Portland General Electric’s Beaver Power Plant has been in operation since 1974.
Courtesy of PGE
Many Oregonians will face higher electric bills starting in the New Year.
Oregon’s utility regulator Thursday announced approved rate increases for Portland General Electric and Pacific Power customers, citing increased costs for generating and purchasing electricity.
“Unfortunately, fuel cost increases and supply chain delays caused by global events, coupled with increasing volatility in regional power markets, are driving up prices for power generation and power purchases,” said Megan Decker, chair of the Oregon Public Utility Commission, in a press release.
Beginning January 1, PGE customers will see their electricity bills increase by 6%. Typical PGE residential customers consuming 780 kilowatt hours per month can expect monthly bills to increase from $114.54 to $122.60.
Meanwhile, Pacific Power’s customers will see a 15% increase. In a press release, the company said that a typical residential customer consuming 900 kilowatt-hours per month can expect monthly bills to increase from $91.89 to $111.34.
Pacific Power said the sharp increase was due to inflation and market volatility, as well as costs related to wildfire risk mitigation. The company has faced multiple lawsuits related to the 2020 Labor Day wildfires; One of those cases was settled in November, and a class action lawsuit is awaiting trial.
PacifiCorp, the utility’s parent company, serves approximately 2 million customers in six states, including 630,000 customers in Oregon. PGE serves approximately 900,000 customers in 51 Oregon cities.
Both PGE and Pacific Power offer programs that provide discounts to customers with income restrictions. Customers can also access support from local community action agencies including the Oregon Energy Fund, Oregon Energy Assistance Program, COVID Energy Assistance Program and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.