Title 57, Utility Regulation

(1) If Oregon Community Power acquires an incumbent utility under ORS 757.812 to 757.950, unless otherwise required by the Oregon Constitution, Oregon Community Power shall constitute the successor in interest to the incumbent utility as of the date of the acquisition for all pur…

(1) Any equity of the incumbent utility, any electric utility assets of the incumbent utility or any combination of equity and assets of the incumbent utility that Oregon Community Power acquires under ORS 757.812 to 757.950 shall be held in trust by Oregon Community Power, actin…

The principal duties of the board of directors of Oregon Community Power are to: (1) Establish policy and develop consistent positions on core utility issues that promote and implement the primary mission of Oregon Community Power under ORS 757.818; (2) Oversee the investments an…

(1) Oregon Community Power shall make payments in lieu of property taxes on all property that would otherwise be subject to assessment under ORS 308.505 to 308.674 if owned by a taxable owner. Oregon Community Power shall pay to each county in which property of Oregon Community P…

The board of directors of Oregon Community Power shall establish the policies of Oregon Community Power to be used in the exercise of the powers enumerated for Oregon Community Power or the board, and may thereafter modify those policies. The board may delegate the exercise of po…

(1) Oregon Community Power may exercise the power of eminent domain for the purpose of acquiring any property, within or outside the service territory of Oregon Community Power, necessary for carrying out the electric utility operations of Oregon Community Power. Oregon Community…

(1) The board of directors of Oregon Community Power shall establish rates for the provision of electricity within the service territory of Oregon Community Power using the procedure set forth under ORS 757.897. (2) The board shall establish a rate structure under which rates tha…

(1) Whenever the board of directors of Oregon Community Power determines to seek a modification in any rate imposed by the board for electricity service, the board shall give notice of a ratemaking hearing, at least 30 days in advance, as follows: (a) In newspapers of general cir…

(1) Whenever the Citizens’ Utility Board of Governors determines that an Oregon Community Power proceeding may affect the interests of utility consumers, the Citizens’ Utility Board may intervene as of right as an interested party or otherwise participate in the proceeding. (2) T…

The board of directors of Oregon Community Power shall cause an independent audit to be performed at least annually. The audit shall review and report on the financial affairs of Oregon Community Power and on any other aspects of Oregon Community Power as the board may direct. [2…

The board of directors of Oregon Community Power may adopt bylaws necessary to administer ORS 757.812 to 757.950, including but not limited to: (1) Bylaws establishing the information the board must make available to the public prior to conducting a ratemaking hearing. (2) Bylaws…

(1) The Legislative Assembly declares that it is the policy of the State of Oregon to: (a) Ensure that the formation and operation of Oregon Community Power does not directly or indirectly diminish the amount of federal electric power available for purchase by consumer-owned util…

As used in ORS 757.915 to 757.930: (1) “Ancillary services” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.600. (2) “Direct access” means the ability of a retail electricity consumer to purchase electricity and ancillary services, as determined by the board of directors of Oregon Com…

(1) Oregon Community Power shall allow nonresidential electricity consumers direct access. (2) Unless the board of directors of Oregon Community Power determines otherwise, Oregon Community Power shall provide all retail electricity consumers of Oregon Community Power with a regu…

(1) Every electricity service supplier is authorized to use the distribution facilities of Oregon Community Power on a nondiscriminatory basis. (2) Oregon Community Power shall provide: (a) Electricity service suppliers and retail electricity consumers access to the Oregon Commun…

(1) Each retail electricity consumer of Oregon Community Power shall receive a transition credit or pay a transition charge as determined under this section. (2) The total of all transition credits or transition charges shall equal the net value of all economic utility investment…

The board of directors of Oregon Community Power shall determine whether and under what conditions Oregon Community Power will offer retail electricity consumers portfolio access to electricity service suppliers. The board shall have sole authority to determine: (1) The quality a…

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a consumer-owned utility has exclusive distribution rights, to the extent the distribution rights are provided by law other than ORS 757.812 to 757.950, and exclusive responsibility for the performance and oversight of: (a) The util…

