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Advancing equitable solar access through federal grant
Last month, Governor Hobbs' new Office of Resiliency took a pivotal step to break down barriers to accessing solar power by applying for $250 million from the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar for All grant. If awarded mid-next year, the funding will enable broader access to solar energy, particularly for those in low-income, rental, and disadvantaged communities.
One ACC commissioner’s baseless assault on rooftop solar
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is set to consider further reducing what the state’s monopoly utilities pay homeowners and businesses with rooftop solar for the energy they send back to the grid—and which the utilities then sell back to customers.
Utilities forced to change after death of woman when power cut off
Stephanie Pullman died on a sweltering Arizona day after her electricity was cut off because of a $51 debt. Five years later, the 72-year-old's story remains at the heart of efforts to prevent others in Arizona from having their power cut off, leaving them without life-saving air conditioning in temperatures that have topped 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) on every day this month.
Watchdog fights to protect consumers, keeps tabs on utility companies and commission that regulates them
Phoenix resident Abhay Padgaonkar has worked as a fierce consumer advocate, fighting for the rights of those who struggle to pay their utility bills and keeping tabs on utility companies and the commission that regulates them.
We need energy reliability and affordability, not power outages
Americans have been hoping for economic recovery and a return to normalcy. Instead, they’re experiencing ongoing pandemic concerns and the ravages of wildfires and hurricanes. And adding to their woes, they’re now increasingly worried that the electricity grid on which they depend could fail when they need it most.
Electricity grid not ready for EV revolution
California’s rolling blackouts last year, followed by the Texas grid catastrophe in February — and now the threat of blackouts across the Western U.S. this summer — are a wakeup call. We need a grid we can count on. Ensuring we do means properly valuing the dispatchable, reliable generating capacity we already have.
Biden must focus on affordable, reliable electricity
Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate, along with a new Biden administration, promise sweeping policy changes in the United States. This includes campaign pledges to remake America’s electricity mix. But with campaign season over, Democrats should put rhetoric aside and pursue a bipartisan energy plan that supports economic recovery.
AARP wrong: Only restructuring can save Arizona’s ratepayers
Full restructuring of electricity markets in Arizona offers the best antidote for the outdated monopoly model.
Regulators bar electric companies from cutting off power June 1 to Oct. 15
The Arizona Corporation Commission voted to require electric companies to give those who fall behind up to four months after Oct. 15 to repay their outstanding balance. But it bars the utilities from charging interest or late fees.
Arizona benefits from diverse energy mix – including coal, nuclear
Undoubtedly, natural gas and renewables are gaining prominence in Arizona and the nation. But it makes sense to keep all options on the table. In Arizona, coal and nuclear power have proven reliable for decades. They should continue to be part of an all-of-the-above energy mix alongside natural gas and solar for years to come.
Utility regulators must have wisdom of Solomon, spirit of Edison
Electricity is among the most political of commodities, and everyone has her favored form of power, with a constellation of advocates to promote it. Too often, wishful thinking masquerades as fact and political sloganeering substitutes for intellectually rigorous policy analysis. Utility regulators have a challenging set of responsibilities as they sift among the claims of these competing interest[...]
Steyer: APS using “dishonest tactics” against clean energy initiative
Billionaire Democratic mega-donor Tom Steyer criticized the state’s largest electric company and the biggest competitor of his clean energy ballot initiative Friday for using shady tactics to block a public vote of the renewable energy measure in November.
