Power company overcharging Portlanders?

PacifiCorp is being charged by city hall with accusations of over charging Oregonians for their power. Currently PacifiCorp provides about one-forth of Portland’s power. The hearings started last Thursday, because PacifiCorp requested a rehearing back in October, after the city issued them an adjustment reducing their increase of $26 million.

Though the Tribune makes it sound as though they are being charged, it’s quite different. PacifiCorp submitted their purposed increase in the rates and the city reduced that amount (by how much I’m unsure at this point). PacifiCorp then filed for a rehearing so that it could voice it’s opinion in the matter (i.e. explain the increase).

The city claimed that PacifiCorp had already overcharged Portlanders by nearly $1 billion back in November. Clearly PacifiCorp denies this, but it doesn't look good when it wants to increase the current rates. Randy Leonard said then that the charge was "inappropriate". How this equals overcharge is all in the minds of our commissioners. These over charges allegedly go back to 1997. Leonard was the sort of "whistle blower" for PGE last year, and it appears as though he's on to something new, following the money trail of PacifiCorp's documents.


The map here shows the area PacifiCorp provides power to, that being a large chunk of north Portland.