Customer Rights for Businesses

Pacific Power and the Consumer Services Division of the Oregon Public Utility Commission (also called OPUC) have 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 Oregon.

Pacific Power’s main responsibility is to provide you with reliable services at rates approved by the OPUC. 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.

Deposits

We may ask you to pay a deposit. If a deposit is required, you may be able to pay it in several installments. Our customer service representatives can work with you to make deposit arrangements. Your deposit will be refunded after one year when you have established satisfactory credit according to company regulations.

Disconnection notices

Before Pacific Power can disconnect your service, we must notify you. We will give you a 15-day notice, another notice five business days before disconnection and we will try to contact you the day the disconnection is scheduled.

Late charges

Consumers are responsible for paying their bills on time. Under some circumstances, 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. It’s a good idea to do this yourself and not depend on someone else to do it for you. We can’t close your account or process your closing bill until you let us know your move-out 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’re not satisfied with the assistance you received from the first person you talked to at Pacific Power, you have the right to request that your problem be handled by that person’s supervisor, and we’ll give you the supervisor’s name and how he or she can be reached.

If you talk to the supervisor and still aren’t satisfied, you can call the Oregon Public Utility Commission’s Consumer Services Division. Their toll-free phone number is 1-800-522-2404. 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 tell you in a way that’s easy to understand what Oregon’s laws say about your rights and responsibilities as a utility customer. We aim to keep this information up-to-date, but please see copies of Pacific Power's actual filed tariffs, including rate schedules and general rules and regulations, in their original wording or call toll free at 1-888-221-7070.

If you have questions about anything in this summary, please call Pacific Power toll free at 1-888-221-7070 or the OPUC Consumer Services Division at 1-800-522-2404. If you do not speak English, please try to arrange before you call for an interpreter to help you. Pacific Power and the OPUC understand that you may need special help if you do not speak English; however, our offices may not have someone available who speaks your first language.

Pacific Power and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission have 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 Washington.

Deposits

A nonresidential applicant or customer may be required to demonstrate satisfactory credit. If a deposit is required, the amount will not be more than two months’ worth of the estimated yearly billing at your service address. The deposit is due and payable not earlier than 5:00 of the sixth business day after notice of the requirement. Interest is paid on deposits at the rate set yearly by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

You get your deposit refunded (with interest) after you’ve paid your bills promptly for 12 consecutive months — providing Pacific Power has not had to disconnect your service for nonpayment or sent you more than two overdue account notices.

Your payment record is reviewed each year and your deposit refund — complete with interest —will be sent to you by check within 15 days, once you have paid your bill by the due date for 12 consecutive months.

If you move you will also get your deposit back, with interest, minus any amount owed to us.

Billing

You will receive a bill for electric service each month, based on determinants such as kilowatt-hours of electricity 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 a copy of your bills and notices.

Disconnection notices

Electric service can be disconnected if your bill isn't paid. Here are the procedures and the rules governing how this would happen:

Each bill shows a payment date. After that date, the bill is considered past due. Before your service will be disconnected, we will send you a written notice mailed at least eight business days before the date we will disconnect service.

Before the service is shut off, we will send you an additional three-day notice. If notice is hand-delivered and no one is present, we'll attach the notice to your front door. Service can then be stopped after the next business day. If service is not shut off within 10 business days after the disconnection date, a new notice will be provided unless prior arrangements were made.

A Pacific Power representative will always accept cash payment of your delinquent account and not disconnect your electricity. However, there may be a field visit charge of $15 to pay the cost associated with the representative’s visit to collect the bill. If your service is disconnected, to reconnect we will require payment of at least half of a new deposit plus a reconnect charge of $25 if connection is made during working hours between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, $50 between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, or, $75 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekends and holidays. A service charge of $20 may be collected by Pacific Power for each payment returned to us by a bank because of insufficient funds.

No service will be disconnected on Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays or any other day on which we cannot re-establish service on the same or following day, except in case of danger to life or property. Service may be disconnected during normal office hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

When the service and billing addresses for an account are different, notice by mail or in person will be made to the service address before disconnection, unless we can confirm that the customer in our records and the service user are the same. When separate notice to the service address is necessary, service will not be cut off until five business days after notice has been given to the service address.

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.
• Has fraudulently obtained service.

Closing your account

You need to let us know as soon as possible if you plan to move or close your account. It’s a good idea to do this yourself and not depend on someone else to do it for you. We can’t close your account or process your closing bill until you let us know your move-out date.

Complaints and disputes

We 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 1-866-870-3419. Pacific Power's toll free number, 1-888-221-7070, is also printed on your bill.

If you're not satisfied with the assistance you received from the first person you talked to at Pacific Power, you have the right to request that your problem be handled by a supervisor, and we'll give you the supervisor's name and how he or she can be reached.

If you talk to the supervisor and still aren't satisfied, you can call or write the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. Their toll-free phone number is 1-800-562-6150 from within Washington or 360-664-1120. The address is 1300 S. Evergreen Park Dr. S.W., Olympia, WA, 98504-7250.

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 tell you in a way that's easy to understand what Washington's laws say about your rights and responsibilities are as a utility customer. Copies of these rules (Chapters 480-100 of the Washington Administrative Code) and actual filed tariffs, including rate schedules and general rules and regulations, in their original wording, are available to you by calling toll free at 1-866-870-3419.

Mailing address:
PO Box 400
Portland, OR 97207-0400  
 

We think our customers deserve excellent service. But what do we mean by that? Giving you clear, straightforward answers when you have questions, for one thing. This information was written in cooperation with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to give you answers to some common questions about bills, credit, deposits and other parts of your electric service. If you'd like more information on any of the topics we cover here, please call Pacific Power toll free at 1-888-221-7070. Si desea una copía en español de este resumen de los derechos y responsabilidades del consumidor, por favor llame al 1-888-225-2611. Su llamada será gratuita.

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 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.

Small business customers

You or your business may qualify as a small business customer with Pacific Power. Qualifying small business customers may benefit from specific rules regarding the charging of deposits and billing adjustments. To qualify as a small business with Pacific Power, your business must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Use less than 40,000 kWh annually.
• Have a demand that does not exceed 20 kW.
• Qualify as a microbusiness customer as defined in California Government Code Section 14837.

To self-certify as a microbusiness customer, download the affidavit (PDF) and to learn more, visit our Q&A page.

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 you have not had more than two past due bills.

Deposits

If a deposit is required, the amount will be twice the average 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 date, 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 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 your account or process your closing bill until you let us know your move-out 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 toll free at 1-888-221-7070. This number is also printed on your bill.

If you are not satisfied with the 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 immediately available, or provide you the supervisor's name and how he or she 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 phone number is 1-800-649-7570 or TTD 1-415-703-2032. You may write them at Consumer affair 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 filed tariffs, including rate schedules and general rules and regulations, in their original wording are available to you by calling toll free at 1-888-221-7070 or mailing us at P.O. Box 400, Portland, OR 97207-0400.