The US House of Representatives has passed a bill authorising the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon to buy a portion of the Pelton hydroelectric project.

The dams, which boast total annual power revenues of about US$26.8M,provide about 20% of the generating capacity for users in the Portland metro area.

The tribes will pay about US$25M for about a third of the Pelton and Round Butte dams. In 20 years, the tribes have the option to increase their share of the dams to 49.99%.

There is also an additional option for the tribes to take controlling interest of 50.01% by 2037.