Salt River Project saw a 25 percent increase in the number of customers installing solar in January compared with last year, which was not the case at the biggest utility in the state.
SRP reports it had 264 customers install solar in January, compared with 211 in January 2013.
The growth was all in residential installations, especially leases, with the number of businesses adding solar falling to 10 from 15 in the same month last year.
That’s in contrast to Arizona Public Service Co., which initiated a $5 a month fee on customers who install solar starting in January. The fee doesn’t affect those who installed solar previously. It has been criticized by the industry for slowing the adoption of solar.
APS saw 280 people in its territory add rooftop solar panels in January, less than half of the 583 customers who installed solar last January, the company reported.
Statement by Rose Law Group partner Court Rich: “These numbers are the clearest indicator of the impact of the new APS-backed solar tax. APS implements the tax and sees substantial market retraction, while SRP’s solar market grows where there is no tax.”
Related: Cost of Solar Power Still Falling, Falling, Falling
