PGE provides six new electric buses to five Portland-area school districts

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - Portland General Electric will be providing six more electric school buses to five metro area school districts.

The utility company announced Tuesday that Beaverton, Gresham-Barlow, Portland, Salem-Keizer and Tigard-Tualatin school districts were the recipients of the new buses as part of the 2022 Electric School Bus Fund.

The Tigard-Tualatin School District reported Monday it will receive two electric school buses from PGE.

PGE says those districts were chosen “based on their commitments to meet the needs of underserved communities and incorporate the buses more broadly into student education around climate science.”

“Electrifying transportation is a key driver of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and an important step toward reaching our goal of 100 percent clean energy for all Oregonians,” said Maria Pope, president and CEO of Portland General Electric. “Transitioning to all-electric school buses ensures that children and communities benefit. We are pleased to partner with school districts across the state.”

This is the third year of electric school bus competitive grant awards. In 2020, PGE funded the first five electric school buses in Oregon. PGE awarded grants for seven school buses last year.

According to PGE, the Electric School Bus Fund covers the incremental cost of electric school buses and can provide up to $50,000 towards the installation of charging infrastructure.