Salemites will pay more to do laundry, take a shower and dispose of trash in 2024.
Rates are increasing for nearly every utility provider serving the city and nearby areas, with the biggest jump expected for power. Portland General Electric customers will spend almost $25 more per month after state regulators approved a large rate hike in December.
Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect on your bills.
Electricity
Portland General Electric customers will see a bill jump effective Jan. 1, when power will cost 18% more for households. That means a bill of about $24.59 more per month for a typical user, and comes on top of a 7% increase last year.
The utility is the main electrical provider for Salem.
The Oregon Public Utilities Commission approved the increase in December, citing increased cost to buy power to meet demand, inflation and spending on infrastructure to improve resiliency.
“The rate increase reflects the need to invest in the reliability and resiliency of PGE’s system, advance policy objectives like equity and clean energy, and the reality that PGE faces inflationary pressures and high market power prices,” said Megan Decker, utility commission chair, in a statement. “We recognize how significant this rate increase will be for families and businesses, and we encourage them to seek out help with bills through energy efficiency and the rate discount program that has been expanded to better support Oregonians experiencing low incomes.”
Along with the rate increase, the utility has increased the amount of bill discounts Oregonians earning below median income can qualify for. To learn more or apply, visit portlandgeneral.com/income-qualified-bill-discount or call 503-228-6322.
Salem Electric raised rates Oct. 1 an average of 4.7%, resulting in most customers paying less than $5 more per month for power, the utility said. The electric co-op covers much of west Salem and Keizer.
Salem Electric’s monthly charge for basic service rose from $25 to $30, while the rate per kilowatt hour decreased slightly from $0.0760 to $0.0754. A full breakdown of rates is on the utility’s website.
The co-op last raised rates in 2021.
Pacific Power residential customers will see rates increase between 11 and 13%, depending on the outcome of a rate case that’s still before the Public Utilities Commission, spokeswoman Kandi Young said. The decision will be finalized Jan. 9.
The utility covers much of rural Marion and Polk counties, and has discounts available for low-income customers.
Water and sewer
A typical home in Salem will spend about $5 more per month on city utilities under a January rate increase adopted by the Salem City Council. That means a monthly bill of about $103.57.
The increase reflects an average 5% rate increase for city water, sewer and stormwater, which the city council approved in July 2022. See the full rate schedule here and a breakdown of city utility billing here.
Ratepayers will also see a 6.25% increase in the monthly city operations fee added to bills, a flat fee that pays for general city operations. The council voted to raise the fee effective July 1 to address a city budget deficit, and the fee is increasing again Jan. 1 because of inflation.
Single family homes would pay $15.33 per month starting in January, and apartments pay $12.26. The increases will be visible on bills sent in February.
The city has utility bill assistance available, including monthly discounts based on income, as well as emergency assistance for past-due balances up to $500 per calendar year. Learn more about the programs and how to apply here.
Currently, 886 families are receiving help through the rate relief program. The city spent $314,000 on discounts for 1,876 accounts through the emergency utility assistance program in 2023, city spokesman Trevor Smith said.
Natural gas
A bit of good news in a sea of bill hikes: natural gas rates in Salem aren’t going up. (Yet.)
NW Natural, the natural gas provider for the Salem area, decreased rates 7.4% in November, about $8 less per month for the average residential bill payer. That means an average monthly bill of $80.53, down from $88.46. Commercial and industrial customers are also paying less.
Any savings are likely to be short-lived, though: The utility is seeking a rate increase in 2024 to address costs associated with the state’s greenhouse gas reduction program. NW Natural filed for an increase that would raise an average customer’s bills by $14.38 per month. If state regulators approve the increase, it would likely take effect Nov. 1.
Garbage and recycling
Salem residents will spend about $20 more per year on garbage and recycling services after the Salem City Council approved rate increases requested by private haulers in November.
Most residential customers in Marion County would see an annual increase of around $22.20 next year, and $19.80 a year in Polk County according to a report to the council. That reflects a 5.35% increase for Salem residents in Marion County and a 5.61% increase for Salem residents in Polk County.
Outside city limits, Salemites in unincorporated Marion County will pay about 4.9% more for garbage collection, or about $9.12 more per year for a 35-gallon cart. Marion County Commissioners approved a rate increase Dec. 6 for private garbage haulers.
The increase raises the annual cost of garbage service from $186.60 to $195.72. More details on the county increase are here.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
SUPPORT OUR WORK – We depend on subscribers for resources to report on Salem with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Subscribe today to get our daily newsletters and more. Click I want to subscribe!
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.