Portland Winter Utility Shutoff Rules 2026–27: Keeping PGE and NW Natural On This Winter
Oregon has some of the stronger utility shutoff protections in the country, but they only help if you use them. A medical certificate has to be filed. A payment plan has to be in writing. An income-based discount has to be applied for. This guide is a winter checklist for Portland households on Portland General Electric (PGE) or NW Natural, both regulated by the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC).
It's organized as a list of moves, roughly in the order you should make them.
Last checked October 2026. Facts come from Oregon Administrative Rules 860-021-0405, -0410, and -0415 (as published), the Oregon PUC's December 31, 2025 announcement of updated customer protection rules (Docket AR 671), PGE's 2026 Income-Qualified Bill Discount application, and Multnomah County's Energy Bill Assistance page. The PUC updated its rules in late 2025. If anything here conflicts with what your utility or the PUC tells you, go with the current rule. This is general information, not legal advice.
Move 1: Get the Discount Before the Bills Get Big (PGE)
PGE's Income-Qualified Bill Discount takes 15% to 80% off the energy-use part of your bill each month. PGE says it's in addition to any other help you get. Receiving energy assistance doesn't stop you from enrolling.
2026 income guidelines (PGE application, based on 60% of state median income as of October 2026):
1 person: $3,360.50/month ($40,326/year)
2 people: $4,394.50/month ($52,734/year)
3 people: $5,428.50/month ($65,142/year)
4 people: $6,462.50/month ($77,550/year)
5 people: $7,496.50/month ($89,958/year)
6 people: $8,530.50/month ($102,366/year)
Income counts all household members 18 and older, before taxes. PGE publishes figures for larger households on the application.
How to apply, per PGE:
No financial documents required to apply. PGE asks only for household size and average gross annual income.
Call 503-228-6322. Advisors help in more than 200 languages. Or mail the form, or upload it at portlandgeneral.com/formupload.
The discount starts on the first bill after approval. It doesn't apply to charges billed before you enrolled. It also doesn't apply to certain charges on the bill.
Enrollment lasts two years. Then you re-enroll. PGE says it sends a reminder.
If your income or household size changes, send an updated form.
Why now: The discount only applies going forward. Enrolling in October or November means it covers the whole heating season.
Move 2: Apply for Energy Assistance Through 211info
Multnomah County's Energy Assistance Program gives eligible low-income households direct payments toward heating and electric bills. The county also offers one-on-one case management and education on lowering energy costs. The county partners with six local nonprofits, including culturally specific organizations. Help is first-come, first-served.
To apply, contact 211info:
Call 2-1-1
Text your ZIP code to 898211
Email help@211info.org (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.)
Online at 211info.org
Tip: Because it's first-come, first-served, get on the list as soon as intake opens. Have ready your recent PGE and/or NW Natural bills, ID, and proof of income for your household.
Move 3: If Someone's Health Is at Risk, File a Medical Certificate
Under OAR 860-021-0410, an energy utility can't disconnect residential service if a qualified medical professional certifies that a shutoff would significantly endanger the physical health of you or someone in your household. Qualified professionals are a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.
How it works:
The provider can call the utility first, but must confirm in writing within 14 days.
The written certificate must include:
the patient's name and relationship to the customer;
a description of the health condition;
how a shutoff would endanger their health;
how long the condition is expected to last;
the type of utility service needed (for example, "electricity for respirator");
the provider's signature.
How long it lasts: up to 6 months for non-chronic conditions, and up to 12 months for conditions identified as chronic. The utility must send written notice at least 15 days before it expires.
What it doesn't do: A medical certificate doesn't cancel the bill. If you have an overdue balance, the rule requires a written time-payment agreement. If you have financial hardship, you can renegotiate it. If you don't sign a payment agreement within 20 days of filing the certificate, or don't keep it, the utility must notify the PUC before it can move to disconnect.
The PUC's December 2025 announcement adds that medical certificate holders don't pay reconnection fees. After a wildfire evacuation or severe weather event, they don't have to pay an outstanding balance to reconnect.
Move 4: Behind Already? Ask for a Written Time-Payment Agreement
Under OAR 860-021-0415, a utility can't disconnect for nonpayment if you enter a written time-payment plan. The utility must offer you at least a choice between two plans:
Levelized payment plan: You pay your average annual bill plus the past-due balance, divided by 12, as a down payment. Then you pay the same amount each month for 11 more months.
