Utility customers in Oregon have seen steep rate increases in the past two years – and more are in the works. What gives?

Portland General Electric customers saw their bills go up by 18% in January, in addition to a 14.8% rate increase in 2023. Pacific Power customers saw bills increase by 21% at the start of 2023 and by another 12% in January.

Pacific Power just filed another rate increase proposal in Oregon seeking a 17% average increase. Idaho Power is also seeking to raise rates by nearly 27% for its eastern Oregon customers.

And it’s not just electric utility customers who are feeling the pinch. NW Natural gas rates have gone up by over 32% since September 2022.

Bob Jenks is executive director of the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, a nonprofit organization created via a 1984 ballot measure to advocate for all state utility customers. On Beat Check, Jenks talked about why those rates are climbing so steeply, what the future of utility rates is and how climate change and our transition to clean energy and an all-electric future are affecting utilities.

Jenks also spoke about flaws in utility regulations and how his organization is working on reforming them.

He encouraged lower income customers to apply for the income-qualified utility bill discount programs, but said those programs aren’t a panacea to solving the issue of energy affordability. PGE has just expanded its bill discount program to provide up to a 60% monthly energy discount to customers who qualify. Pacific Power has a similar program as does NW Natural.

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