By Ryan Randazzo | The Arizona Republic
The two Democrats who hope to regulate utilities in Arizona admit they face an uphill battle winning election in a Republican state, but they insist they are on the right side of the issue that resonates most with voters: renewable power.
Meanwhile, the two Republicans running for the open seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission, who are widely expected to win the election, say they support renewable energy in a balanced mix of energy sources, and they strongly support nuclear power as well.
The four face off Nov. 4 in the general election for two open seats on the five-member Arizona Corporation Commission.
The commission sets the rates and regulations for utilities such as Arizona Public Service Co., Tucson Electric Power and Southwest Gas Corp.
Those utilities all face major challenges with environmental regulations at coal plants, requirements for efficiency and other matters. But the commission’s requirements that electric utilities get an increasing amount of power from renewables until they reach 15 percent in 2025 seems to stir the hearts of voters most.
Every candidate has taken notice.