Equal-pay arrearage plan: You pay 1/12 of what you owe as a down payment. Then 1/12 is added to each regular bill for the next 11 months.
You and the utility can agree to other terms in writing, but only after the utility has told you about these two options.
The PUC's late-2025 updates say customers seeking reconnection now get up to six billing cycles to catch up, up from two.
If you break the agreement, the rule lets the utility disconnect after a 15-day notice.
Move 5: Know the Notice Rules
Under OAR 860-021-0405, before disconnecting a home for nonpayment, the utility generally must:
Send a 15-day written notice. It must be in bold type and state the reason, the earliest shutoff date, and the amount needed to avoid disconnection. It must also explain time-payment plans and medical certificates, the PUC complaint process, and an agency that may help pay. This notice can't be sent before the bill's due date.
Send a second notice at least five business days before the shutoff.
Try to reach you personally. That means on the day of disconnection, or, for remote-disconnect meters, at least three business days before by phone, with calls at set times of day.
If a utility representative reaches you in person, they can accept a reasonable partial payment under the time-payment rules. If it's clear you don't understand what disconnection means, the rule requires the utility to notify the Oregon Department of Human Services and the PUC and delay the shutoff five more business days.
Renters: If the bill goes to a landlord or a master meter serves the building, the rule says notices can be addressed to "tenant" or "occupant." The envelope must be marked as a disconnection notice. Open those envelopes.
Move 6: Severe Weather Pauses
The PUC's December 2025 announcement says disconnections will be paused during and for 48 hours after a severe weather event for all residential customers. The PUC also says protections now cover emergencies such as extreme weather, air quality events, and wildfire evacuations.
The PUC says income-qualified customers and medical certificate holders won't pay reconnection fees, and no reconnection fee is charged when the utility can reconnect remotely. Income-qualified and medical certificate customers also don't need to pay an outstanding balance to reconnect after a wildfire evacuation or severe weather event.
What to do: If a snow or ice storm is forecast and you're behind, call your utility before the storm to set up a time-payment agreement. Don't count on the pause. It's temporary.
Move 7: Complain if the Rules Weren't Followed
Every disconnection notice must explain the PUC's complaint process and toll-free number. If you think your utility skipped a notice, refused a payment plan, or ignored a medical certificate, call the PUC's Consumer Services using the number on your notice. Keep copies of every notice and write down every call.
Winter Checklist
[ ] Apply for PGE's Income-Qualified Bill Discount (503-228-6322).
[ ] Contact 211info for county energy assistance.
[ ] If anyone's health depends on power or heat, get a medical certificate filed, and calendar its expiration date.
[ ] If behind, sign a written time-payment agreement. Ask for the levelized or equal-pay option.
[ ] Open every utility envelope. Note the 15-day and 5-business-day notice dates.
[ ] Before a storm, call the utility if you're at risk.
FAQ
Can PGE shut off my power in winter in Portland? Yes, for nonpayment, after the required notices. Medical certificates, written time-payment agreements, and severe-weather pauses all limit shutoffs.
How much is PGE's income-qualified discount? 15% to 80% off the energy-use part of the bill, depending on income. A household of four qualifies at up to $6,462.50 a month gross.
How do I get Multnomah County energy assistance? Call 2-1-1, text your ZIP code to 898211, or go to 211info.org.
How long does a medical certificate last? Up to 6 months, or up to 12 months for a chronic condition. Your provider must confirm a phone certification in writing within 14 days.
Does a medical certificate mean I don't have to pay? No. You must sign a written time-payment agreement for any overdue balance.
Related Guides
Sources
OAR 860-021-0405 (disconnection notices): https://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_860-021-0405
OAR 860-021-0410 (medical certificates): https://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_860-021-0410
OAR 860-021-0415 (time-payment agreements): https://oregon.public.law/rules/oar_860-021-0415
Oregon PUC media release, Dec. 31, 2025: https://www.oregon.gov/puc/news-events/Documents/PR-202516.pdf
PGE Income-Qualified Bill Discount application (2026): https://assets.ctfassets.net/416ywc1laqmd/4DTDkrdz1ubCxqwtHKIQ5G/ad362ef362ed95254d9aaf436ce4bc63/736700_BLP_IQBD_Application_2026_English_Fnl_8-14-26.pdf
Multnomah County, Energy Bill Assistance: https://multco.us/info/energy-bill-assistance
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