The Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC) is the chief electric, gas and telephone utility regulatory agency of the government

State government

A state government is the government of a subnational entity in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonomy, or be subject to the direct control of the federal government...

 of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Oregon

Oregon

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...

. It sets rates and establishes rules of operation for the state's investor-owned utility companies. With respect to publicly owned utility districts and cooperatives, its authority is limited to safety regulations.

The first regulation of a public utility was effected in 1874 when the Oregon Legislative Assembly

Oregon Legislative Assembly

The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...

 passed a law regulating rates and procedures for the gas distribution business of Al Zeiber in Portland

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

. His primary contract was with the city for its gas street lamps. The agency, or its predecessors including the Public Service Commission, have been charged with a wide variety regulatory duties, encompassing industries as diverse as timber rafting to intrastate rail and bus service.

The present commission was reestablished in 1987 as a three-member panel, replacing the office of the Public Utility Commissioner, as a result of voters' passage of a statewide ballot measure in November 1986. The new panel's first three members, all appointed by Governor

Governor of Oregon

The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....

 Neil Goldschmidt

Neil Goldschmidt

Neil Edward Goldschmidt is an American businessman and former Democratic politician from Oregon who held local, state, and federal offices over three decades. After serving as the governor of Oregon, Goldschmidt is widely considered the most influential figure in the state's politics, both as an...

, were Charles Davis, who had already been serving as acting Commissioner since January 1987; State Senator Nancy Ryles and Paul G. Cook. Earlier, Davis had also been Oregon's Public Utility Commissioner under Gov. Robert W. Straub

Robert W. Straub

Robert William "Bob" Straub , was an American politician and businessman in the state of Oregon. A native of California, he settled in Eugene, Oregon, where he entered politics. A Democratic politician, he served in the Oregon State Senate, as the Oregon State Treasurer, and one term as the 31st...

, from 1975–1979.

A second major change occurred in 1995. State legislative action transferred the responsibility for regulating motor transportation and rail safety to the Oregon Department of Transportation

Oregon Department of Transportation

The Oregon Department of Transportation is a department of the state government of the U.S. state of Oregon responsible for systems of transportation. It was first established in 1969. It had been preceded by the Oregon State Highway Department which, along with the Oregon State Highway...

.

Organization

The PUC is organized into several sections. Staff members in the Utility Program represent customers in rate filings by examining utility companies' financial needs. They regularly check utility records to see that they comply with PUC and general accounting standards. They also monitor other programs carried out by regulated utilities, including safety procedures, to ensure that services are safe and reliable.

The Administrative Hearings Division conducts public hearings and other proceedings on utility matters, including major rate cases. They often hold hearings in outlying areas of the state to offer customers a convenient opportunity to participate

The Public Information Office disseminates information on the agency's responsibilities and operations through publications, the news media and direct public contact.

Laws that govern the functions of the PUC are contained in the Oregon Revised Statutes

Oregon Revised Statutes

The Oregon Revised Statutes is the codified body of statutory law governing the U.S. state of Oregon, as enacted by the Oregon Legislative Assembly, and occasionally by citizen initiative...

, chapters 756-774. The Commission has also adopted administrative rules

Oregon Administrative Rules

Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation is the official compilation of rules and regulations having the force of law in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the regulatory and administrative corollary to Oregon Revised Statutes, and is published pursuant to ORS 183.360...

relating to these statutes.