Top Ten Reasons: Why CUB Matters

Well it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I hope you had the opportunity to be thankful this last Thursday for all the good things in your world. Then perhaps you also ventured out into the great Black Friday abyss or maybe you are just waiting for Cyber Monday so you can buy all those amazing tech gadgets for the people on your list. Whatever you are doing this holiday weekend, we hope you will think seriously about participating in our #GivingTuesday Campaign by joining/donating to CUB before or on November 28, #GivingTuesday.

To help you with that decision, we’ve updated the Top Ten Reasons That CUB Matters for your holiday weekend reading pleasure. So check it out and see why you should join us in making #GivingTuesday the best day of the year!

#10 – CUB works to keep local control of Oregon’s resources
In 1999, CUB stopped Enron’s deregulation plan under which they would have sold off all of PGE’s assets and dismantled the utility. In that process CUB saved Oregon customers $1 billion. Later, in 2005, Texas Pacific Group tried to buy PGE, and CUB led the opposition effort, convincing the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to deny the bid. This was the first time the PUC had ever rejected a proposed acquisition of an Oregon utility.

#9 – We helped create a Public Purpose Charge (PPC)
This legislation, in 2002, created a charge on energy bills to establish the Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO). This new organization would administer the PPC funds, provide utility customers with clean and low-cost energy solutions, and low-income households with bill-paying assistance and weatherization. Since 2002, CUB has consistently defended public purpose funds from being appropriated by the legislature for pet projects unrelated to energy efficiency and low-income assistance.

#8 – CUB works with ALL utility stakeholders to do what is best for residential customers
During the 2007 legislative session, we were integral in brokering a historic landmark agreement between the utilities, environmental advocates, and clean energy groups in establishing a Renewable Energy Standard which secured money for low-income weatherization and heating assistance AND mandated an increase to 25% renewables in Oregon’s energy mix by 2025.

#7 – CUB makes sure that utility investment is done at the least cost and risk to you
Since 1998, CUB has been saying that coal-fired electricity is a BIG financial risk to consumers. AND guess what? We were right. Our economic modeling (which used DEQ’s existing clean air regulations) showed that continuing to use old, dirty coal-fired plants was a huge economic risk to residential customers. In 2011 this modeling was used to close Oregon’s only coal-fired plant in Boardman and subsequently has been used to close a number of plants that serve Oregon (and across the country as well, but that is another story.) We estimate that the closing of these plants has saved Oregon residential customers several billion dollars.

#6 – CUB helps you understand your rights and options in the utility marketplace
In this age of rapidly advancing technology, access to the internet is essential for fully participating in our society. In this day and age we are expected to do everything online: banking, school work, and even job applications. If you don’t have access to the internet, you often don’t have access to opportunity. In 2017 CUB has participated locally in Multnomah County’s Digital Inclusion Network (DIN) and advocated in favor of Net Neutrality and the Open Internet at a press conference with Senator Ron Wyden and City Commissioner Dan Saltzman. We also wrote testimony to the FCC in favor of keeping internet regulations favoring net neutrality – and our comments were signed by over 300 CUB supporters. CUB will continue to make it clear that Internet accessibility is important for all Oregonians.

#5 – CUB prevents customers from paying the price for irresponsible business practices
Beginning in 2012, five Oregon utilities banded together to request a change in the ratemaking treatment of their pension plans. After months of hard analysis by CUB staff, we realized that the request was based on wacky accounting and didn’t hold up to scrutiny. Three years later, the PUC agreed with CUB’s analysis and we won the case, saving customers $24 million and guaranteeing added savings of at least $20 million per year in perpetuity.

#4 – CUB stops utilities from charging residential customers when they make mistakes
For example: In 2014 Pacific Power made a huge blunder by ordering too much coal for one of their plants…to the tune of $8 million. CUB fought for customers and won. Pacific Power was forced to pay for their terrible mistake themselves.

#3 – CUB stops utilities from raising rates by ridiculous amounts
PGE wanted to raise rates three times in 2015 with a total increase of $81.5 million. CUB fought against this, effectively reducing it by $64 million. PGE’s final rate increase for 2015 was a modest $17.5 million.

#2 – We maintain respectful relationships with other utility stakeholders
While we do sometimes have adversarial relationships with utilities and even environmental groups, we also act respectfully with them so that when we need to have real conversations, they are willing to come to the table. That is what happened in 2016. We were able to help bring these groups together to negotiate, draft, and pass the Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Act. This landmark legislation mandates, among other things, a complete phase-out of coal fired electricity by 2035 and a 50% increase of renewable clean energy by 2040. Because CUB is well-known and respected by all stakeholders involved in the negotiations, we were able to connect the dots and craft a plan incorporating utility regulation, climate change goals, and consumer protections, including important low-income protections.

#1 – CUB has saved Oregon’s residential utility ratepayers more than $8.5 billion since 1984
We can’t say it better than that. But what we can do is ask you to join/donate to CUB! When you join CUB you give yourself a gift, by supporting work that saves you money and upholds your values.

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