Arizona regulators are moving to repeal long-standing energy efficiency and renewable energy mandates, claiming the programs no longer serve their purpose. The Arizona Corporation Commission’s chair and vice chair argue that these initiatives benefit only a “small group,” while consumer advocates and data from APS and TEP show billions in savings, lower demand, and reduced energy use statewide. Public meetings in November and December will determine whether to scrap the rules entirely.
Opponents, including Attorney General Kris Mayes, warn that ending the standards will drive up costs and weaken oversight, allowing utilities to profit by building new plants instead of investing in efficiency. Analysts say the rollback could undermine decades of progress that have kept electricity use and rates lower, even as Arizona faces rising power demand from industries like data centers.
