Oregon Utility Restructuring Legislation

Legislation Cite and Date
SB 1149 (7/99)

Low-Income Provisions

General
SB 1149 established a $60 million Public Purpose Charge (PPC), of which about 12 percent is earmarked for low-income weatherization; it also authorized a meters charge on customers of the state’s two investor-owned electric utilities to fund low-income electric rate assistance.

Low-Income Rate Assistance
The Oregon Energy Assistance Program (not to be confused with the Oregon LIHEAP) is designed to assist low income households who are in danger of having their electricity service disconnected (while the LIHEAP assists with home heating costs).

Additionally, legislation enacted in 2001 allows natural gas companies to collect funds through a meters charge for bill payment assistance; as a result, two of the major gas utilities started collecting these funds in 2002.

Low-Income Conservation
Low-income electric heat households receive weatherization, baseload (lighting and refrigerator replacement) and educational services; others receive only baseload and educational measures.

Annual Funding (2007)
Rate Assistance: $15 million (electric), $2.8 million (gas)
Conservation: $7.5 million

Funding Mechanism
Rate Assistance: Meters charge on residential and commercial customers of the state’s two investor-owned electric utilities.

Conservation: Public Purpose Charge of 3 percent of revenues from the sale of electricity services.

Administration
Department of Housing and Community Services (the LIHEAP and weatherization grantee)

Pre-Restructuring Funding
Rate Assistance: None
Conservation: $2 million

Reports/ Evaluations
Report to Legislative Assembly on Public Purpose Expenditures, December 2006
Report to Legislative Assembly on Public Purpose Expenditures, March 2005
Report to Legislative Assembly on Public Purpose Expenditures, January 2005
Oregon Energy Assistance Evaluation Report, January 2003

Page Last Updated: April 17, 2008