As a large business customer of Portland General Electric, you have choices. You can choose PGE’s Annual Cost of Service, one of PGE’s market-based energy pricing plans or an Energy Service Supplier.
We hope the information below answers any questions you may have. You can also view our
step-by-step instructions (PDF) for completing the enrollment form during an election window.
What is the purpose of the election windows?
When are the election windows?
What is Direct Access?
How do I know if I am eligible?
Will there be a transition charge or credit for leaving Annual Cost of Service during this election window?
If I currently have accounts on a pricing plan other than Annual Cost of Service, can I move them back to Cost of Service during a quarterly election window?
How do I evaluate my pricing options?
I have completed an analysis of whether to opt out, can someone at PGE double check my work or help me make a decision?
Do I need to make an election if I want to stay with my current plan?
What steps do I have to take if I want to take advantage of an election window?
What is the difference between customer code groups and “My Account” groups
Where do I find the 17th check digit on my account?
If I’m talking with an ESS, can you share my usage data with the ESS?
I am working with a third-party energy manager, consultant or aggregator. Can you share my information and work directly with this party on my behalf?
Can my third-party consultant complete the enrollment form for me?
I’m a third-party consultant and my client needs to release data to an ESS. Can I fill out the Historical Usage Data Release form for them? Or can PGE do it for them?
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Q. What is the purpose of the election windows?
Eligible customers have four opportunities each year to leave Annual Cost of Service and one opportunity each November to return to Cost of Service for the following year.
These windows allow large nonresidential customers to leave PGE’s Annual Cost of Service rate and choose a market-based pricing plan (Daily) or choose an alternate Electricity Service Supplier (ESS). In addition to the options available during the three quarterly election windows, there is a yearly opportunity for customers to choose to either leave or return to Cost of Service during the November election window.
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Q. When are the election windows?
Eligible customers can choose to leave PGE’s Annual Cost of Service during any of the election windows (February, May, August or November). The Quarterly election windows open Feb. 15, May 15 and Aug. 15 at 8 a.m. (or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday) and close at 5 p.m. following three full business days. See below for information on the November window.
Eligible customers may elect to leave or return to PGE’s Annual Cost of Service during the annual November election window each year. The annual November election window begins at 2 p.m. on Nov. 15 (or the next business day if the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday). It closes at 5 p.m following five full business days.
View a calendar of this year’s election windows (XLS).
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Q: What is Direct Access?
A: Direct Access is an option that allows eligible non-residential customers to purchase their electricity directly from competitive Electricity Service Suppliers (ESSs). PGE will continue to deliver electricity for all customers on Direct Access.
For large non-residential customers, the opportunity to choose Direct Access and opt out of Annual Cost of Service occurs during an election window. Small non-residential customers (with accounts open longer than one year) may choose Direct Access at any time and do not need to opt out during an election window.
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Q. How do I know if I am eligible?
Large non-residential customers who are currently on Annual Cost of Service pricing may switch to an alternate pricing plan during an election window. Customers must complete the term of PGE’s applicable service under their rate schedule before enrolling.
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Q. Will there be a transition charge or credit for leaving Cost of Service?
Yes, the charge/credit is called the Schedule 128 transition adjustment. If an eligible customer chooses to leave PGE’s Annual Cost of Service rate, the customer will be subject to the Schedule 128 transition adjustment (PDF). This adjustment rate reflects the difference between energy charges under the Annual Cost of Service option and the market price for the amount of energy made available by customers leaving Annual Cost of Service.
- How often does the schedule 128 adjustment change?
Transition adjustments are updated for each election window.
- If I leave during the year do I pay a different rate?
The adjustment in effect for the election window in which you opt out will be on your PGE bill from the effective date through the rest of that year. It will not change again during the calendar year until January, when the adjustment is annually recalculated.
- Does the adjustment apply to daily pricing or just direct access?
The schedule 128 adjustment applies to both direct access and daily market pricing.
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Q. If I currently have accounts on a pricing plan other than Annual Cost of Service, can I move them back to Cost of Service during a quarterly election window?
No, this is not an opportunity to return those accounts to PGE Annual Cost of Service. You may select to return to Annual Cost of Service only during the November election window.
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Q. How do I evaluate my pricing options?
If you begin researching your alternatives now, you’ll be well prepared to make your final selection during one of the election windows. Here are some ways to get started:
Indicative prices
To prepare for the November election window, view non-binding indicative (estimated) prices for PGE’s Annual Cost of Service online on or around Sept. 15 and Nov. 8 — they will be posted on our Pricing Plans page. These prices only serve as an indication of what the actual prices may be. The final prices will be posted when the November election window opens.
