Some Oregon utilities can’t disconnect customers during adverse weather
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, August 4th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
SALEM – The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) reminds residential and small commercial customers that investor-owned utilities are required to pause disconnections of service for nonpayment during certain summer weather or air quality conditions. They also can’t shut off power or gas for nonpayment when customers are under a Level 2 or Level 3 evacuation notice.
The PUC only regulates investor-owned utilities. Those include Pacific Power, Cascade Natural Gas, Avista Natural Gas, Idaho Power, NW Natural, and Portland General Electric.
The shut-off moratorium is activated for both electric and natural gas during severe air quality events and Level 2 or Level 3 evacuation orders. It applies only to electric utilities when it involves extreme heat events. The moratoriums generally remain in effect for 48 hours after the incident ends. Meanwhile, customers who were disconnected shortly before a moratorium began could qualify for no-cost reconnection.
Utilities may still need to disconnect power to a high-risk area during extreme fire weather to prevent ignitions. The PUC says that in those cases the utility will restore power as quickly as it is safe to do so.
