![]() ![]() This increase would only benefit wealthy shareholders. Pacific Power is asking customers to pay approximately $8 million more annually just to increase its profits. CUB will be looking into these requests to make sure they are reasonable.Ĭustomers shouldn’t pay to increase profit margins for wealthy shareholders. However, customers must only pay for reasonable costs. Reasonably, the capital costs will be recovered over decades, not a large increase over one year. Wildfire management is necessary for keeping Oregon safe as the climate changes. The utility also plans to spend an additional $20 million on vegetation management. Pacific Power plans to spend $19.6 million on wildfire mitigation for its Oregon system in 2022. This is the system that moves electricity from big interstate transmission lines to customers within the state. These investments will go toward improving the distribution system in Oregon. Pacific Power plans to invest about $35 million in capital costs. Pacific Power is seeking millions in wildfire prevention costs. And it could leave Oregon households on the hook for millions of dollars a year. ![]() This change would undermine the hard work CUB has historically done to protect customers. These rule changes would shift risk to customers to protect its profits. In addition to these requests, Pacific Power wants to change how it handles forecasted power costs. Increasing the single-family base charge.Wildfire preparedness (repairs and upgrades to Pacific Power’s system).What is included in the rate increase request? Higher bills could force many to choose between electricity and necessary costs like food or healthcare. Oregon households are already struggling to make ends meet. In a year with historic rates of inflation, increasing bills at this level is cause for concern. Now is not the time for a large bill increase for Pacific Power customers. Pacific Power’s big bill increase request could break customers’ budgets. Combined, this is the largest residential increase for Pacific Power in 20 years. The power cost update asks to raise residential rates by $31 million. The general rate case seeks to add $75 million to residential customers’ bills. These increases are coming from two requests: a general rate case and a power cost update. This proposed increase would be even worse on summer cooling bills, especially in Southern and Eastern Oregon. For an average customer, this would be an additional $13.35 for their monthly bill. This year, Pacific Power wants to raise bills for Oregon households by 14%, or $106 million. Sign up for information on how to get involved! You can speak up at a virtual public hearing at 6:00pm on May 24. We will be fighting back against shifting risk to customers and unfair bill increases. ![]() Editor’s Note: CUB will be advocating for Oregon households throughout this case. ![]()
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