The Oregon Public Utility Commission has approved a rate increase of about 8.5% for Pacific Power customers, cutting the utilities’ proposed rate increase by nearly half.
The commission decision Thursday regarding PacifiCorp, also known as Pacific Power, approved the overall increase for all customer types combined, including residential, commercial and industrial customers, to take effect on Jan. 1.
PacifiCorp had requested a 17.9% increase in its initial general rate case filing.
Why is Pacific Power increasing rates?
Commission officials said drivers for the general rate case increase include capital investments in transmission, generation and other infrastructure, as well as wildfire-related cost increases.
“As regulators, our job is to look out for customers,” PUC Chair Megan Decker said. “We know that rate increases are difficult for Oregonians, and we only approve them after independently scrutinizing the facts and concluding that increasing rates is necessary to support safe and reliable utility service.”