A debate among the four candidates seeking two seats on the commission that regulates Arizona utilities revealed sharp differences in their approaches to the job as the state adjusts to climate change and a shrinking water supply.

When the Supreme Court ruled this summer that the EPA could not force power plants to move away from fossil fuels, advocates worried that the justices had removed the “most effective tool for regulating and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Voters will have to choose candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission with vastly different opinions on how to reach a critical balance in curating the state’s energy policy while protecting Arizonans’ health.  

There is no left or right energy. It is all just energy. Cheap is better than expensive, in-state is better than out, abundant is better than scarce, and clean is better than dirty.  For Arizonans, solar paired with storage checks all of those boxes. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just making stuff up.  

It is also imperative that Arizona has a comprehensive statewide plan for other impacts of the changing energy landscape. That means developing a coordinated approach on issues like electric vehicle infrastructure and energy storage to ensure that rural Arizona has a seat at the table and that new technologies can be rapidly adopted by consumers and utilities alike.     

I’m hopeful that Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and other Arizona leaders support clean energy. Renewable energy is ready today and is creating the jobs of the future – it’s a great time for all Arizonans to get on board! 

Providing reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy in today’s environment is complex. But one thing is clear – we need to keep power flowing when we need it most.  

The Salt River Project District board is on the cusp of approving a nearly $900 million expansion of the Coolidge Generating Station, which burns natural gas. The lurking decision is wrong for SRP customers and for all Arizonans, for a variety of reasons. Here are the top five:

The last commission meeting was a troubling example of failed leadership. Márquez Peterson now has a choice. She can double down on her mistake at the expense of Arizona’s future, or she show real leadership by putting the original Rules up for reconsideration in the next few weeks—and take the do over.

Rejecting arguments about economic development, clean air and even constitutional issues, a Senate panel voted along party lines March 31 to strip the Arizona Corporation Commission of its power to set energy policy for utilities.