Oregon utility offers help to cannabis growers after wave of outages

Source: Yahoo! News / Reuters

PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) - An Oregon electric utility said on Thursday that residents growing light-craving marijuana plants indoors have sparked a wave of small-scale outages, prompting the company to offer expert help in setting up their home-growing operations.

Pacific Power said it has grappled with increased outages since July 1, when Oregon law changed to allow adults over 21 to grow up to four marijuana plants apiece for recreational use.

Voters in Oregon and Alaska last year approved marijuana use and possession under state-regulated frameworks that will usher in retail pot shops in 2016 similar to those already operating in Washington state and Colorado.

Pacific Power, which operates in Oregon, Washington state, and California, is asking new indoor marijuana growers to consult an electrician before getting started, he said. In some cases, growers may need to work with the utility to request a capacity upgrade to the local grid.

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