PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona’s largest electric utility wants to increase residential electricity rates by about 8 percent and move most customers to a billing plan that charges them more if their power use surges during peak hours.
Arizona Public Service Co. also wants to end solar power buyback plans it says don’t fairly cover the costs of providing power to homes with solar panels starting in mid-2017. Existing rooftop solar customers will keep their current rates for 20 years after they are connected.
Wednesday’s filing with the Arizona Corporation Commission kicks off a yearlong review that APS hopes ends with the new rates in effect by July 1, 2017. The company that serves 1.2 million residential and commercial customers also hopes to raise commercial rates by 1 percent to just over 6 percent.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.