Citizens Utility Board

AS DIRECTED BY OREGON VOTERS IN 1984, THE OREGON CITIZENS' UTILITY BOARD (CUB) REPRESENTS THE INTERESTS OF OREGON'S RESIDENTIAL UTILITY CUSTOMERS BEFORE ADMINISTRATIVE, JUDICIAL, AND LEGISLATIVE BODIES. CUB WORKS AT THE INTERSECTION OF UTILITY POLICY AND REGULATION TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, EMPOWER CONSUMERS, AND ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND UTILITY ISSUES THAT AFFECT OREGONIANS.

CUB SAVED CUSTOMERS MORE THAN $250 MILLION IN 2022.THESE SAVINGS CAME FROM A SERIES OF RATE CASES FOR PGE, PACIFIC POWER, NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS, AND AVISTA UTILITIES. CUB REDUCED PROFIT MARGINS, STOPPED UNNECESSARY INVESTMENTS, AND ELIMINATED OVERSIZED EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION. IN ALL CASES, CUB HELD UTILITIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROVIDING SERVICE AT AN AFFORDABLE COST. CUB'S ADVOCACY CUT PGE'S RATE INCREASE BY $80 MILLION. IN THE CASE OF AVISTA UTILITIES, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A RATE DECREASE IMPLEMENTED IN AUGUST.NW NATURAL AND PACIFIC POWER CUSTOMERS WERE FACING HUGE INCREASES ON THEIR WINTER HEATING BILLS. CUB WORKED WITH UTILITIES AND REGULATORS TO REDUCE THESE INCREASES TO KEEP RATES AS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE WINTER. BY DELAYING MUCH OF THESE BILL INCREASES UNTIL THE SPRING, MORE HOUSEHOLDS CAN STAY WARM AND AVOID DISCONNECTION.CUB ADVOCACY CUT IN HALF THE SUBSIDIES THAT NW NATURAL CUSTOMERS PAY TO EXPAND THE GAS SYSTEM. WITH THE INCREASING USE OF EFFICIENT ELECTRIC HEAT PUMPS TO HEAT AND COOL BUILDINGS AND REQUIREMENTS TO REDUCE GAS SYSTEM GHG EMISSIONS, THESE SUBSIDIES ARE NO LONGER JUSTIFIABLE.IN 2022, EACH NEW GAS HOOKUP COST CUSTOMERS $2875. THE COMPANY WAS SET TO SPEND APPROXIMATELY $28 MILLION ANNUALLY TO ADD 10,000 CUSTOMERS EACH YEAR FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. CUB'S ADVOCACY WILL SAVE NW NATURAL CUSTOMERS TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON EXPANSION SUBSIDIES.NW NATURAL WANTED CUSTOMERS TO PAY $1 MILLION PER YEAR IN PROMOTIONAL ADVERTISING. UNDER CURRENT REGULATIONS, CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED FOR THIS TYPE OF ADVERTISING. CUB WAS ABLE TO ELIMINATE THIS EXPENSE.CUB ADVOCATED THAT CASCADE NATURAL GAS SHOULD CUT BACK ON ITS NEW INVESTMENTS IN GAS PIPELINES. STATE UTILITY REGULATORS AGREED AND REJECTED THE NEW INVESTMENTS. INSTEAD, CASCADE WILL LOOK TO ALTERNATIVE, LOWER-COST METHODS TO MANAGE PEAK DEMAND FOR GAS. CUB HELPED DESIGN NEW LOW-INCOME DISCOUNT PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS SAVE QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS BETWEEN 20-90% ON THEIR MONTHLY ENERGY BILLS. DISCOUNTS ARE BEING OFFERED BY PGE, PACIFIC POWER, NW NATURAL, AVISTA UTILITIES, AND CASCADE NATURAL GAS.MANY GROUPS WERE INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF THESE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, COMMUNITY ENERGY PROJECT, COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF OREGON (CAPO), ROGUE CLIMATE, COALITION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, NW ENERGY COALITION, AND EUVALCREE.CUB SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTED LEGISLATION TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR RENTERS AND LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO ACCESS COOLING TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS AIR CONDITIONERS AND HEAT PUMPS. THERE IS NOW $5 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY AIR CONDITIONERS, $25 MILLION FOR HEAT PUMPS (HIGH-EFFICIENCY HEATING AND COOLING), AND $4.5 MILLION FOR WARMING AND COOLING CENTERS.THIS LAW WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HARD WORK OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, ENERGY ADVOCATES, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS. A SPECIAL THANKS TO VERDE FOR LEADING THIS CHARGE.AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF ADVOCACY, ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION IN OREGON IS ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING MORE EQUITABLE. CUB HELPED ESTABLISH HOLISTIC PLANNING PROCESSES FOR ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION IN OREGON. NEW REQUIREMENTS BY REGULATORS WILL IMPROVE HOW UTILITIES EVALUATE INVESTMENTS TO SERVE ELECTRIC VEHICLES. THESE NEW RULES AIM TO PRIORITIZE SERVING RENTERS, LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, MULTIFAMILY HOUSING, SCHOOLS, AND PUBLIC TRANSIT.CUB WON CHANGES TO OREGON'S UTILITY CONSUMER PROTECTION RULES WITH STATE REGULATORS. THESE NEW PROTECTIONS WILL END LATE PAYMENT CHARGES FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS, PREVENT SHUT-OFFS IN EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND ELIMINATE DEPOSITS FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS. WINNING THESE PROTECTIONS WAS A MAJOR WIN FOR THE ENTIRE COALITION INVOLVED, INCLUDING THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY, COMMUNITY ENERGY PROJECT, AND MORE.PAYING A LARGE DEPOSIT TO A UTILITY COMPANY IS ONE MORE BARRIER TO FINDING HOUSING FOR LOW-INCOME AND VULNERABLE OREGONIANS. CUB WON AN AGREEMENT WITH PGE TO ELIMINATE DEPOSITS FOR ALL RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND FROM NW NATURAL FOR NEW CUSTOMERS. MORE INVESTMENT IN RURAL BROADBAND. CUB SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORTED LEGISLATION TO EXPAND BROADBAND INVESTMENT FOR RURAL OREGON. THIS NEW LAW ALLOWS OREGON TO RECEIVE $157 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING. THESE NEW INVESTMENTS WILL BRING BROADBAND TO RURAL COMMUNITIES WHERE IT IS NOT AVAILABLE. NEW FUNDS WILL ALSO SUPPORT BILL ASSISTANCE FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT CANNOT AFFORD BROADBAND.