Arizona's five-member Corporation Commission sets what monopoly utilities like APS can charge, but many residents don't connect it to their bills. Its current majority has approved two consecutive 8% rate hikes, is considering another double-digit increase despite APS's strong profits, and has repealed key renewable energy rules, even as Arizonans pay about 50% more for power than neighbors in Utah and New Mexico.
Two seats are up on November's ballot and public hearings around rate cases are drawing citizen to rally against another price increase. AZCE is launching a new "Follow the Power" campaign to educate voters about the role the ACC plays in setting utility bills, and the election is shaping up as a key test of whether public frustration can reshape who sets Arizona's energy policy.
