ASTORIAN, Ore. (AP) — A coastal county’s preliminary proposal to replace a private electricity provider with a public utility district has put the power company on the defensive.
The Clatsop County Planning Commission’s 40-year strategic plan calls for the formation of a People’s Utility District, a publicly-controlled electricity provider that would provide cheaper power, the Daily Astorian reports (http://bit.ly/zlfoDZ ).
Pacific Power spokesman Pat Egan told the planning commission that the private utility provides better and more reliable service than a public entity.
Forming a public utility would require a county-wide vote. If that were successful, the county would take control of Pacific Power’s energy infrastructure, including powerlines.
