Legislators Secure Utility Disconnection Moratoriums for Some Customers

After pressure from legislators, Oregon’s three largest state-regulated utilities agreed to a voluntary pause on disconnections for some customers through the rest of 2025.

Through December, PGE, Pacific Power, and NW Natural low-income customers who receive monthly bill discounts or anyone who has a medical certificate can no longer be disconnected from their utility service because of past due bills. Gas utilities, Avista and Cascade, along with Idaho Power, separately agreed to temporary protections related to the federal government shutdown.

This pause on disconnections for some households is a crucial step towards protecting vulnerable customers, but more needs to be done. CUB and other energy advocates are pushing to extend the temporary moratorium for all for-profit utility customers into 2026 and to finalize stronger, year-round disconnection protections.

No one should go without heating in the winter or have to choose between paying their energy bill and buying food or other necessities.

Advocacy in Action: Legislators Secure Moratorium for Some Customers

On November 7th, Senator Deb Patterson (D-Salem) and 17 of her fellow legislators delivered a signed letter to regulators urging action to prevent utility disconnections. PGE, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas, Avista, and Idaho Power responded to the letter with their own voluntary actions to support some customers.

These important, but limited, protections come on the heels of the longest government shutdown in US history, which delayed the distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds. These public programs help keep low-income Oregonians fed and connected to power.

Thanks to the advocacy of legislators, these for-profit utilities committed to taking their own actions to support some households.

“We are also entering the cold weather season, when families need access to heating. Disconnecting households from their utilities during this time would compound Oregonians’ suffering and make it even more difficult for families to stay afloat.”
- Legislators’ Letter to the Oregon Public Utility Commission

Oregon’s three largest utilities adopted plans to keep some vulnerable households connected to power through the end of the year:

• Pacific Power and Portland General Electric (PGE) are halting shutoffs through the end of the year for customers who are enrolled in the utilities’ bill discount programs and customers with medical certificates. These protections end January 1, 2026.
• NW Natural is suspending shutoffs through the end of the year for customers who are enrolled in the utility’s bill discount program. These protections end January 1, 2026.

The remaining for-profit utilities in Oregon agreed to temporary protections related to the federal government shutdown:

• Cascade Natural Gas is suspending collections and disconnections for 30 days for customers who receive financial utility assistance, like bill discounts, or who report to Cascade that they have been affected by the federal government shutdown. These protections will last until the end of November, with the possibility of an extension.
• Avista will provide a 30-day grace period for customers who notify Avista they are affected by the federal shutdown, which will prevent them from entering the collections process and potential shutoffs. This grace period begins when a customer notifies Avista that they have been impacted and lasts for 30 days. Avista may extend this to 60 days due to ongoing delays in receiving LIHEAP funds.
• Idaho Power implemented a limited pause on disconnections for customers affected by the government shutdown until the federal government reopened.

Beyond December: Stronger Shutoff Moratorium Needed This Winter

While the voluntary moratoriums and other protections are a good first step, more needs to be done. We need to ensure more Oregon households stay connected to power this winter.

CUB and other energy justice advocates are pushing regulators to expand the disconnection moratorium to include all for-profit utilities and all of their customers, not just those already enrolled in utility programs. We are also fighting to extend the shutoff pause and other protections until April 1, 2026, or 45 days after Oregon receives federal energy assistance funds (LIHEAP), whichever comes later. We requested the extended moratorium in multiple dockets at the Public Utility Commission.

Multnomah County Commissioners Add Pressure

The Multnomah County Commissioners have also recently joined CUB and energy justice advocates’ call for expanding protections. The Commissioners requested a temporary disconnection moratorium for all customers of all for-profit utilities through April 1, or 45 days after Oregon receives LIHEAP funding, whichever is later.

“We applaud the action that utilities have committed to in temporarily suspending service disconnections for certain qualified customers through the end of this year. And we strongly support proposals to extend these protections to more customers and through all of the coldest months of the year.”
- Multnomah County Commissioners

Communities Call for Permanent Disconnection Protections

For over a year now, CUB has been collaborating with regulators and energy justice advocates on finalizing stronger permanent rules for disconnection protections. These protections will be year-round, keeping more households connected to power. The updated, permanent rules are expected to take effect by the end of the year.

Organizations such as the Multnomah County Office of Sustainability, the Oregon Just Transition Alliance, Verde, Community Action Partnership of Oregon (CAPO), Community Energy Project, Self Enhancement Inc., and community action agencies in Klamath, Lake, Jackson, and Multnomah Counties have been instrumental in advocating for stronger protections.

You Can Take Action: Advocate for an Extended Moratorium

We’ll keep doing what we do best: advocating for stronger protections for Oregon customers. In the meantime, you can take action today by contacting the Public Utility Commission and urging regulators to expand the limited disconnection moratorium.

Submit Public Comment

Make sure to say you want to see the protections include all utility customers, across all utilities, until April 1, 2026, or until all federal LIHEAP funds are distributed, whichever is later. You can use the button above to submit a public comment, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or call 503-378-6600 to make your voice heard today.

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