Portland General Electric Proposes 4.8% Rate Increase to Fund Grid Upgrades and Data Center Growth
Portland General Electric plans to file a general rate case with the Oregon Public Utility Commission next week, proposing an overall 4.8% rate increase starting July 1, 2027. The proposal would result in an average monthly bill increase of 3.9% for residential customers, raising the cost for a household using 780 kilowatt-hours by approximately $8.33. The utility stated that the hike is necessary to fund critical infrastructure projects, including the West Side Upgrade Project, transmission line rebuilds in high-wildfire-risk areas, and the replacement of 600,000 advanced customer meters. The proposal follows a series of significant rate hikes in recent years, though it aims to mitigate the impact on residents by shifting more costs to large data centers, which are slated for an 8% increase. Bob Jenks, Executive Director of CUB, noted that while the data center law is working, he expressed concern that rates are rising faster than inflation and that many customers still struggle with affordability.