Salt River Project’s board of directors approved a rate hike Thursday that would add a solar demand charge of about $50 on average and a 3.9 percent increase for all SRP users, ending a three-month process of public meetings and solar industry outcry.
The solar fee has drawn ire from solar companies and users in SRP territory, who say the added cost would kill the solar industry and render meaningless the cost savings solar users sought when they added panels to their roofs.
A rowdy crowd showed up Thursday to oppose SRP’s plan, regularly booing and questioning the utility company’s assertions that the plan won’t kill solar. Outside the meeting room, about 50 protesters gathered with signs comparing SRP’s president to Mr. Burns from “The Simpsons.” Protesters chanted “sol not coal,” “don’t rebate and switch” and “hey hey, ho ho, SRP has got to go.”
Related: SRP board OKs rate hike, new fees for solar customers
