Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills

SALEM, Ore. (KPTV) – A pair of Oregon lawmakers introduced two state bills on Thursday that they say are intended to rein in utility costs.

Rep. Nathan Sosa (D-Greater Hillsboro) announced HB3179, the “FAIR Energy Act,” and said it’s designed to “lower utility bills by requiring the Public Utility Commission to thoroughly consider the impact on consumers before approving a rate increase.” Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland) introduced HB 3546, the “POWER Act,” and said it aims to hold large energy users “accountable for paying for their own energy needs.” Marsh said this bill would require the Public Utility Commission to “create new policies that help protect Oregon households from paying for high-energy users such as data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities.” Marsh said it will also make “for-profit utilities identify the costs that high-energy users are adding to the system.” Marsh added that “state regulators can prevent Oregonians from covering the cost of these businesses.”

“I have heard repeatedly from my constituents how frustrated they are with the dramatic and repeated increases in their utility bills. The scope of this problem is staggering. Over the past few years, electric and gas rates from investor-owned utilities have gone up by nearly 50%. This is not sustainable,” wrote Marsh in a release Thursday.

“The bill is intended to reform the rate-setting process in various ways to ensure that the interests of Oregon consumers are prioritized. The FAIR Energy Act is designed to prevent residents from continuing to be hit with repeated and historic utility rate increases,” wrote Rep. Sosa.

“Oregon utility customers should not have to bear the costs of enormous demand for power by data centers and other large energy users. HB 3546 requires those users to pay their fair share,” Rep. Marsh added.

The House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment will hold a public hearing on HB3546 “in the coming weeks.”

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