SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) has approved electric rate adjustments for residential customers of both Portland General Electric (PGE) and PacifiCorp that will take effect April 1, 2026.
The approved changes reflect each utility’s annual power cost adjustment, along with several additional rate-related filings that either increase or decrease customer rates. In both cases, the net result is an overall increase for residential customers.
For PGE customers, the typical residential monthly bill is expected to increase by about $7.97, or 5%. For PacifiCorp customers, the typical residential monthly bill is expected to increase by about $5.64, or 4.1%. Actual bill impacts will vary depending on individual energy usage.
Residential rate changes for both utilities were delayed until April 1 under House Bill 3179, the FAIR Act, which prevents residential rate increases during the winter heating season from November 1 through March 31 in an effort to reduce impacts on customers.
The PUC said the rate adjustments reflect a combination of updated power supply costs and other utility expenses. For PGE, that includes updated forecasts for fuel and purchased power costs, recovery of approved storm-related expenses, and investments in the electric distribution system. The adjustment also includes changes tied to low-income energy assistance, federal hydropower benefits, battery storage resources, demand flexibility, transportation electrification programs, community solar, and wildfire mitigation.
For PacifiCorp, the overall increase reflects updated actual 2024 costs for fuel, purchased power, wholesale market sales, and other power cost expenses compared with forecasted costs. The changes also include routine accounting and tax-related updates, the cost of two wind farms designed to reduce reliance on more expensive power sources, and updated funding for Energy Trust of Oregon energy-efficiency programs.
“Our responsibility is to ensure the lights stay on and service remains safe and reliable,” said Commission Chair Letha Tawney. “As climate change places new and growing pressures on the grid, the Commission carefully evaluates utility spending that supports system hardening and long-term resilience.”
Tawney added that the Commission’s role is also to ensure utility rates reflect the real costs of delivering power safely and reliably while supporting continued investment in clean energy and energy-efficiency programs that benefit Oregon families.
Customers looking for help managing their energy use and bills are encouraged to explore rebates, incentives, and energy-saving tips through the Energy Trust of Oregon. Both utilities also offer assistance programs and bill-management tools for qualifying customers.
PGE serves nearly 850,000 residential customers in Oregon. PacifiCorp, operating as Pacific Power, serves more than 650,000 customers statewide.
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