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ARIZONA NEWS

APS power rate hike could be lower than once thought

A proposed rate hike for APS customers may not be as drastic as once feared.

(Pexels Photo)...

(Pexels Photo)

(Pexels Photo)

PHOENIX — A proposed rate hike for Arizona Public Service customers may not be as drastic as once feared.

State regulators are reviewing a compromise deal the utility made after hearing from consumer advocates. The deal calls for a 4.5 percent increase in residential rates – instead of 8 percent — and existing solar customers will keep their net-metering rates for the next 20 years.

Net metering is the practice of APS buying solar customers’ excess energy at market rates. In theory, the practice keeps costs down for the solar user. APS had wanted to either cut net metering or have solar customers pay more for using grid energy.

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APS also dropped a plan to charge customers more during peak energy-use periods.

The deal was announced Wednesday.

Kathy Cline’s career spans 20 years and various media formats. Before coming to KTAR in May 2016, she was a reporter and anchor for KFYI AM 550 (Phoenix) and 24/7 News (iHeartRadio Phoenix). She's also worked as a reporter and anchor in markets like… Read more

Comments

3 Comments

Melete
Melete 9 years ago

Four and a half percent is still WAY too much. I can't afford the summer bills as it is. In the wintertime, I can survive without ever turning on the heat -- as has been the case this winter, which was mercifully warm. But in the summer, you've got to cool it down to 85 or even 80...and the result is a Trump-style YUUUGE power bill.

I live in SRP. My son lives in APS in a house that's 600 square feet smaller than mine. His summer bills are $75 to $100 a month higher than mine, and that's with a Nest thermostat that turns the HVAC off when he's at work and with thermostat settings that keep it uncomfortably warm when he is there. APS is already gouging; they should be required to bring their rates down to SRP's, or at least to cut their rates by 4.5%.

Pistol Pete
Pistol Pete 9 years ago

It's just for that reason you need to stay! That much moderation gives you an inside glimpse of media manipulation!

Reality Check
Reality Check 9 years ago

"APS power rate hike " What? Any rate hike by APS is unacceptable.

They have asked for and received rate hikes for the following reasons:
1 - cost of gas was $4.00 / gallon and threatened to go higher. No relief on that hike yet.
2 - Usage to high, so they raised rated to deter usage.
3 - Then, after #2, they said usage fell and they need to raise rates to increase revenue.

Guess how many quarters they have had zero or less than zero profit? You guessed it - ZERO.