Arizona Public Service

arizona public service Arizona Public Service Company is the largest electric utility in Arizona and the subsidiary of publicly-traded S&P 500 member Pinnacle West Capital Corporation. The utility provides power for nearly 1.2 million customers in 11 of the state’s 15 counties. In 2019, it acknowledged spending millions of dollars to elect Corporation Commission members as part of a dark-money scandal in 2014.

Recent Arizona Public Service News

Utilities fund Republican campaigns in pivotal Arizona legislature races

Republican candidates for the Arizona Corporation Commission position themselves in favor of utility rate increase, against clean energy standards

As Customers Struggled, Utility CEOs’ Pay Spiked Last Year

EPA building

Utilities, once represented by UARG, now part of the ‘Electric Generators for a Sensible Transition’ in their suit against the EPA

Charities and groups funded or connected to APS filed comments in support of its $460 million rate hike request

Utility CEOs received $3.2 billion in executive compensation from 2017 – 2022

Utility CEOs received $2.7 billion in executive compensation from 2017 – 2021

Latest campaign reports show Arizona utilities funding GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake

A picture of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building.

Utilities that support Inflation Reduction Act are members of trade groups attacking it

Arizona regulator investigation unveils Arizona Public Service Company’s political spending

Utility trade associations say utilities are disclosing climate risks to investors. Major investors disagree

Utilities sent $6.8 million to members of Congress who sought to overturn election results in recent election cycles

Kyger Creek Power Plant

Many U.S. electric utilities plan slow decarbonization over next decade, out of sync with Biden plan

Utility CEOs contribute personal money to help Republicans; Utility PACs also favor GOP

Pollution Payday: analysis of executive compensation and incentives of the largest U.S. investor-owned utilities

EEI President Tom Kuhn

EEI used anti-clean energy campaigns as role models in political boot camp for utility execs

Utility Corruption

FirstEnergy scandal is latest example of utility corruption, deceit

Craig Generating Station

Utilities that operate coal plants in the Western U.S. face growing water supply risks

Major banks announce new policies to help push utilities away from coal

Utility Corruption

Utility CEOs received over $1 billion in executive compensation from 2017 – 2019

A PG&E smart meter. Utilities are unevenly applying late fees and reconnecting customers who had been disconnected before pandemic crisis

Caught in patchwork of policies and pledges, some utility customers may still be awaiting electricity restoration or racking up fees

Utility decarbonization trajectories

Morgan Stanley: Duke, other utilities ignoring profit opportunity by failing to decarbonize rapidly

Cholla coal plant

Arizona Public Service announces 100% clean energy goal, saying it will “eliminate all fossil fuels”

Growing number of elected Democrats in Arizona won’t take money from APS

Financial analysts expect decarbonization will benefit utility ratepayers and shareholders

Report details utilities’ use of charitable giving to influence politics

Electric Utilities Political Machine

How Market Power Gives Electric Utilities Political Power

Pinnacle West misleads investors that APS has “surpassed the Paris Agreement”

APS spending on lobbying, marketing, grants, and political campaigns

APS political spending soared under Don Brandt. Will that change with a new CEO?

UWAG and USWAG: the secretive utility groups that also target EPA safeguards remain after Utility Air Regulatory Group disbands

What The Public Learned From The Utility Industry In 2018

2018 Political Map of the U.S. Governor Races

Analysis: How Electric Utilities and Their Executives Contributed in Nine Governor Races

Final Campaign Finance Reports Filed Before Election Shows APS Spending $30 Million To Defeat Prop 127

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Andy Tobin

Arizona Commissioner Andy Tobin texted APS lobbyists frequently, including about open rate case

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Justin Olson

Arizona Commissioner Justin Olson answered questions about Arizona’s energy policy by copying parts of an APS memo verbatim, emails show

APS gives Arizonans for Affordable Electricity, Arizonans for Sustainable Energy Policy millions to attack Prop 127, elect candidates

APS spending against Prop 127 renewable energy initiative reaches $22 million

“Code of Ethics” has not increased trust in Arizona Corporation Commission, as APS seems poised to continue spending on races

APS pushed county administrators to pass legally questionable resolutions against clean energy initiative

APS Four Corners Coal

Replacing coal with more coal: how Arizona Public Service’s Four Corners coal plant hurt customers, but earned investors profits

A key aide to Attorney General Mark Brnovich inserted edits to the language describing Prop 127 for voters which aligned with utility APS' position on the initiative.

