PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Following an uproar by PGE customers, an advocacy group is calling on the Oregon Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to throw out a new rate increase.

The latest increase asks for more than 7% just months after an 18% increase hit customers’ wallets.

When Chris Boone opened his bill after a cold January, he was shocked. He claims his bill was around $250 — a $75 increase for an 800-square-foot apartment.

“I didn’t expect what actually came out and the actual rate increase,” he said. “We’re not being paid more. Inflation’s just going through the roof and we’re still suffering. So I’m not even able to make those ends meet.”

As a result, Boone started a petition hoping state lawmakers would take action. Now he’s not alone, with the Oregon Citizen Utility Board (CUB) currently asking the PUC to throw out PGE’s proposed rate increase for next year.

“The real message we’ve been getting from the customers that we represent is enough is enough. And I’m going back” said CUB Executive Director Bob Jenks. “We felt it was time to go to the commission and really ask the commission to tell the company enough is enough.”

If approved, the latest proposal of 7.3% would add to the last four years of increases totaling 40% combined.

But the filing does more, including requesting its profit margin be increased and requesting PGE would not have to go through future rate increase requests for capital requests.

Jenks says PGE told investors this week they’re planning over $1 billion of capital projects each of the next five years.

“$1.2 billion is an awful lot of money to keep adding to your system every year,” added Jenks. “And that’s going to flow through to customers in some pretty sizable numbers.”

The way PGE writes or tweets about its filing — or even as its CEO describes its testimony — makes it sound like it’s a significant portion of the rate increase. But in reality, it’s $17 million of a $202 million request.

Although PGE notes this will aid in improvements to distribution lines and the inclusion of a battery storage facility, Jenks says it’s not the time.

“Let’s let customers get caught up, let’s delay this,” he noted.

Boone hopes this will help people make their voices heard.

“The only way that we’re going to do this is together, so that the petition at this point is our next best step,” he said.