Greetings SBUA Oregon Members!
This newsletter informs you, SBUA Oregon members, and supporters on how SBUA in Oregon is advocating for Oregon’s small business community to ensure fair and reasonable electricity and natural gas rates and service.
In Oregon, we are going pedal to the metal on implementing the recent state law to remove carbon-based sources from the State’s power supply and we have decided as a state that the ratepayers will foot the bill, so small business needs to be at the table in the rate cases. We also try to participate in other efforts like transportation electrification plans, Integrated Resource Plans, distributed energy generation, Energy Trust-related topics, and other state and local government efforts.
Important Links
The new Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) 2022 Biennial Energy Report is out: https://energyinfo.oregon.gov/ber. On pages 60-61 see some small business use statistics. Also available is the ODOE Small-Scale & Community Renewable Energy Project Study: https://www.oregon.gov/energy/Data-and-Reports/Documents/2022-Small-Scale-Community Renewable-Projects-Study.pdf. The Study recommends financial and technical assistance grants for small businesses.
See what ODOE tells the Senate Energy and Environment Committee about these reports next week: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/LIZ/Committees/Meeting/List.
Click the link to watch SBUA & BestHQ Mastermind for Purpose where SBUA touched on understanding your utility bill and navigating Oregon’s Legislative Committee Days website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIeYGBQirYA.
SBUA Board
SBUA is pleased to announce it has an Oregon-based board: Britt Marra, Carrie Ng, and Rajita Kaundin. And we are equally pleased to introduce our new SBUA Oregon Advisory Committee—see the end of this newsletter for introductions.
Donate
Please donate to SBUA now to show your support for fair and reasonable electric and natural gas utility rates for Oregon’s small businesses!
Donations can be made on this website (utilityadvocates.org), by clicking the orange “Donate” button on the right-hand corner of our webpage.
We await a Commission decision on whether it will allow us to access the same source of funds that the industrial and large commercial (like Target, Microsoft, etc.) and the residential customers receive—that’s intervenor funding—ratepayer dollars—after SBUA’s having provided excellent input in both rate cases from SBUA’s experienced experts William A. Steele and Danny Kermode, C.P.A.-retired, and solid representation. Please let the Commission know that you want to see SBUA have fair access to that funding! Email the Commission: puc.publiccomments@puc.oregon.gov.
PUC Dockets / Rate Cases
Shout out to the stellar work done by energy law student Grant Hart in these dockets!!
UG 435 NW Natural asked for a 9.7% increase in this 2022 rate case. SBUA secured a reduction to 9.2% for Schedule 3 and a Company promise to examine a possible intra-class subsidy. OPUC Staff’s forcing payment of part of the $10,000,000 COVID-19 costs onto small businesses adding approximately .8% per bill.
UE 399 PacifiCorp dba Pacific Power asked a 10.3%. SBUA secured 8.4% and increased rate design alternatives, specific small business web presence, and a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) report. COVID-19 cost = $17,000,000.
AR 653 Division 21 Rulemaking, an offshoot of COVID-19 proceedings, includes extensive SBUA input, resulting in the inclusion of small commercial in reporting; the same notice of disconnection as residential; relief from wildfire or extreme weather, etc.
The COVID-19 impact on utility customers continues with PGE costs coming up soon.
SBUA plans to involve more in the:
- Transportation electrification plans: (UM 2165); following SBUA outreach to Oregon Electric Vehicle Associate and Emerald Valley Electric Vehicle Association.
Planning dockets including:
Integrated resource planning (the “LC dockets”) & distributed energy planning by utilities to meet energy load including new ways energy is distributed (UM 2005).
Clean Energy Plans (UM 2225) PGE and PacifiCorp implementing HB 2021 & planning to decarbonize their retail electricity sales with consideration for direct benefits to local communities and achieving 80% emissions-free energy by 2030 and 100% emissions-free by 2040.
Clean & Efficient Energy for Small Business Customers (ETO Update)
Energy Trust of Oregon (“ETO”):
- SBUA applied to join the ETO Conservation Advisory Committee to add a small business ratepayer perspective, https://www.energytrust.org/about/leadership/#tab-2
- Emphasis on multi-family dwellings, https://www.energytrust.org/programs/multifamily/
- The 2023 budget was described as “conservative” by ETO staff due to possible looming recession as well as tax credits from the federal Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”), https://blog.energytrust.org/what-we-know-and-dont-know-about-the-inflation-reduction-act/
- ETO forecasting to fall short on electric & gas savings goals from this year. Business projects canceling or delaying to 2023, impacting energy savings.
