The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is the chief electric, gas and telephone utility regulatory agency of the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. It sets rates and establishes rules of operation for the state's investor-owned utility companies. With respect to publicly owned utility districts and cooperatives, its authority is limited to safety regulations. The first regulation of a public utility was effected in 1874 when the

Oregon Legislative Assembly The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the Ho ...

passed a law regulating rates and procedures for the gas distribution business of Al Zeiber in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

. His primary contract was with the city for its gas street lamps. The agency, or its predecessors including the Public Service Commission, have been charged with a wide variety regulatory duties, encompassing industries as diverse as timber rafting to intrastate rail and bus service. The present commission was reestablished in 1987 as a three-member panel, replacing the office of the Public Utility Commissioner, as a result of voters' passage of a statewide ballot measure in November 1986. The new panel's first three members, all appointed by

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Neil Goldschmidt Neil Edward Goldschmidt (born June 16, 1940) is an American businessman and Democratic politician from the state of Oregon who held local, state and federal offices over three decades. After serving as the United States Secretary of Transportat ...

, were Charles Davis, who had already been serving as acting Commissioner since January 1987;"Goldschmidt puts Davis on PUC". ''The Oregonian'', April 1, 1987, p. D16 State Senator

Nancy Ryles Nancy Ann Ryles (December 18, 1937 – September 12, 1990) was an Oregon politician. She served in the Oregon House of Representatives, the Oregon Senate and as one of three members of the state's Public Utility Commission. She was known as an ...

and Paul G. Cook."Senate approves Ryles appointment". ''The Oregonian'', May 16, 1987, p. E11. Earlier, Davis had also been Oregon's Public Utility Commissioner under Gov.

Robert W. Straub Robert William Straub (May 6, 1920 – November 27, 2002) was an American politician and businessman from the state of Oregon. A native of San Francisco, California, he settled in Eugene, Oregon, where he entered politics. A Democratic politici ...

, from 1975–1979. A second major change occurred in 1995. State legislative action transferred the responsibility for regulating motor transportation and rail safety to the

Oregon Department of Transportation The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Depar ...

Organization

The PUC is organized into several sections. Staff members in the Utility Program represent customers in rate filings by examining utility companies' financial needs. They regularly check utility records to see that they comply with PUC and general accounting standards. They also monitor other programs carried out by regulated utilities, including safety procedures, to ensure that services are safe and reliable. The Administrative Hearings Division conducts public meetings, public and confidential hearings, and other proceedings on utility matters, including major rate cases. They often hold hearings in outlying areas of the state to offer customers a convenient opportunity to participate The Economic Research and Financial Analysis Division researches and analyzes issues common to regulated industries. The Regulatory Operations Division tracks and process all filings, maintains the PUC databases, organizes semi-monthly public meeting agendas, determines utility fee assessments, and coordinates administrative rule action. The Public Utility Commission regulates rates and services charged customers by the state’s investor-owned electric, natural gas, telecommunication, and certain water utilities. The PUC conducts its business via biweekly hearings held in Salem and in public hearings held to addressee's specific issues. The PUC’s decisions and regulatory responsibilities are implemented and carried out by staff of PUC’s support programs. Laws that govern the functions of the PUC are contained in the

Oregon Revised Statutes The Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative. The statutes are subordinate to the Oregon Constitu ...

, chapters 756–774. The Commission has also adopted administrative rules relating to these statutes.

References

External links

* * {{authority control Public utilities commissions of the United States

Public Utility Commission In the United States, it is a governing body of a utility. In Canada, it is a utility, not a regulatory body. Canada In Canada, a public utilities commission (PUC) is a public utility owned and operated by a municipal or local government under t ...

1987 establishments in Oregon