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The Oregon Legislature in 1999 passed Senate Bill
1149, sponsored by Senator Gene Derfler (R), Salem. The bill
allows large industrial consumers of investor owned utilities
to go to "market" in search of a better deal.
The
timing could not be worse, as the law goes into effect October
1, 2001, the West Coast is experiencing a wholesale shortage
of power–water levels this year are expected to be forty
percent of average. Generating companies are producing record
profits in the restructured California market while
distribution utilities seek state protection. Oregon’s
legislated restructuring, while different, could experience
many of the same problems. Look for price gouging to continue
at the wholesale level as big load companies compete for this
power. I believe it is in Oregon’s best interest to support
legislative efforts to, at a minimum, delay implementing SB
1149 for three to five years and allow study before jumping
in.
While
some seem content to allow for years of double digit rate
increases on the backs of consumers in order to build
capacity, I support the theory that this would only result in
a cost shift in power cost from large loads to small business
and residential consumers.
I
encourage you to e-mail, write a letter, or call our local
elected officials and let them know what you think.
Jeff Anderson,
Director
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