

2

Washington Regulators Block or Condition Sale

Discussed by: Utility Dive, regulatory analysts referencing 2018 Hydro One-Avista rejection

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, which rejected Hydro One's Avista acquisition in 2018, imposes significant conditions or denies approval citing customer protection concerns. Foreign ownership through Manulife's Canadian parent or rate impact concerns could trigger scrutiny similar to past rejections.

3

PacifiCorp Wildfire Liability Forces Broader Asset Sales

Discussed by: S&P Global Ratings, Claims Journal, Oregon Capital Chronicle

Wildfire damages trials continue through 2028, with total judgments exceeding PacifiCorp's reserves. Berkshire Hathaway divests additional PacifiCorp assets—potentially Oregon or California operations—to meet settlement obligations and avoid junk bond status. The Washington sale becomes the first of multiple forced divestitures.

4

Power Shortage Crisis Accelerates Deal Approvals

Discussed by: Northwest Power and Conservation Council, E3 consulting study for Washington UTC

Projected 2026-2030 electricity shortfalls—potentially causing rolling blackouts during extreme weather—pressure regulators to fast-track utility investments. PGE's commitment to maintain and expand Washington generation capacity becomes a selling point for approval, overriding other concerns.

Historical Context

Hydro One-Avista Merger Rejection (2018)

July 2017 - January 2019

What Happened

Ontario-based Hydro One agreed to acquire Spokane's Avista Corporation for $5.3 billion, creating a cross-border utility giant. After 18 months of regulatory review, Washington's Utilities and Transportation Commission rejected the deal in December 2018, citing concerns about political interference from Ontario's government after newly-elected Premier Doug Ford forced out Hydro One's CEO and board.

Outcome

Short Term

Hydro One paid a $103 million termination fee. Avista remained independent.

Long Term

The rejection established that Washington regulators will block deals they deem contrary to customer interests, regardless of financial terms. Foreign utility ownership faces heightened scrutiny.

Why It's Relevant Today

The PGE-PacifiCorp deal faces the same Washington regulatory gauntlet. While PGE is domestic, Manulife's Canadian ownership of 49% could draw similar foreign control concerns.

California Utility Wildfire Bankruptcies (2019)

November 2018 - July 2020

What Happened

Pacific Gas & Electric filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2019 after facing $30 billion in wildfire liabilities from the 2017-2018 California fire seasons. The company pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter related to the Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Outcome

Short Term

PG&E emerged from bankruptcy in July 2020 after establishing a $13.5 billion wildfire victim compensation fund.

Long Term

California created a wildfire insurance fund and reformed liability rules. The precedent showed utilities can survive catastrophic fire liability—but also that shareholders, not ratepayers, may bear the costs.

Why It's Relevant Today

PacifiCorp faces similar existential wildfire liability. Unlike PG&E's regulated California monopoly, PacifiCorp can divest operations in individual states—making asset sales a viable alternative to bankruptcy.

Enron-Portland General Electric Collapse (2001)

July 1997 - December 2001

What Happened

Enron acquired Portland General Electric for $2.1 billion in 1997, planning to use the regulated utility as a platform for wholesale power trading. When Enron collapsed in December 2001 amid accounting fraud, PGE was caught in the bankruptcy. Oregon regulators blocked Enron from extracting value from PGE's assets.

Outcome

Short Term

PGE continued operations through Enron's bankruptcy. Employees lost pension savings invested in Enron stock.

Long Term

PGE emerged as an independent company in 2006 via IPO. The experience demonstrated Pacific Northwest regulators' willingness to protect utility customers from corporate parent distress.

Why It's Relevant Today

PGE now sits on the buyer's side, acquiring assets from a utility facing financial pressure. The company's own history as a distressed asset shapes its understanding of regulatory dynamics.

12 Sources:
+6
Portland General Electric Investor Relations Yahoo Finance / Bloomberg MarketScreener Claims Journal Utility Dive PR Newswire Washington State Department of Commerce Northwest Power and Conservation Council NBC News Claims Journal Claims Journal Utility Dive