Small Ways To Question Everything

Doing So Is Our Responsibility

Many newspapers no longer print “Letters to the Editor.” Sadly, I don’t disagree with that. In a post-factual anti-common-sense society, it makes no sense. Just go read the comments under any online article and you’ll understand why.

But, there are alternatives, and it’s sort of fun.

Today I read an article in the Salem Statesman Journal (a Gannett publication) on an upcoming energy rate increase. The article was a bland overview of why it’s coming.

We live in the age of flourishing data centers. Data centers are allegedly our path to the future. They house all the godzillabytes of information we share online everyday, like all the 1s and 0s Substack generates daily. They also give us AI, which uses vast amounts of electricity every time you ask one about why the sky is blue or Donald Trumps face is orange. Critical stuff we all want to understand.

The quote from the energy providers blamed these things:

“The power companies said the rate increases are due to the forecasted increases in the cost of power they purchase, investment in distribution systems, low-income assistance programs and investments in renewable energy.”

I don’t see anything about data center growth, and Oregon has plenty of it.

But at the bottom of the article was the reporter’s name, so I asked him. Here’s my email to that reporter.

Hello Bill

Thank you for the article on the PGE/PPL rate increase. In this article you quote the providers with this statement on the rate increase reason:

The power companies said the rate increases are due to the forecasted increases in the cost of power they purchase, investment in distribution systems, low-income assistance programs and investments in renewable energy.

In some of the quick googling I’ve done, data centers are a significant portion of the energy use increases in Oregon. The statement glosses over increased demands from this industry, and growth here is a hot topic especially with Governor Kotek’s Prosperity Roadmap plan.

Given the rapid growth of data centers for AI development, I humbly suggest additional research and reporting into how much of the rate increase is due to the high use of this growing technology sector. 

Thank you! 

I don’t expect an answer but stranger things have happened. I then took that email, tweaked it, and sent it to our Public Utility Commission and asked for clarification on how much of the increase is to subsidize power consumption by this rapidly growing sector.

Lastly, as a customer of Portland General Electric, I tweaked the letter and sent it to them.

Ironically, I’m adding to the need for these data centers I suppose, by sending off all these electronic missives. But it pales compared to what AI is demanding.

The whole process took 15 minutes and lets the powers-that-be know were watching. It encourages them to question more, and builds a foundation of expectation.

In the end, does it matter? I have to think so. Raindrops cause floods. Civic engagement is the basis of Democracy. Use it or lose it.