In a unanimous decision, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) recently moved to get the ball rolling on dismantling an energy-efficient directive that's been in place for over a decade. On September 17, Vice Chairman Nick Myers cast his vote with the rest of the commission to signal that the Electric Energy Efficiency Mandate, which came into effect in 2010, may soon be a thing of the past, as reported by the ACC.
The mandate in question called for retail electric utilities to notch up 22% annual energy savings relative to their retail sales by 2020. As reported by the ACC, Myers described the ruling as a "one-size-fits-all mandate from 2010 that has subsidized certain industries at the expense of ratepayers." Despite the slated repeal, the vice chairman assured that current Demand-Side Management and Energy Efficiency (EE) programs will persist and be judged on a case-by-case basis. This approach aligns with the commission's broader strategy for Arizona’s energy needs.
Public input on this repeal will be front and center at oral proceedings set for early December at the ACC's Phoenix office. If people wish to weigh in, they will have a chance to do so on December 2 and December 4, with the additional option to submit written comments on Docket Control (RE-00000A-24-0025) up until the latter date.
For those who might be looking for more insights or have questions about the impending change, Vice Chair Myers has opened up an email channel at [email protected] where feedback and inquiries can be directly addressed. With multiple avenues for public involvement, the commission appears poised to ensure that this change, if it occurs, takes into account the current energy climate and the concerns of its stakeholders.
