The Public Utilities Commission rejected all three plans, saying they were ‘unreasonably optimistic’ about future gas demand
Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle, March 15th 2024
All three of the natural gas companies in Oregon will have to fix their long-term plans to meet the state’s targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The Oregon Public Utilities Commission, which only has two members, said Thursday it could “not acknowledge” Cascade Natural Gas’ plans to meet the state’s greenhouse gas emissions targets by 2050. Last year, the commission, which regulates the rates charged by private electric and natural gas utilities, rejected similar plans from the two other gas utilities serving the state, NW Natural and Avista.
The commission regulates the rates charged by private utilities. The rejections mean the commission could challenge the companies when they seek rate increases or investment in infrastructure because their plans were rejected, experts said. The utilities serve a total of about 750,000 people across the state.