Historical data
For more information, view comparison charts. This is historical data and does not represent future prices.
Daily prices are available through Dow Jones.
Bill Estimator
You can use our online Bill Estimator tool to see what the indicative prices would mean for you and compare PGE’s Annual Cost of Service with rates provided to you by an ESS. You can also view a list of registered ESSs.
Transition adjustments
Understand the adjustment described above and how it may impact your decision.
Read more about direct access service for suggestions on how to compare PGE’s rates to those of an ESS.
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Q. I have completed an analysis of whether to opt out. Can someone at PGE double check my work or help me make a decision?
According to the terms of the PGE’s tariff, we are unable to help you make a decision regarding whether to opt out of PGE’s Annual Cost of Service or return. Your decision must be based solely upon your own analysis of the benefits. The tools mentioned above and third-party energy experts are available to assist customers in making such a decision.
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Q. Do I need to make an election if I want to stay with my current plan?
You do not need to make an election if you want to stay on your current plan.
If you are on Annual Cost of Service and do nothing, you will remain on Annual Cost of Service. If you are already on an alternate pricing plan or with an ESS and wish to remain with that option, you do not need to re-elect either. You only need to make an election if you want to switch plans.
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Q. What steps do I have to take if I want to take advantage of an election window?
- If you are considering Direct Access, you should submit a Direct Access Historical Usage Release form. This will allow all available ESSs to see your usage history and evaluate potential pricing options. Allow at least two weeks for processing and for the information to be available for the election window.
You may either:
If you have previously sent PGE this form, you do not need to do so again.
- At the beginning of each election window, PGE’s Schedule 128 transition adjustment rate is posted in the Pricing Plans section. (see above)
- If you choose to leave Annual Cost of Service pricing during any of the election windows, you will default to Daily pricing unless a DASR is received from an ESS to enroll you in Direct Access.
- You can expedite the process for making an election by setting up your account groups online in advance. This can be done anytime during the year. Get more information on how to set up account groups.
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Q: What is the difference between customer code groups and “My Account” groups?
When you add accounts to your account groups, it automatically creates the groups based on the “customer code.” If you want to create a custom group of accounts, go to the Your Account Groups section at the bottom of the page and click “Create.”
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Q: Where do I find the 17th check digit on my account?
An ESS will need this number to notify PGE that they are serving your accounts. PGE provides this number to you on your bill, and it is also on the printable confirmation page after you submit your enrollment form. See step-by-step instructions (PDF) for an example.
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Q. If I’m talking to an ESS, can you share my usage data with the ESS?
Yes, but only if we have received a signed Historical Usage Data Release form from you. You can authorize PGE to provide 12 months of historical usage data for each customer number you have selected to any Electricity Service Supplier that requests this information. Your customer number is the first nine digits of your account number as it appears on your bill. Historical usage data for all meters affiliated with the customer numbers provided with this form will be released to any ESS that requests this information.
You may either:
Please note this will only release your historical usage data to an ESS. It is not a consent to release any other information to the ESS or any other parties.
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Q. I am working with a third-party energy manager, consultant or aggregator. Can you share my information and work directly with this party on my behalf?
PGE’s role is to maintain neutrality and assist customers through the enrollment process as described below. It is the customer’s responsibility to provide their energy consultants the account information necessary to work with the third party such as copies of bills, lists of accounts, usage information, addresses of accounts and other general account information. PGE will not provide account information to the customer’s third party. Please also see sections 2.6 and 14.10 of PGE’s ESS Guide for additional information.
Login and access your billing and account information online. PGE is available to answer questions about PGE Tariffs and Rules, the PGE website and clarifying questions about the enrollment process. See below for contact information.
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Q. Can my third-party consultant complete the enrollment form for me?
We would strongly discourage you from allowing your third-party consultant to complete the online process for you. Doing so would allow that party access to all of your account and billing data as well as the ability to perform other actions unrelated to the election window until the online account is closed, which would be in the third party’s control, not the customer’s control.
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Q: I’m a third-party consultant and my client needs to release data to an ESS. Can I fill out the Historical Usage Data Release form for them? Or can PGE do it for them?
The customer should complete this form. As mentioned above, a request should be received by PGE at least two weeks before the election window opens to ensure the data is available to the ESS in time.
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Talk to us
If you have any questions, ask your PGE representative, or call us at 800-542-8818. You can also use the Contact Us form at your convenience, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We do our best to respond to all requests within two business days.
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