Top Arizona Solar Organization Asks Corporation
Commission For APS Probe In Wake Of Investigative Reports
Request Comes After Utility Monopoly Lied To Public, Indicates More Deception
Taking Place
PHOENIX, AZ. OCTOBER 22, 2013. After new reports revealed Arizona utility
monopoly Arizona Public Service (APS) has lied for months about the use of significant
resources for an ethically-challenged campaign against solar, a group opposed to APS’
efforts is asking the utility’s elected regulators for help.
“Having already lied once about what funds they were using and with whom we
hope the Arizona Corporation Commission will help us and the public get answers from
APS about whether ratepayer funds are being used to for their efforts to upend rooftop
solar in Arizona. No one should take their word for it any longer. We hope the
Commission can undertake an investigation of the company’s accounting practices and
movements of money,” the Arizona-based solar advocacy group AriSEIA said in a
statement.
“These steps are necessary to restore public confidence in the operations of the
utility monopoly,” AriSEIA said.
“What’s most offensive of all is that depending on their accounting practices,
APS may ask ratepayers to refund all of these costs to kill solar programs that are helping
Arizonans save, and that are very popular according to a Republican pollster,” the
statement went on to read.
AriSEIA said APS should also disclose all front groups it is using to hide its
investment in anti-solar activities. A recent Arizona Republic investigative story focused
on two groups APS previously denied funding, but now does. They include 60 Plus, a Washington, D.C. area political organization as well as Prosper which humorously still
denied funding from APS even while the utility admitted it. The supposed “free-market”
group also took the monopoly’s side opposing more energy choice in Arizona and has yet
to question the massive subsidies APS receives.
Based on the Arizona Republic story APS may still be funding other
organizations, hiding its use of funds, not disclosed to the public or the Republic.
“John Hatfield, APS vice president of communications, said the utility is
contributing money to the non-profits, and potentially other groups, through political
consultant Sean Noble and his firm, DC London,” the October 20th Sunday Republic
story read.
At least one additional group, Americans for Prosperity, has entered the fray.
Their involvement has to be reported. AriSEIA called on APS, its consultants or related
parties to disclose all additional groups it is currently funding, or intends to fund via the
shadowy network of organizations, including any pledges of support to statewide
candidates for the 2014 Arizona election cycle.
“APS has lied to the Corporation Commission and all of us. They are lying about
solar. And it appears they still haven’t come clean on all of the nefarious activity they
are involved in,” AriSEIA said in reiterating the need for clarification and help from
those that regulate APS, its monopoly and guaranteed rate of return.
“Aside from the unsavory nature of all of this consider: they say too many people
are getting too energy efficient via rooftop solar therefore we need to tax the sun and give
that money not back to ratepayers they claim are being aggrieved, but to their pocket. But
if they have all of this money for political laundering why do they still need to kill solar?.
They need to be more innovative not more underhanded,” the statement concluded.
AriSEIA said the only way to do what APS wants is in a rate case as the Arizona
Corporation Commission staff has recommended, otherwise granting the APS tax request
simply accrues to their bottom line and is a windfall for the monopoly.