2023 In Review: CUB Annual Report

Join us in celebrating another successful year of work at CUB! As we reach the final stretch of 2023, there are many victories to celebrate. Your support this year helped advance our work to make Oregon’s utilities affordable, accessible, reliable, and clean. Read on to see what CUB did for Oregon utility customers in 2023!

CUB’s work saved Oregon customers $224,371,000 million this year

Keeping Your Utilities Affordable

CUB Fights Bill Increases

This year, CUB fought bill increases for customers across Oregon. For Portland General Electric customers in Northwest Oregon, we slashed $34 million off the requested increase. For Avista Gas customers in Southern and Eastern Oregon, we eliminated subsidies for expanding fossil fuel infrastructure and costs for lobbying and fossil fuel trade associations. Avista also must prioritize non-pipe solutions, saving Oregon from becoming more tied to fossil fuels.

CUB Protects Customers from Wildfire Liability

Over the summer, Pacific Power was found responsible for some of the 2020 Labor Day fires. The utility turned around and made moves to charge customers for the damages. CUB immediately jumped into action to protect Pacific Power customers against potentially billions in costs from wildfire liability. We will continue to push back and hold utilities responsible for wrongdoing.

“This is outrageous. Customers pay the costs of prudent, reasonable utility operations. The court found that Pacific Power was reckless and grossly negligent, and included punitive damages meant to punish the company, not customers. Customers should not pay a dime of these costs.” - Bob Jenks, Executive Director

Keeping Your Utilities Accessible

Expanding Access to Energy-Efficient Homes

This spring, CUB helped pass the Building Resilience Package (HB 3409). More efficient buildings can significantly lower energy bills while making our homes more comfortable. This new CUB-supported law will improve state programs to support electric heat pumps, improve codes for new construction, and add other building efficiency measures.

Building(s) for an Equitable Energy Future

2023 CUB Energy Policy Conference

Each year, CUB brings together community groups, regulators, advocates, and utilities at our annual Energy Policy Conference. By coming together, we help expand who has a voice in energy policy in Oregon.

This year, we made connections between nearly 250 professionals from community advocates, the energy industry, the buildings industry, and policymakers. The conference brought vital perspectives from communities on the front lines of climate change in the Pacific Northwest. Together, we can build an energy transition that works for all of us!

Keeping Your Utilities Reliable

Stronger Protections for Landline Customers

Over the past year, regulators have received complaints about CenturyLink’s landline telephone service in Southern Oregon. After months of CUB advocacy, regulators ordered that CenturyLink make major changes to fix service issues.

By working with communities most impacted, we have seen a groundswell of support for holding CenturyLink accountable. The fight is not over and we will continue to push back in 2024!

Keeping Your Utilities Clean

Moving Toward 100% Clean Electricity

In 2021, Oregon passed the CUB-supported 100% Clean Electricity Bill. Now, Pacific Power and Portland General Electric must run on 100% clean, emission-free electricity by 2040.

CUB and other advocates weighed in as the electric utilities created their plans. With CUB’s urging, regulators have expanded traditional utility planning to include community focuses. Although these Clean Energy Plans are still in progress, CUB is hopeful that we are on the right track. We are continuing to advocate for realistic and cost-effective planning while holding utilities’ feet to the fire in 2024.

Regulators Reject NW Natural’s Flawed Emissions Reduction Plan

More Gas Utilities’ Plans on the Chopping Block in Early 2024

Oregon is moving forward in reducing climate pollution from our energy systems. Utilities need clear plans to show how they will meet regulations without skyrocketing costs for customers.

This year, NW Natural failed to meet both expectations and CUB stood strongly in opposition to the utility’s plan. Regulators agreed with CUB and rejected much of NW Natural’s flawed plan to reduce emissions. Now, NW Natural must come up with a more reasonable and affordable plan or the company – not customers – could shoulder the compliance costs. 

Since that win, Oregon’s other two gas utilities have filed plans very similar to NW Natural’s. These plans will have long-lasting impacts on meeting state climate goals. They will also have major impacts on future customer bills. While stopping NW Natural’s plan was a good first step, we will continue pushing back on plans from the other gas utilities’, Avista and Cascade.

Stay Up to Date on Oregon Utility Issues

CUB will continue to advocate for people in Oregon on major utility issues. Sign up for the CUB email list for the latest updates, action alerts, and news on policies that affect the utilities your home relies on.

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