Oregon lawmakers plan to introduce a bill that would prevent utilities from raising rates if they have unresolved wildfire lawsuits for three or more years. This proposal targets PacifiCorp, facing multiple lawsuits related to the 2020 wildfires. The bill comes after PacifiCorp received a rate increase approval and faced a federal lawsuit alleging negligence in preventing the Archie Creek Fire.
Three Oregon lawmakers say they plan to introduce a bill that would bar utilities from raising rates if they have unresolved wildfire lawsuits for three or more years. This is described as an effort to hold PacifiCorp accountable as the utility faces a series of lawsuits stemming from the deadly 2020 wildfires that ravaged the state. Republican state Reps.
Jami Cate, Virgle Osborne and Ed Diehl announced their proposal in a statement Monday, on the heels of an approved rate increase for PacifiCorp customers and a federal lawsuit against the electric power company. The federal government sued PacifiCorp last week over the Archie Creek Fire, which ignited in Oregon’s Douglas County in September 2020 and burned more than 200 square miles (520 square kilometers), about half of which was federal land. The complaint accuses the company of negligence for failing to maintain its power lines to prevent wildfires. In its filing, the government says it brought the suit to recover “substantial costs and damages.” A PacifiCorp spokesperson said in an emailed statement Monday that the company was working with the U.S. government to resolve the claims. “It is unfortunate the U.S. government decided to file a lawsuit in federal district court, however PacifiCorp will continue to work with the U.S. government to find reasonable resolution of this matter,” the statement said. The federal lawsuit was filed on the same day the Oregon Public Utility Commission approved a 9.8% rate increase for PacifiCorp’s residential customers next year. In its rate case filings, the company said its request to increase rates was partly due to higher costs stemming from wildfire risk and activity. The three lawmakers said they will introduce their bill in the upcoming legislative session, which starts in Januar
Wildfire Lawsuits Utility Rates Pacificorp Oregon Archie Creek Fire
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