Press Kit

Quick Facts

Full Name

Columbia River People’s Utility District

24-Hour Outage & Information Hotline

(503) 397-1844

1940

Year Formed

Date Energized

August 31, 1984

Number of Customers

20860

(2025 annual monthly average)

Residential

18255

Small Commercial

1698

Large Commercial

330

Industrial

Street/Area Lighting

522

Irrigation

2025 Revenues

$40.2

million

Employees

Peak Load

104 MW

(December 2022)

Territory Size

240

square miles

Substations

Miles of Overhead Distrubution

Primary

406

circuit miles

Secondary

176

circuit miles

Miles of Transmission

Miles of Underground Distribution

Primary

308

circuit miles

Secondary

255

circuit miles

Service Area

PUD History

Board of Directors

Power Supply

Columbia River PUD does not own any power generation facilities. Instead, we purchase wholesale power from Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). Like many other public utilities in the Northwest, the PUD is a “preference” customer of BPA, which gives us first right to the low-cost power that BPA sells. This partnership helps us keep electric rates affordable and stable for our customers.

Generation Resource Comparison

About 1/3 of the electricity sold in the Northwest comes from BPA. These graphs compare BPA’s power supply mix with that of the region and the nation:

BPA Generation Resources

NW Generation Resources

Other Generation Resources

While about 80% of BPA’s electricity and 55% of the region’s electricity comes from hydropower, nationwide, that number is only 6%. Our clean, green, renewable hydropower is 1 reason that the Northwest enjoys such low electricity rates. It also helps keep our air clean.

Affordable & Stable Rates

Columbia River PUD customers enjoy some of the lowest electric rates in the nation.

Rate Comparison

map showing average electricity prices per state in the United States

This map shows the average electricity cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) for residential customers across the United States during 2025.

The national average was 17.30¢ per kWh. Columbia River PUD residential customers paid an average of 9.75¢, which is 37% less than the state average and 44% less than the national average.

CRPUD residential customers saved an average of $705 each in 2025 compared with average electric rates in Oregon. The total savings for all PUD residential customers was about $12.9 million.

Public Power - An American Tradition that Works

Public Power Facts

Columbia River PUD is 1of more than 2,000 publicly owned utilities providing electric service to 45 million Americans, or about 14% of the nation’s electricity consumers. Electric cooperatives, people’s utility districts, public utility districts, and municipals are all part of the public power family.

There are some key differences between public utilities and privately held “investor-owned” utilities. Learn more about the differences.

Benefits of Public Power

Community Support

Columbia River PUD is a strong community supporter. The PUD and its employees are active in the community through many different grants, sponsorships, and volunteer activities.

Financial support to local organizations is offered through programs like the Economic Development Grant Program and the Vehicle Wash Program. Learn more about what we do in our community.

Community Programs