In Jeopardy: Energy Efficiency Programs in Arizona

The Arizona Corporation Commission wants to let state utilities off the hook for providing energy efficiency programs, reports The Arizona Republic.

Currently, Arizona electric utilities are required to reduce the amount of power they sell by 22 percent by 2020 by helping customers save energy. The energy-efficiency requirement was established by the commission in 2010. But now, the commissioners claim all the low-hanging energy efficiency fruit has been picked and the requirement is costing utilities more than it’s worth.

The proposal must be weighed by the five elected commissioners.

According to The Arizona Republic, the commissioners did not provide any examples of efficiency programs at utilities such as Arizona Public Service or Tucson Electric Power that are not cost-effective.

Arizona utilities charge customers about $2 to $4 a month to fund the energy-efficiency programs, says the news outlet, and in 2013, APS and TEP customers saved about 645 million kWh through the efficiency programs, amounting to about $77 million.

Last November, the Arizona Corporation Commission instituted a charge on future customers who install rooftop solar panels.

Photo: Arizona via Shutterstock