PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Pacific Power has significantly scaled back its proposed Oregon rate hike request for next year, in part due to customer criticism over the impact the earlier proposal would have on households and businesses across the state.
“Pacific Power filed reply testimony in the Oregon General Rate Case on Friday, proposing an overall 11.9% rate increase for customers, a significant reduction relative to the original rate request of 17.9% filed in February,” the utility said in a statement shared with NewsChannel 21.
The utility said its revised its filing represents an overall reduction in its rate increase request from $322.3 million to $214.5 million.
The overall average rate increase for residential customers is 14.9%, compared to the 21.6% increase proposed earlier this year. The average residential customer using 950 kilowatt-hours per month would see a $21.49 increase on their monthly power bill, Pacific Power said.
A key change included in the Oregon General Rate Case reply filing is the removal of the Catastrophic Fire Fund “to allow for additional development of the fund proposal,” the utility said.