PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland General Electric (PGE) has filed for regulator approval to further increase customer rates by 7.2%, starting in 2025.
In response, the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board — a consumer advocacy organization — is taking the unusual step of asking the Oregon Public Utility Commission to immediately reject PGE's filing. PGE raised customer rates by 17% in January 2024, and between 7% and 20% for residential customers in 2023.
Oregon CUB, which typically opposes rate increases, said it's making an "unprecedented appeal" for regulators to throw out the latest filing before review.
Bob Jenks, the executive director of Oregon CUB, said customers have been clear that "enough is enough" and the latest rate increase request is "tone deaf."
"[The rate increase filing] is loaded up with a bunch of other stuff, including wish list items, like a brand-new mechanism that would ensure large rate increases every January for the next 8 years," Jenks said. "We looked at this and said, 'This is not a good starting place for a case; the commission should reject this and tell the company to go back to the drawing board with a bit more empathy for your customers.'"
Jenks said he couldn't assess the likelihood of OPUC regulators agreeing with CUB in this case.
"To be honest, I don’t know — we’ve never done this before. We’ve been around for 40 years; we’ve never asked at the front end of a rate case for it to dismissed, so this is really new ground for Oregon," Jenks said. "I really don’t know what our chances are, but we really do think it’s the right thing, and it’s what PGE customers want.”
PGE previously said the proposed 2025 rate increase would help cover operating costs, upgrade infrastructure and install local batteries.
In response to the CUB motion, a PGE spokesperson shared this statement: "PGE is and will continue to be fully engaged in the public Rate Review process administered by the Oregon Public Utility Commission."
In explaining CUB's latest action, Jenks cited the 17% rate increase in January, higher-than-usual power bills in early 2024 due to a cold snap of weather, recent approved rate increases, and the broad scope of items listed in the PGE filing for regulatory approval.
To comment directly on this topic, members of the public can share their thoughts with regulators at this link under docket item UE 435 - PGE Request for a General Rate Revision.