Summary of California utility consumer’s rights and responsibilities
Pacific Power has prepared this summary of your rights and responsibilities when you apply for an account with or are a current customer of a utility company in California.

Pacific Power’s main responsibility is to provide you with reliable services at rates approved by the California Public Utilities Commission  (CPUC). Your main responsibilities are to pay for the services you use, not to damage or tamper with our equipment, and to let us know if you move, would like to change your service or have a problem.  

Customer responsibilities

• Use services safely and pay for them promptly
• Contact Pacific Power when you have a problem with payment, service, safety, billing or customer service
• Notify Pacific Power about billing or other errors
• Contact Pacific Power when you anticipate a payment problem to try to set up a payment plan
• Notify Pacific Power when you are moving to another location
• Notify Pacific Power about stopping service in your name or about stopping service altogether
• Allow safe, unobstructed access to your property for meter reading, tree trimming and other essential Pacific Power personnel and equipment
• Provide notice to Pacific Power if you are making any significant change that may affect the electrical character of your load affecting you or others

Establishing credit
Before receiving service you will be required to satisfactorily establish credit. You can establish credit if:

• You pay a cash deposit
• You have been a customer of the Company for a similar type of service within the last two years and during the last twelve consecutive months of that prior service have not had more than two past due bills.

Deposits
If a deposit is required the amount will be twice the maximum monthly bill as estimated by Pacific Power. Pacific Power will review your payment record each year to determine whether you have established satisfactory credit. Once you have paid your bill by the due date for 12 consecutive months, your deposit, with interest, will be mailed to you or applied as a credit to your account.

Billing
You will receive a bill for electric service each month, based on the billing determinants, such as kilowatt-hours, registered on your electric meter during the billing period. Your bill will show the date when your payment is due, the applicable rate schedule and the amount of the bill. You may ask that another person receive your bills and notices if you are unable to receive or understand them. If you cannot pay a bill in full, we will try to work out a payment arrangement with you – taking into account your ability to pay, the amount you owe, your payment history and the reasons why you may not have been able to pay.

Disconnection notices
Electric service can be disconnected if your bill is not paid. Here are the procedures and the rules governing how this would happen. Each bill shows a payment date. After that the bill is considered past due. Before your service will be disconnected, we will send you a written notice mailed at least five days prior to disconnect. A Pacific Power representative will always accept cash payment of your delinquent account and not disconnect your electricity.
However there may be a disconnection visit charge to pay the cost of the representative’s call to the collect the bill.

If your service is disconnected, we will require reconnection fees and a deposit if you do not already have a deposit to secure your account.
Pacific Power can disconnect service, or refuse to provide service, if a customer:

• Violates regulations, service agreements or filed tariffs
• Has dangerous wiring or equipment that does not meet safety standards
• Tampers with the meter or Pacific Power’s equipment
• Uses equipment that interferes with service to others
• Denies the company reasonable access to property to make repairs or read a meter
• Willfully wastes electricity through improper wiring, equipment or any other way
  

Late charges
Customers are responsible for paying their bills on time. Pacific Power may add late payment charges to bills that are paid late.

Closing your account
You need to let us know as soon as possible if you plan to move or close your account. We can’t close out your account or process your closing bill until you let us know your closing date.

Complaints and disputes
Pacific Power will promptly investigate every complaint or dispute we receive and we’ll report to you on the results. Contact us through our toll-free phone number at 1-888-221-7070. This number is also printed on your bill.

If you are not satisfied with the information or assistance you received from our representative you have the right to request a supervisory review. We will either transfer you directly to a supervisor, if one is immediately available, or provide you their name and how they can be reached. If you talk to the supervisor and still aren’t satisfied, you can call or write the California Public Utilities Commission’s Consumer Affairs Branch. Their toll free number is 1-800-649-7570 or TTD 1-415-703-2032. You may also write them at Consumer Affairs Branch, California State Building, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California 94102. Pacific Power will not knowingly disconnect your service while you are honestly pursuing a complaint with a supervisor or the Commission.

We've tried to explain in a way that's easy to understand what California's laws say about your rights and responsibilities are as a utility customer. Copies of these rules and Pacific Power's field tariffs, including rate schedules and general rules and regulations, in their original wording are available to you by calling 1-888-221-7070 or mailing us at P.O. Box 400, Portland, OR 97207-0400.

We aim to provide a high level of customer service. Learn more about our Customer Service Guarantees .