Portland General Electric announced this morning that it is donating $1 million to help some distressed Oregonians cope with unprecedented energy bills that resulted from last year's surge in oil prices.

PGE executives told a Portland press conference that their company is contributing the $1 million to another local energy utility, NW Natural, to help the latter company cope with yesterday's news that it will have to pay its customers immediate refunds of $32 million for overcharges in natural gas prices over a five-month period earlier this year and in late 2008.

"Huge heat bills like these are hard to cope with," PGE CEO Jim Piro told the assembled media. "It's always been our practice to see that thousands of Oregon residents receive assistance with their power costs when they have needed it most. We know that some of our industry colleagues have had their bonuses and stock options cut this year, and with the recent cost increases everywhere, they’re having trouble meeting all their payment obligations."

Piro noted that the number of corporate executives requesting financial assistance from the government keeps growing. "Rises in prices at Strohecker's, special condo association assessments, and diminishing subsidies from the Port of Portland and the Portland Development Commission are putting tremendous pressure on entrepreneurs in our region. Unfortunately, our people are having to make hard choices between paying for basic needs like customer refunds, sailboat maintenance, Botox injections, and Ermenegildo Zegna suits," he said. "Our corporate support will help NW Natural tough out these hard times, and keep the shrimp cocktail at the Arlington Club at sustainable temperatures."

PGE will also place a special flyer in its customers' electric bills over the summer, asking them to pitch in to the effort.