Pacific Power Filed a New Rate Case: Here's Why Now Is the Best Time to Go Solar in Central Oregon

If you're a Pacific Power customer in Central Oregon, or any Oregon utility customer, the last few weeks have brought a piece of news worth paying attention to. It confirms a pattern Oregon homeowners have been living with for years, and it's another reason why right now stands out as one of the best opportunities we've seen to make the move to solar.

Demand for Solar Is Surging, And It's Not Hard to See Why

According to EnergySage, demand for solar paired with battery storage surged 21% in just 23 days this spring, one of the fastest accelerations they've ever recorded. Something shifted in how homeowners are thinking about energy, and it wasn't driven by a single incentive or sale.

Between escalating geopolitical tensions, aging grid infrastructure, and the explosion of AI data centers driving residential electricity demand to historic highs, homeowners across the country are increasingly treating solar not just as a way to lower their monthly bill, but as a way to take control of something that feels increasingly out of their hands.

For a growing number of Oregonians, waiting to go solar is starting to feel like the bigger risk.

Pacific Power Just Filed a New Rate Case With Oregon Regulators

In May 2026, Pacific Power filed a general rate case with the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC). Their messaging is reassuring on the surface: rates will remain stable for the rest of 2026, and they're promising modest decreases in the first half of 2027.

But read a little deeper and the longer arc becomes clear:

• A rate increase is already confirmed for July 2027.
• The drivers they cite, higher material costs, major capital investments, escalating wildfire insurance are structural. They don't go away after one rate case.
• Pacific Power, like every Oregon utility, will continue filing rate cases as costs grow.

This is the rhythm of utility pricing. And each one edges the bill a little higher.

Zoom out and the picture gets starker. Since 2022, Oregon's largest utility (PGE) has raised rates by nearly 50%. A typical PGE household paying around $130/month in 2022 is now paying roughly $200. Pacific Power has been on the same trajectory.

The Rate-Lock Math (Pacific Power customer, 900 kWh/mo)

Current bill: ~$167/month

At 5–6% annual increases: ~$220/month in 5 years | ~$290/month in 10 years

25-year utility total (grid): ~$135,000+

With solar: lock your energy cost today and change the math entirely.

Energy Trust of Oregon: Incentives Available Right Now

If you're a Pacific Power or PGE customer, you may qualify for Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO) incentives, and you don't have to navigate the program alone. National Solar has been an Energy Trust of Oregon Trade Ally for years, which means we handle all the incentive paperwork for you and build it directly into your project from day one.

ETO incentives are one of the most straightforward ways to reduce the upfront cost of solar for Pacific Power and PGE customers. Combined with state programs and the available incentive landscape for 2026, there hasn't been a better time to look seriously at what owning your power actually costs, and what it saves.

If you've been weighing solar ownership against a lease, the math is worth understanding. A lease trades one monthly payment for another — it doesn't build equity, doesn't let you capture incentives, and doesn't give you real control over your long-term energy cost. Ownership does all three.

Serving Central Oregon, And a Note on Your Roof

For homeowners in the Bend, Redmond, and Sisters area, there's one more thing worth knowing: going solar sometimes starts with making sure your roof is ready. That's why National Solar has partnered with Greenlee Roofing, Central Oregon's premier family-owned roofing company, to offer roof repair and replacement services alongside your solar installation.

Greenlee Roofing has been serving the Bend-Redmond-Sisters community for over 30 years. Their story goes back even further. Founder Cary Greenlee started tacking shingles as a side gig more than 40 years ago. He eventually brought his whole family to Bend and built a roofing company from the ground up, earning a reputation for the kind of craftsmanship and integrity that keeps customers coming back and referring their neighbors.

Today, Cary's son Nick runs the business carrying forward the same family values and commitment to quality that put Greenlee Roofing on the map. It's a family business in the truest sense, built on hard work and a genuine care for the Central Oregon community.

National Solar + Greenlee Roofing: Your Complete Central Oregon Solution

Roof not quite ready for solar? Greenlee Roofing handles repairs and replacements with the same commitment to craftsmanship National Solar brings to every install.

30+ years serving Bend, Redmond, and Sisters.

Family-owned, community-rooted, just like us.

Ask about our combined solar + roofing packages when you call for a consultation.

Why This Approach Works

• Roofing and solar are designed together, not separately.
• Local, trusted teams with aligned values.
• Fewer delays, better communication from start to finish.
• Built for long-term durability and performance.

Quick review

Solar has always been about savings. But what's changed, and what's accelerating right now, is that it's increasingly also about stability. About owning your energy instead of renting it from a utility that raises rates when it needs to.

Here's where things stand today:

• Pacific Power just filed a new rate case. More increases are already on the calendar.
• National demand for solar+storage is growing at one of the fastest rates on record.
• ETO incentives are available now for Pacific Power and PGE customers.
• The combination of available incentives and rising utility pressure makes 2026 a standout year to act.

Now is the best time to go solar. Don't let another rate cycle catch you on the wrong side of the meter.