By Jeff Grant | Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA
When state regulators this fall begin considering Arizona Public Service’s request to change the way Arizona’s largest electric utility pays for unused energy produced by rooftop solar customers, the Northwest Valley will have a big stake in the decision.
According to figures supplied by APS officials, over one third of the utility’s 18,000 residential customers with a rooftop solar system – a total of 6,235 households – are in Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West or Peoria. A total of 2,088 of those units are in Surprise, with 1,839 in Sun City, 1,393 in Peoria and 915 in Sun City West, said Damon Gross, media relations and external communications specialist for APS.
“That’s a pretty big chunk,” he said.
While no figures were available by the Independent’s weekly printing deadline for the number of permits issued last year for new rooftop panel systems, the figure has been steadily rising. This trend has prompted APS to ask the Arizona Corporation Commission for permission to begin a new system of fees or pricing – depending on the customer’s choice – involving rooftop solar-equipped residences.
The proposal’s two options include:
If you’d like to discuss energy issues, contact Court Rich, Co-Chair of Rose Law Group’s Renewable Energy Department at crich@roselawgroup.com
