By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times
With a renewable energy initiative ready to be filed next week, a state utility regulator is filing his own proposal, one that electric companies are likely to find more attractive.
Andy Tobin wants the Arizona Corporation Commission on which he serves to require that 80 percent of electricity generated in the state to come from “renewable” sources by 2050. Tobin said while his plan is just a starting point, he sees no reason to believe that goal cannot be met.
Tobin told Capitol Media Services on Monday that his plan has nothing to do with the initiative drive being pushed by Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona. He pointed out that drafts of his Arizona Energy Modernization Plan already were being circulated for more than a year before California billionaire Tom Steyer started gathering signatures in February for his ballot measure.
But it turns out that Tobin’s schedule to file his plan with the full commission is set for July 5, the deadline for initiative organizers to turn in petitions calling for voters to approve a 50 percent renewable requirement by 2030.
