Oregon Public Utility Commission
| Oregon Public Utility Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $212,197 |
| 2025-2027 FY Budget: | $135,122,791 |
| Total Seats: | 3 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Oregon Statutes, 756.014 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by Governor |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Karin Power, Letha Tawney, Mark Thompson | |
| Other Oregon Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is a three-person executive board in the Oregon state government.
The PUC regulates customer rates and services of the state's investor-owned electric, natural gas, and telephone utilities, as well as certain water companies. It does not regulate people's utility districts, cooperatives, or municipally-owned utilities except in matters of safety.[1][2]
Its mission is to "ensure Oregon utility customers have access to safe, reliable, and high quality utility services at just and reasonable rates."[1]
Current officeholder
The current officeholders are:
- Karin Power (nonpartisan)
- Letha Tawney (nonpartisan)
- Mark Thompson (nonpartisan)
Authority
The Oregon Public Utility Commission is established in Chapter 756 of the Oregon Statutes.
756.014:
| Public Utility Commission; appointment; confirmation; term; removal. There is created the Public Utility Commission of Oregon. The commission shall be composed of three members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate pursuant to section 4, Article III of the Oregon Constitution. No more than two of such members shall be of the same political party.[3] |
Qualifications
There are no specific qualifications to hold this office.[3]
Appointments
The commissioners are all appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the state Senate, pursuant to Article III, Section 4 of the Oregon Constitution. Each commissioner serves a term of four years and holds office until a successor has been appointed and qualified.[3]
Vacancies
Chapter 756 of the Oregon Statutes stipulates that any vacancy in the office of commissioner shall be filled by gubernatorial appointment, with the appointee serving the remainder of the unexpired term.[3]
Duties
The commission regulates customer rates and services of the state's investor-owned:[1]
- electric utilities
- natural gas utilities
- telephone utilities
- certain water companies
The commission DOES NOT regulate:
- people's utility districts
- cooperatives or municipally owned utilities
The official duties of the commission are outlined in Chapter 756 of the Oregon statutes:[3]
- represent the customers of any public utility or telecommunications utility and the public generally in all controversies respecting rates, valuations, service and all matters of which the commission has jurisdiction.
- protect such customers, and the public generally, from unjust and unreasonable exactions and practices and to obtain for them adequate service at fair and reasonable rates.
- balance the interests of the utility investor and the consumer in establishing fair and reasonable rates.
Divisions
The Oregon Public Utility Commission is divided into several sections:[4]
- Utility Program
- Energy Resources and Planning Division
- Energy Rates, Finance and Audit Division
- Safety, Reliability and Security Division
- Telecommunications and Water Division
- Policy and Administration Divison
- Administration Hearings Division
State budget
- See also: Oregon state budget and finances
The budget for the Oregon Public Utility Commission for the 2025-2027 biennium was $135,122,791.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Oregon Public Utility Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Oregon Public Utility Commission. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Public Utility Commission of Oregon[6]
Oregon Public Utility Commission
201 High Street SE, Suite 100
Salem, OR 97301-3398
PO Box 1088
Salem, OR 97308-1088
Phone:
503-373-7394
E-mail contacts:
Consumer Questions:
puc.consumer@state.or.us
Public Comments:
puc.publiccomments@state.or.us
See also
| Oregon | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Oregon Public Utility Commission, "About Us," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Energy Star, "Energy Efficiency and Electric Infrastructure in the State of Oregon," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Oregon Legislature, "Chapter 756 — Public Utility Commission," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Oregon.gov, "Public Utility Commission, 2019-2021 Legislatively Adopted Budget," accessed January 21, 2021
- ↑ Oregon Legislature, "2025-27 Budget Highlights," accessed June 17, 2026
- ↑ Oregon Public Utility Commission, "Home," accessed January 21, 2021
