SB685 • 2025

Requires a natural gas utility to provide notice to each customer of the utility and the Public Utility Commission if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that the utility blends with natural gas and the ratio of the volume of hydrogen to the volume of natural gas will, for the first time, be greater than 2.5 percent.

Energy

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Senator Pham,, Golden, Senator Campos,, Gorsek,, Manning Jr,, Taylor,, Representative Chotzen,, Gamba,, Nosse,, Tran,, Walters,
Last action: 2025-06-23
Official status: Chapter Number Assigned
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Requires a natural gas utility to provide notice to each customer of the utility and the Public Utility Commission if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that the utility blends with natural gas and the ratio of the volume of hydrogen to the volume of natural gas will, for the first time, be greater than 2.5 percent.

Digest: Makes a gas company give notice if the gas company plans to blend, for the first time, hydrogen with natural gas more than a certain amount.

What This Bill Does

Digest: Makes a gas company give notice if the gas company plans to blend, for the first time, hydrogen with natural gas more than a certain amount.
(Flesch Readability Score: 60.0). [Digest: Makes a public utility that wants to make or carry out a project with hydrogen to first get approval from the PUC.
(Flesch Readability Score: 61.4).] [Requires a public utility to obtain authorization from the Public Utility Commission to develop or carry out a project that involves the production or use of hydrogen in this state.
Provides criteria that the commission shall use to evaluate a proposed project.] Requires a natural gas utility to provide notice to each customer of the utility and the Public Utility Commission if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that the utility blends with natural gas and the ratio of the volume of hydrogen to the volume of natural gas will, for the first time, be greater than 2.5 percent.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-06-23 Senate
Chapter 328, 2025 Laws.
2025-06-23 Senate
Effective date, June 16, 2025.
2025-06-16 Senate
Governor signed.
2025-06-09 House
Speaker signed.
2025-06-05 Senate
President signed.
2025-06-03 House
Third reading. Carried by Gamba. Passed. Ayes, 32; Nays, 22--Boice, Boshart Davis, Breese-Iverson, Cate, Diehl, Drazan, Edwards, Elmer, Helm, Javadi, Levy B, Lewis, Mannix, McIntire, Osborne, Owens, Reschke, Scharf, Skarlatos, Smith G, Wright, Yunker; Excused, 4--Hartman, Helfrich, Nguyen H, Wallan; Excused for Business of the House, 1--Harbick.
2025-06-02 House
Rules suspended. Carried over to June 3, 2025 Calendar.
2025-05-29 House
Rules suspended. Carried over to June 2, 2025 Calendar.
2025-05-28 House
Recommendation: Do pass.
2025-05-28 House
Second reading.
2025-05-22 House
Work Session held.
2025-05-06 House
Public Hearing held.
2025-04-24 House
Referred to Climate, Energy, and Environment.
2025-04-22 Senate
Third reading. Carried by Pham. Passed. Ayes, 20; Nays, 9--Bonham, Girod, Linthicum, McLane, Nash, Robinson, Starr, Thatcher, Weber.
2025-04-22 House
First reading. Referred to Speaker's desk.
2025-04-21 Senate
Carried over to 04-22 by unanimous consent.
2025-04-17 Senate
Second reading.
2025-04-16 Senate
Recommendation: Do pass with amendments. (Printed A-Eng.)
2025-04-09 Senate
Work Session held.
2025-02-12 Senate
Public Hearing held.
2025-02-10 Senate
Public Hearing held.
2025-01-17 Senate
Referred to Energy and Environment.
2025-01-13 Senate
Introduction and first reading. Referred to President's desk.

Official Summary Text

<b>Digest: Makes a gas company give notice if the gas company plans to blend, for the first time, hydrogen with natural gas more than a certain amount. (Flesch Readability Score: 60.0).</b>
[<i>Digest: Makes a public utility that wants to make or carry out a project with hydrogen to first get approval from the PUC. (Flesch Readability Score: 61.4).</i>]
[<i>Requires a public utility to obtain authorization from the Public Utility Commission to develop or carry out a project that involves the production or use of hydrogen in this state. Provides criteria that the commission shall use to evaluate a proposed project.</i>]
<b>Requires a natural gas utility to provide notice to each customer of the utility and the Public Utility Commission if the utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that the utility blends with natural gas and the ratio of the volume of hydrogen to the volume of natural gas will, for the first time, be greater than 2.5 percent.
Requires a natural gas utility that has a program for blending hydrogen with natural gas to maintain on the utility's website information regarding the utility's program and how a customer may communicate with the utility about the utility's program.</b>
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
Relating to: Relating to hydrogen; and declaring an emergency.
Current location: Chapter Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
Senate Bill 685
Sponsored by Senators PHAM K, GOLDEN; Senators CAMPOS, GORSEK, MANNING JR,
TAYLOR, Representatives CHOTZEN, GAMBA, NOSSE, TRAN, WALTERS (Presession filed.)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to hydrogen; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
Section 2 of this 2025 Act is added to and made a part of ORS chapter 757.
SECTION 2. (1) As used in this section, “natural gas utility” or “utility” means a public
utility providing natural gas service to customers.
(2) A natural gas utility shall provide notice under subsection (3) of this section if:
(a) The utility plans to increase the amount of hydrogen that the utility blends with na-
tural gas that the utility delivers or furnishes through the utility’s distribution system; and
(b) This is the first time that the amount of hydrogen that the utility plans to blend is
such that the ratio of the volume of hydrogen gas to the volume of natural gas, expressed
as a percentage, is greater than 2.5 percent.
(3) A natural gas utility shall, at least 60 days prior to the date the utility begins blending
hydrogen in an amount described under subsection (2) of this section:
(a) Provide a notice to each customer of the utility that is affected by the plan to in-
crease the amount of hydrogen that the utility blends with the natural gas. The notice may
be provided to each customer in the same manner that the customer chooses to receive a
billing statement from the utility.
(b) File with the Public Utility Commission a notice that includes the following informa-
tion:
(A) The reason for the increase in the amount of hydrogen that the utility plans to blend
with the natural gas.
(B) Any required siting or permitting approvals.
(C) A description of any public outreach conducted by the utility regarding the plan.
(D) Any other information requested by the commission.
(4) A natural gas utility that has a program for blending hydrogen with the natural gas
that the utility delivers or furnishes through the utility’s distribution system shall maintain
on the utility’s website information regarding the utility’s program for blending hydrogen
with natural gas and how a customer may communicate with the utility about the utility’s
program for blending hydrogen with natural gas.
SECTION 3.
Notwithstanding the preconditions described under section 2 (2)(a) and (b)
of this 2025 Act, if by June 30, 2030, a natural gas utility has a program for blending hydrogen
with the natural gas that the utility delivers or furnishes through the utility’s distribution
Enrolled Senate Bill 685 (SB 685-A) Page 1
system and has not provided a notice under section 2 (3)(a) of this 2025 Act, the natural gas
utility shall provide a notice as described under section 2 (3)(a) of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 4. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
Passed by Senate April 22, 2025
..................................................................................
Obadiah Rutledge, Secretary of Senate
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Passed by House June 3, 2025
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Received by Governor:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
Approved:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tina Kotek, Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled Senate Bill 685 (SB 685-A) Page 2