We recently spoke with Charlotte Shuff, the membership organizer for Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB). Charlotte shared insights about CUB’s involvement in the community, their efforts in the advocacy space, and their fight against Pacific Power’s proposed rate increase. Let’s learn more about CUB!

Who is CUB?

Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board is an independent, statewide nonprofit organization. We work to make Oregon utilities affordable, accessible, reliable, and clean. We believe that all Oregonians deserve access to the utilities that help them thrive.

CUB in Our Community 

CUB was founded by voters through a ballot measure in 1984 so that everyday people had a voice in their utilities. For almost 40 years, we have advocated for utility policies that protect your wallet and the environment. 

Unfortunately, Oregon communities are at a disadvantage when it comes to utilities. The power in creating policy is imbalanced. Utility companies have lots of money, lobbying power, and enough staff to be in every room where decisions are made. CUB is here to help balance that power.

Utilities issues are really complicated and can be difficult to understand. The systems are built for experts, not regular people. CUB is here to demystify utilities. We speak the language of the experts and can advocate for Oregonians in these spaces.

Community Organization Partnerships

CUB exists to represent and advocate for the needs of Oregonians. And no one knows community needs better than people within those communities! We rely on organizations like Community Energy Project (CEP) who work directly with communities. Working with CEP and hearing what you’re seeing in your clients’ homes makes our work better. Knowing the challenges households face with their home energy and utility bills helps us fight for better systems. 

We also believe that powerful change comes from working together. Partnering with groups like CEP means that we can be louder, stronger, and create more impactful change. And changes that work for everyone!

Taking a Stand: Pacific Power’s Proposed Rate Increase 

This year, Pacific Power is asking to increase customers’ bills. For many households, that could be a 14% increase, about $13 more each month. We all know that our paychecks are not going as far as they used to. This increase could be devastating for a lot of Oregonians. 

CUB is concerned about the company’s requests to increase profit margins, shift financial risk onto customers, and move to seasonal rates. Seasonal rates could have serious consequences for warmer areas like Southern and Eastern Oregon. Customers in Umatilla and Jackson County would see much greater impacts on their summer cooling bills.

Awareness and Advocacy

We’ve been working hard to spread the word and encourage more people to speak out. Other organizations, like CEP and Rogue Climate, recently joined a public hearing to voice concerns about Pacific Power’s rate increase. 

CUB is deeply involved with the legal side of the rate case, as well. Our analysts and lawyers are asking tough questions and digging into everything that Pacific Power is requesting. This process is long, though. We’ll be arguing this case in front of regulators for the next few months, even after public comments close.