Backers of Prop 127 call for independent investigation of Brnovich over edits to renewable energy ballot language

Arizonans for Affordable Electricity's ad against clean energy Prop 127. APS also funds anti-#InvestInEd organizations.

APS uses teachers in ads against Prop 127, but has history of funding anti-public education organizations

The Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP)

Kiana Sears, Tom Forese defend themselves against their connections to APS while other candidates weigh-in on the state’s energy future

Pinnacle West Corporation, Parent Company of Arizona Public Service, Contributes Another $3.5 Million to Arizonans for Affordable Electricity

Koch Brothers’ Americans for Prosperity and Heartland Institute Climate Denier Join Arizona Public Service’s Anti-Clean Energy Campaign

The Harvard Electric Policy Group paid for utility regulators from the Arizona Corporation Commission to stay at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay in March, 2015.

Utility-funded Harvard group has given tens of thousands of dollars in airfare, luxury hotels and meals to Arizona utility commissioners

APS Ramps Up Spending To $10 Million To Prevent Voters from Seeing Clean Energy Initiative on Ballot

Legislators who pushed APS’ agenda against renewables got rewarded with campaign contributions, new filings show

APS attributes LA blackouts to renewable energy, echoing bogus claim that even the renewables critic who made it walked back

Bob Stump, a former ACC commissioner, now runs the Arizona Energy Policy Group, a trade association for Arizona utilities.

Revolving door swings former AZ utility commissioner Bob Stump back into the arms of APS

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Tom Forese regulates APS

Updated: Arizona Corporation Commission Executive Director resigns in latest scandal

Democratic women’s group hosts event sponsored by APS

Follow the money: Pinnacle West-funded groups undermining renewable energy efforts in Arizona

Lawmakers behind legislation to help Arizona Public Service have now filed a complaint against the renewable energy ballot campaign

AZ Senator Robert Meza, who slammed renewable energy initiative, collects income from multiple organizations tied to APS

AZ legislator who slammed renewable energy initiative collects income from multiple organizations tied to APS

AZ regulators reject APS plans for gas investment, as APS tries to avoid potential renewable energy obligations

APS will try to kill renewable energy ballot measure so that it can keep building gas plants

Arizona Utility commissioner gave keynote to natural gas lobbyists at private steakhouse meeting

New Utility PR Playbook Seeks to Mislead Customers on Demand Charges

How Will Utilities Vote On The Latest Climate Denial Model Resolution At ALEC?

Utilities Fiddle While Arizona Burns

Andy Tobin Pushes To Keep Open Dirtiest Coal Plant In The Western United States

Arizona Commissioner To APS: Why Invest In So Much Gas?

Arizona Corporation Commissioner Andy Tobin Caught With Hand in Cookie Jar

Arizona Regulators Blunt Solar Progress

Arizona Public Service Company Rate Request: Billions for Fossil Fuels, Nickels and Dimes for Solar

Hedge fund Acme Equities ("Enchant Energy") is attempting to install CCS on the San Juan Generating Station.

Global Investors Warn Utilities to Change Business Strategy and Prepare for Climate Change

Charles Koch Distorts the Facts: Here Are The Ways His Money & Political Network Prevent Clean Energy Businesses From Succeeding

Electric Utility Industry Created Their Own Air Pollution Permits, Held Private Meetings With Texas Regulators

EEI President Says Energy Efficiency Is A Priority. Why Are His Members Then Working to Weaken State Efficiency Programs?

Arizona’s Energy Efficiency Program Attacked

ALEC’s Anti-Renewable Energy Agenda – July 2014