Pacific Power wants to drop rates in Oregon, then hike them in 2027
Pacific Power wants to drop rates in Oregon, then hike them in 2027
Bill Poehler, Salem Statesman JournalFri, October 30, 2026 at 12:01 AM UTC
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Pacific Power announced it has reached a stipulated settlement with the Oregon Public Utility Commission that would allow it to hike rates next spring after first lowering them.
Customers of the utility will see a fluctuation in costs before the final rate increase of 0.3% as of April 5, 2027, according to Pacific Power.
The Public Utility Commission still needs to finalize the rate increase.
The commission on Oct. 28 allowed NW Natural to raise rates 7%.
Pacific Power's rates will go down by an estimated 3% in January 2027 under its plan due to a transition adjustment mechanism and 4.2% in April 2027 for a power cost adjustment mechanism for the years 2021, 2023 and 2024.
The final rate case increase of 9% will take place in April 2027, which would result in the effective .3% increase.
Publicly-owned utilities receive exclusive service territories in Oregon in exchange for state regulation.
Pacific Power has over 600,000 customers in Oregon cities including Dallas, Independence, Stayton, Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Roseburg, Coos Bay Medford, Hood River, Pendleton and a large portion of Portland.
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Pacific Power in May proposed a 10.8% residential rate increase. It also requested a 2.8% rate increase in June, which was denied by the PUC.
The company's settlement will allow it to increase rates by .2% and 1% this month for the company’s vegetation management and wildfire mitigation programs and energy assistance pass throughs.
Pacific Power said it needs the additional revenue for increased costs of power poles and wires, increased wildfire insurance costs and infrastructure projects that already have been completed.
“We’ve worked hard to keep our overall cost increases below inflation and well below the increases customers are seeing for other essentials,” Rick Link, senior vice president of regulation and planning for Pacific Power.
“This collaborative agreement reflects the real costs of providing safe, reliable electricity and supports critical investments in the grid.”
Pacific Power raised rates by 21% in 2023, 11% in 2024 and 9% in 2025.
Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Pacific Power wants to drop rates in Oregon, then hike them in 2027
Source: “AOL Money”
