The Yellow Sheet reported Tuesday Corporation Commissioner Bob Burns said involvement by Arizona Public Service (APS) in the 2014 commission election potentially clouds the integrity of the regulatory agency.
“The Corporation Commission was created for the purpose of protecting the ratepayers from the monopolies, Burns told the Yellow Sheet. “It’s the responsibility of the commissioner to represent the ratepayer.”
But because perception becomes reality, even the appearance of any utility actively working to elect a commissioner can be detrimental to both the institution and the utility, Burns said.
Burns also questioned the separation of ratepayer funds and investor-earned money. He said doesn’t want to see is ratepayer money being deployed for political ends – or for any purposes other than to pay for the identified costs of ensuring a reliable electric service. All other spending, such as sponsorship of events, should be picked up by APS parent company Pinnacle West, he said
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