- Hearing from business customers & trade allies that timelines of projects getting longer, product prices rising, & customers are concerned about market uncertainty.
- Push since 2021 for diversity equity and inclusion with high-quality programming (https://www.energytrust.org/about/public-meetings/diversity-days-dei-events/) and minimum spending on COBID-certified firms.
Federal Legislation Passed for Small Businesses
2022 federal legislation has seen a tremendous and transformative policy change on how small businesses can make a beneficial transition to clean & renewable energy.
The Inflation Reduction Act: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/
SBUA Call for Action
Another way to aid SBUA efforts
Supporters can contact their utilities to ask the utility company to treat small business customers fairly for intervenor funding (Ratepayer Funds) by including small businesses at the intervenor funding table.
- Jay Tinker (Portland General Electric): jay.tinker@pgn.com
- Cathie Allen (Pacific Power): cathie.allen@pacificorp.com
- Eric Nelsen (NW Natural): eric.nelsen@nwnatural.com
- Joe Miller (Avista): joe.miller@avistacorp.com
- Michael Parvinen (Cascade): michael.parvinen@cngc.com
SBUA Oregon Advisory Committee
SBUA Oregon has organized an SBUA Oregon Advisory Committee, a first for SBUA anywhere. Members are from small businesses from different industry sectors and met for the first time on 11/10/22 to review a draft Charter and get acquainted with one another and SBUA activity in Oregon.
Read down below to learn more about the initial Advisory Committee members:
Tye Gabriel, East Portland Chamber of Commerce Board Member, East Portland
Tye currently serves as part of the East Portland Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. As a board member Tye participates in community guidance by shaping the future of the chamber and the community it serves. Tye’s role also incorporates networking with businesses, organizations, and community members. Tye is a sales specialist for Generations LLC, the west coast senior living residence operator. The specific senior residence community that Tye serves currently is CherryWood Village in Portland, Oregon.
Jan Wilson, Nonprofit Leader/Attorney, Tualatin/Tigard
Jan has had a career as an environmental attorney for two decades and served as the executive director for both EarthShare Oregon & Tualatin Riverkeepers most recently. Jan’s leadership skills in these nonprofits include extensive community outreach and understanding the logistics of what it takes to run and manage a nonprofit organization. Furthermore, Jan has contributed her skillset to SBUA and brings that helpful experience to the advisory committee.
Todd Kimball, Small Business Consultant, Portland Metro Area
Todd currently serves as an Advisory Board member for BestHQ. Todd’s engagement with BestHQ involves bringing small businesses and large businesses together for networking opportunities through sustainable means. Todd has also contributed to assisting SBUA in past matters and understands key aspects of SBUA and its significance in energy and utility discussions.
Ann Fisher, Attorney/Energy Consultant, Beaverton
A small business owner, and having worked in electric utility issues 25 years ago, Ann Fisher also specializes in legal practice areas such as general business, commercial law, litigation contracts, etc. Ann has interacted with the following state agencies Bonneville Power Administration and Oregon Public Utility Commission contributing to her understanding of the energy legal landscape in the Pacific Northwest.
Mike Shea, Architect, Portland Metro Area
Mike is a principal at Soderstrom Architects where they concentrate on higher education projects, federal projects, and facilities for the Bonneville Power Administration, including their net-zero Ross Maintenance Headquarters in Vancouver, Washington. Mike’s portfolio includes other net zero and sustainable projects reflecting career-long interest in energy conservation and renewables.
Les Oehler, Small Business Manager, Corvallis
Les Oehler’s experience includes managing a family business of four jewelry stores in the mid-Willamette valley. Les is currently the CEO at Studio 311 & TOBY POMEROY Fine Jewelry and is familiar with the Oregon Public Utility Commission’s impact on small business utility rates.
Gordon Feighner, Restaurant Owner, Portland
Gordon Feighner is co-owner and manager of two popular Portland restaurants, Jam on Hawthorne and Cricket Cafe. An economist by training, Gordon spent five years working as a utility analyst for the Citizens Utility Board of Oregon. Gordon brings a great understanding of energy usage in the hospitality industry, and his background in utility economics in Oregon assures a great perspective on the interaction of that industry and the investor-owned utility work where SBUA engages.