As used in ORS 757.935 to 757.945: (1) “Credit enhancement agreement” means any agreement or contractual relationship between Oregon Community Power and any bank, trust company, insurance company, surety bonding company, pension fund or other financial institution providing addit…

(1) Oregon Community Power may enter into financing agreements in accordance with ORS 757.935 to 757.945 upon such terms as the board of directors of Oregon Community Power determines to be necessary or desirable. Amounts payable by Oregon Community Power under a financing agreem…

The board of directors of Oregon Community Power may delegate to any board member, or to the chief executive officer, president, general manager or chief financial officer of Oregon Community Power, the authority to determine maturity dates, principal amounts, redemption provisio…

Oregon Community Power may: (1) Enter into agreements with third parties to hold financing agreement proceeds, payments and reserves as security for lenders, and to issue certificates of participation in the right to receive payments due from Oregon Community Power under a financ…

Oregon Community Power may consult with and obtain advice from the State Treasurer on proposed or executed financing agreements. The State Treasurer may recover from Oregon Community Power any costs incurred by the State Treasurer in providing consultation and advice. [2007 c.807…

(1) Oregon Community Power may issue and sell revenue bonds as provided in ORS chapter 287A. However, ORS 287A.150 does not apply to revenue bonds issued by Oregon Community Power. Revenue bonds issued by Oregon Community Power are not a general obligation of Oregon Community Pow…

ORS 757.812 to 757.950 do not diminish, or authorize the adoption of rules that diminish, the authority of a city to control the use of the city’s rights of way or to collect license fees, privilege taxes, rent or other charges for the use of the rights of way of the city. [2007 …

The Public Utility Commission shall periodically convene workshops for the purpose of helping public utilities that provide electricity, municipal electric utilities, people’s utility districts organized under ORS chapter 261 that sell electricity, electric cooperatives organized…

(1) A public utility that provides electricity must have and operate in compliance with a risk-based wildfire protection plan that is filed with the Public Utility Commission and has been evaluated by the commission. The plan must be based on reasonable and prudent practices iden…

(1) As used in this section, “consumer-owned utility” and “governing body” have the meanings given those terms in ORS 757.600. (2) A consumer-owned utility must have and operate in compliance with a risk-based wildfire mitigation plan approved by the governing body of the utility…

(1) As used in this section, “electric utility” has the meaning given that term in ORS 757.600. (2) ORS 757.963 and 757.966 do not affect the terms or conditions of an easement held by an electric utility over private land as of July 19, 2021. [2021 c.592 §6a] Note: 757.968 and 7…

ORS 757.963 and 757.995 do not apply to municipally owned utilities organized under ORS chapter 225. [2021 c.592 §6b] Note: See note under 757.968.

(1) The Public Utility Commission shall annually report on actions taken to reduce the risk of wildfire from utility infrastructure to a committee or interim committee of the Legislative Assembly related to wildfire, in the manner provided in ORS 192.245, to the State Wildfire Pr…

(1) Any person or municipality, or their agents, lessees, trustees or receivers, who omits, fails or refuses to do any act required by ORS 757.035, or fails to comply with any orders, rules or regulations of the Public Utility Commission made in pursuance of ORS 757.035, shall fo…

(1)(a) Any person or municipality, or any agent, lessee, trustee or receiver of the person or municipality, engaged in the management, operation, ownership or control of facilities for the transmission or distribution of gas by pipeline, or of facilities for the storage or treatm…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section and in addition to all other penalties provided by law, every person who violates or who procures, aids or abets in the violation of any rule of the Oregon Utility Notification Center shall incur a penalty of not more than …

(1) In addition to all other penalties provided by law, a person who violates any statute, rule or order of the Public Utility Commission related to water utilities is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 for each violation. The commission may require that penalties i…

(1) In addition to all other penalties provided by law, violation of ORS 757.963 or a rule adopted pursuant to ORS 757.963 is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000. (2) Notwithstanding ORS 183.315 (6), 183.745 (7)(d) and 756.500 to 756.610, civil penalties under this s…