‘Arizonans deserve answers’: Kris Mayes wants regulators to investigate alleged data center impact on APS customer bills
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a former utility regulator outspoken about energy matters, submitted a formal request for an investigation into the impact of data center growth on APS customer bills. Mayes told 12News if current corporation commissioners do not investigate claims provided to the commission last week alleging unfair charges of customers, she does […]
Analysis: APS customers paid $587 million for data center sector growth. APS denies claim.
Amid a data center boom, Arizona’s largest for-profit power company APS says that “growth pays for growth.” The pledge means that as new data centers and microchip plants hook onto Arizona’s power grid, those companies are paying for additional infrastructure and electricity necessary to serve them. Not small businesses. Not homeowners. But an expert-reviewed analysis […]
A proposed Arizona electric rate hike could push this retiree to the brink
Laura Carter has lived in Flagstaff long enough to see more than just the leaves change—she’s seen the population size grow, the streets change, and all the new housing units built over the years. She’s also seen prices continue to rise under President Donald Trump’s administration over the past two years, she said. A retired […]
Phoenix coffee shop owner says $1,700 APS bill threatens its future
A Phoenix coffee and wine shop is expanding its menu and running a promotion after facing electric bills the co-owner says threaten the business. Strip Mall, located on 7th Street off Osborn Road, is a coffee and wine shop with a small food menu. Koral Casillas co-owns the business and also runs another shop in […]
New Report Examining APS’s Massive Gas Buildout Demonstrates how Ratepayers could be on the Hook for Decades
oday the Sierra Club, in partnership with Synapse Energy Economics, published a new report, Passing the Buck: How APS’s Gas Rush Risks Ratepayer Dollars that provides analysis on how the utility’s reliance on gas resources has changed over time, the impacts all of the added gas will have on customers’ utility bills, and how a fuel cost […]
In election debate, AZ utility regulator defends changes to energy policy
The lone incumbent seeking reelection this November to the state’s utility regulatory agency is defending the panel’s decisions to cut programs that encourage use of renewable energy and to eliminate most rebates for energy efficiency purchases. Republican Corporation Commissioner Kevin Thompson said he has nothing against solar, but the technology has not yet come far […]
Kris Mayes calls for no new AI data centers as Arizona faces water, power crunch
Arizona Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes is calling for a statewide pause on new data centers, specifically those aimed at powering artificial intelligence systems, amid rising energy costs and the federal government’s plan to cut 30% of Arizona’s Colorado River supply.
Why peak electricity demand will keep peaking
12News investigative journalist Joe Dana discusses why there’s been a surge in peak energy demand over the last several years for the state’s largest utility, Arizona Public Service, and whether the energy costs for data centers behind the surge are being shifted to average ratepayers.
Arizona Is Walking Away From $101 Million in Energy Efficiency Benefits When We Need Them Most
Arizona is using more electricity than ever. Extreme heat is pushing the grid to new records, data centers are adding enormous new demand, and families are already struggling with high summer power bills. This is exactly when Arizona should be getting more serious about using energy wisely. Instead, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) has moved […]
Arizona city and industry leaders look for new data center standards as public opposition grows
As the number of data centers across the U.S. continues to increase, so does public opposition to them. That has some Arizona leaders looking for new standards for what acceptable data center development could look like. That public sentiment against data centers was highlighted at a recent protest in Phoenix, where resident Nile Bunger showed […]
