The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is hosting a virtual event for the public to comment on Portland General Electric’s general rate case filing that proposed an increase to electricity rates. This event, held Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 6-7 p.m. PDT, provides the opportunity to speak directly to the commissioners about the proposed rate increase. Customers may also submit comments in writing or by phone through June 14, 2024.
PGE, which provides electric service to approximately 920,000 Oregon customers, filed a request to increase overall revenues by $202 million or approximately 7.4% for all customer types combined. If approved, residential single-family customers using an average of 886 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month would see a bill increase of $11.33. For a residential customer in a multi-family home using an average of 590 kWh per month, bills would increase by $8.23 Actual percentage increases will vary depending on customer type and usage.
PGE identifies several reasons driving the general rate case filing, including investments in local battery energy storage projects for enhanced reliability and resilience during peak demand, transmission, and distribution to allow dependable energy flow as demand grows, and upgrades to technology and generation facilities for increased resilience and long-term, dependable power.
PGE’s general rate case filing is undergoing a nearly year-long review and will be fully investigated on behalf of electricity customers by the PUC, the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board, and others. This public comment event is part of that investigation, which will conclude in December when the Commissioners rule on the request. The Commissioners may approve or modify PGE’s request and will only approve rate increases if fully justified by the company. New rates, if approved, are expected to go into effect January 1, 2025.
Comment via Zoom or phone on Thursday, May 16 from 6-7 p.m. PDT
This meeting may go beyond the scheduled end time to allow more people to comment. The Commission will attempt to accommodate all individuals arriving before 7 p.m. PDT and may close the meeting at 7 p.m. if there are no members of the public waiting to comment at that time. Members of the public who want to comment are encouraged to sign into the meeting as close to 6 p.m. as possible. This event will not be live-streamed.
Access the Zoom link and phone-in details at: https://bit.ly/3Uu9Viy
Spanish translation services are available for community convenience at no cost. For those needing translation services, log into the Zoom platform and select English or Spanish on the bottom of the page. Translation services are not available for the meeting phone-in option.
Submit comments directly to the PUC by June 14, 2024
- Public Comment Form online
- email PUC.PublicComments@puc.oregon.gov
- Call 503-378-6600 or 800-522-2404 (all relay calls accepted)
- Mail comments to: Oregon Public Utility Commission, Attn: AHD – UE 435, PO Box 1088, Salem OR 97308-1088
Stay Informed
To stay informed throughout this case, individuals may request to be added to the distribution list to receive publicly available documents. Submit requests by email to puc.hearings@puc.oregon.gov or by calling 503-378-6678. Please specify Docket No. UE 435 in the request.
Source: Oregon Public Utility Commission