PacifiCorp Customers In Oregon To See Rate Increase Beginning April 1
Pacific Power customers in Oregon will see higher electric bills beginning April 1 after regulators approved a new rate adjustment. Most residential customers are expected to pay more each month, with the increase tied to higher power supply and related costs.
PacifiCorp residential customers in Oregon will see their electric bills go up beginning Wednesday, April 1, following a set of rate adjustments approved by the Oregon Public Utility Commission. State regulators said the combined changes take effect after the winter heating season and result in a higher monthly bill for typical residential customers.
According to the Oregon PUC, the combined effect of the approved filings is expected to increase the monthly bill for a typical PacifiCorp residential customer by about 2.9%, or $4.29. The commission said the increase reflects PacifiCorp’s annual power cost adjustment for 2024 along with several additional routine filings that either raised or lowered rates, with the net result being an overall increase.
Regulators said residential rate increases were delayed until April 1 under House Bill 3179, also known as the FAIR Act, which bars residential utility rate increases during the winter heating season from Nov. 1 through March 31. The policy is intended to reduce the financial impact on households during colder months, when energy use is often higher.
The Oregon PUC said the adjustment is tied largely to higher power supply costs. In its summary, the commission pointed to PacifiCorp’s 2024 power cost true-up and said the increase was driven in part by a rise in the company’s net power costs.
Pacific Power, which serves PacifiCorp customers in Oregon, has said the broader April adjustment also includes changes related to renewable energy costs, low-income bill assistance funding and support for Energy Trust of Oregon programs. The utility said cost pressures behind the increase include ongoing investments in renewable resources, higher fuel and wholesale electricity costs, coal supply issues, conversion work at the Jim Bridger plant, Klamath hydro facility removal and elevated power demand during the January 2024 ice storm.
PacifiCorp serves more than 620,000 customers in Oregon, according to the Oregon PUC. Residential customer impacts may vary depending on individual usage.
For customers struggling with bills, Pacific Power says assistance may be available through programs including the Oregon Low Income Discount Program, which can reduce monthly bills for qualifying households, along with other state and local bill-payment assistance resources.
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