Portland General Electric’s rate hikes largely stem from increased wholesale power market costs, the utility wrote after Sen. Ron Wyden voiced concern that Oregon customers are struggling to pay their electricity bills.

New England’s over-reliance on gas-fired power is the cause of big spikes in electricity prices this winter, the Sierra Club said in a new report.

A two-day summit on soaring utility rates looked at covering wildfire prevention and clean-energy costs with funding from sources other than ratepayers.