Portland General Electric’s Beaver Generating Station has been in operation since 1974.
Courtesy of PGE
Many Oregonians can expect higher electric bills starting on New Year’s Day.
Oregon’s utility regulator on Thursday announced approved rate increases for Portland General Electric and Pacific Power customers, citing rising costs to generate and purchase power.
“Unfortunately, rising fuel costs and supply chain delays caused by global events, combined with increasing volatility in regional electricity markets, are driving up the price of utilities to generate and purchase electricity. electricity,” Megan Decker, who chairs the Oregon Public Utilities Commission, said in a statement. Press release.
Starting January 1, PGE customers will see a 6% increase in their electricity bills. Typical residential PGE customers using 780 kilowatt hours per month can expect their monthly bills to increase by $114.54 to $122.60.
Meanwhile, Pacific Power customers will see a 15% increase. In a press release, the company said a typical residential customer using 900 kilowatt hours per month can expect their monthly bills to rise from $91.89 to $111.34.
Pacific Power said the significant increase is due to inflation and market volatility, as well as costs associated with mitigating wildfire risk. The company has faced multiple lawsuits related to the 2020 Labor Day wildfires; one of those cases settled in November and a class action lawsuit awaits trial.
PacifiCorp, the utility’s parent company, serves about 2 million customers in six states, including 630,000 customers in Oregon. PGE serves approximately 900,000 customers in 51 cities in Oregon.
Both PGE and Pacific Power have programs that offer rebates to customers facing income restrictions. Customers can also access assistance through local community action agencies, including the Oregon Energy Fund, Oregon Energy Assistance Program, COVID Energy Assistance Program, and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
