By Ryan Randazzo, The Republic | azcentral.com
A whistleblower in February raised eyebrows in political circles when he reported a former utility regulator had frequent “secret” meetings with the chief executive of Arizona Public Service Co., the biggest company regulated by the state.
But such meetings aren’t secret — in fact, they are business as usual. Meetings between utility officials and the elected officials who regulate them are a near-daily occurrence, an Arizona Republic review of the regulators’ calendars for the past eight years shows.
The five Arizona Corporation Commission members meet with representatives of gas and electric companies, rooftop-solar companies, water companies, the state’s consumer utility watchdog and executives from other companies that have business before the commission.
