While many of us are still reeling from the sticker shock we received from our energy bills after last year’s extreme winter weather, a new round of rate increases is right around the corner. If you are anything like me, many of you are thinking about those bills as you debate whether to turn up the heat or bundle up.
This year, customers of Oregon’s largest investor-owned utilities will again see their energy bills increase. PGE rates have increased by 5.5% since January 1st, leading to an average customer to pay $160 per month. Customers of Pacific Power will see a 10% increase reflected on their bills this month, and NW Natural customers have been experiencing the latest increase of 4.5% since November. This comes on the heels of a steep rate increase over the last 4 years: Oregonians served by each of these utilities pay more than 40% more on their utility bills than they did in 2021.
Each of these companies requested rate increases that were nearly twice as large as what the Public Utility Commission ultimately granted them. The tireless advocacy of environmental justice, community organizations, and customer advocates like the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB) have helped to curb these increases.
So, why are rates going up so fast?
The short answer is that it’s complicated, but our friends at the CUB put together this excellent myth buster on the issue. As CUB explains, many factors drive these rate increases, ranging from the cost of fossil fuels and the impacts of climate change to aging infrastructure and rapid industrial sector growth. Thankfully, policymakers have several tools to protect Oregonians from growing energy costs.
That’s why Climate Solutions’ 2025 Oregon Legislative Agenda strongly focuses on energy affordability! We need common sense policies to limit what expenses utilities can charge their customers, expand affordable access to clean, cost-saving technologies like heat pumps, and address the growing challenge posed by industries like data centers and crypto. Climate Solutions and other environmental justice and community organizations will be supporting legislation, including:
- Get the Junk Out of Rates: Protects Oregonians from shouldering the costs of a utility’s political lobbying, advertising, and industry association fees.
- POWER Act: Protecting Oregonians With Energy Responsibility: Ensures that large energy users, like data centers and crypto operations, do not unfairly burden Oregon households with grid and transmission costs.
- One Stop Shop 2.0: Bolsters the state’s existing program to help Oregonians access financial incentives for electric heat pumps and other home efficiency upgrades.
With your help, we will also continue our work at the Public Utility Commission to protect communities and our climate by advocating for utility investments in a secure, reliable, and zero-pollution energy system. Stay tuned for opportunities to engage with the legislature and the Commission to hold utilities accountable and support a clean, resilient, affordable, clean energy future for all Oregonians.
