Across Oregon last year, thousands of households saw the lights go out or the heat cut off, even as regulators and utilities rolled out new pause rules meant to shield low-income and medically fragile customers. The shutoffs hit communities across the state and affected both electric and natural gas users. Advocates say the numbers show protections that were spotty at best and that utility errors left families exposed in the middle of winter.
Utility filings and watchdog data show investor-owned utilities disconnected tens of thousands of households in 2025, a jump from the year before. Pacific Power and Portland General Electric were among the biggest contributors, and the six for-profit utilities together carried out roughly 69,000 disconnections in 2025, according to The Oregonian/OregonLive. Regulators and consumer advocates tie the spike to fast-rising bills and uneven outreach to customers who were already struggling.
Protected Accounts Were Still Shut Off
The Oregon Citizens' Utility Board points to NW Natural as the clearest example of how protections broke down. The utility acknowledged disconnecting 198 households that should have been covered by a voluntary winter moratorium, according to the Oregon Citizens' Utility Board. CUB and NW Natural filings indicate some families went without service for days or even weeks. NW Natural says it has refunded reconnect fees, applied a $150 credit and offered extended payment plans to those accounts. Advocates say that is not enough and are pressing regulators for tougher remedies.
Regulators Tightened Rules, but Gaps Remain
The Public Utility Commission of Oregon has put a web of new rules in place, both temporary and permanent, meant to keep the worst outcomes at bay. The rules limit shutoffs during extreme heat, extreme cold and periods of very poor air quality, require better notice to customers, and expand reconnection protections for eligible households. The commission has also ordered more frequent reporting and directed utilities to offer longer time-payment arrangements along with stronger outreach to customers who fall behind. Those details are laid out in the commission's rulemaking filings and orders, according to the Public Utility Commission of Oregon.
Advocates Push for Penalties and Audits
Oregon CUB wants regulators to go further. The group has proposed a roughly $10,000 disallowance for each wrongfully disconnected household, about $1.98 million in all, and is asking the commission to audit NW Natural's customer-information systems to help prevent a repeat. CUB is also urging utilities to wipe out arrears for families who were shut off and to consider per-day damages when outages drag on. The demands are part of a broader push from consumer advocates who argue that moratoriums do not mean much unless they come with real, enforceable penalties. Oregon Citizens' Utility Board
What Households Can Do
If you have received a disconnection notice or already lost service, advocates say to contact your utility immediately, then call the state regulator at 800-522-2404 to file a complaint or get help applying for bill discounts and extended payment plans. The PUC's consumer information center lists current protections and contact numbers for Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural and other utilities. PUC Consumer Information
Advocates say the data, along with the NW Natural case, underline that moratoriums alone will not prevent harm without stronger oversight and enforcement. Regulators are continuing rulemaking work and reviewing wrongful disconnections as hearings and filings move forward, a process chronicled in reporting by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
