Attorney General Kris Mayes’ office has filed expert testimony with the Arizona Corporation Commission – Arizona’s utility regulators – for Tucson Electric Power’s rate case.
Expert witness Mark Ellis – an economic and financial consultant and Senior Fellow for Utilities at the American Economic Liberties Project – testified on behalf of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
Key points from that testimony argue that TEP’s proposed 14% rate increase could be reduced to just 4%.
It also alleges that every residential customer could save about $200 per year under the alternative proposal, allegedly saving about $148 million annually.
Mayes has been vocal in her disapproval of the proposed rate increase, accusing TEP of corporate greed as well as potentially subsidizing data center development through customers.
In January, Mayes contested the Commission’s decision to authorize an energy supply agreement between TEP and the developers of Project Blue, a developing data center in Pima County.
Later that month, Mayes also held a town hall in Tucson to hear more from customers about how they would be impacted by TEP rate increases. She encouraged them to submit public comments and to speak at upcoming public meetings in March and April regarding the rate case.
The location of the meetings is at the State of Arizona Building at 400 W Congress St. in downtown Tucson. They will be held on:
- Thursday, March 19, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Public comment is only permitted telephonically, Mayes' office says.
- Monday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Public comment can be made in person or telephonically.
- Wednesday, April 1, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Public comment can be made in person or telephonically.
- Tuesday, April 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Public comment can only be made telephonically, Mayes' office says.
- Wednesday, April 22, at 10 a.m., prior to the beginning of the first day of the hearing. Comments can be made in person or telephonically.
For telephonic comments during the meetings, the Attorney General's Office said to call 1-877-309-3457 and use the passcode 246011833204##.
