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-----Original Message----- From: mmeyers@kptv.com [mailto:mmeyers@kptv.com] Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 3:16 PM To: Meyers, Bert Subject: Article from bizjournals.com: Power gets pricier today Hello from bizjournals.com! Molly Meyers (mmeyers@kptv.com) thought you might like the following article from The Business Journal: The sender's comment about the article: FYI... Power gets pricier today Brian J. Back ------------------------------------------------------------ Despite the 11th-hour clamoring of industry and consumer groups, Portland General Electric's 30 to 50 percent rate increases took effect today. Last Monday, Associated Oregon Industries, Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities and the Citizen's Utility Board collectively petitioned the Oregon Public Utility Commission to delay and reconsider the rate increases. The groups said the increases amount to "rate shock" and would further debilitate an ailing Northwest economy. OPUC decided Friday to deny the delay request. However, the commission did agree to review the reconsideration request in an expedited process that could take fewer than 30 days. "The commission, in denying the stay petition, concluded the petitioners failed to show irreparable harm, and a colorable claim of error in the order," stated an OPUC press release. PGE has said the increases reflect a leap in wholesale costs it pays to buy power on the open market. The utility is offering free "audits" to help businesses find ways to conserve power. One key backer of the petition is Intel Corp., which told "The Business Journal" last week that its own 50 percent rate increase "makes Oregon much less competitive to do business, and that gets factored into future investment decisions." Also last week, OPUC approved requests from the state's three natural gas distributors--Northwest Natural, Cascade and Avista--to increase prices today. Rates for Northwest Natural's commercial and industrial customers are increasing by 23 to 28 percent. Similar customers of Cascade will see increases of around 8 percent. Copyright© American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved. You can view this article on the web at: http://portland.bcentral.com/portland/stories/2001/10/01/daily4.html
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