By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services via Arizona Daily Star
Arizonans would get permanent protection against having their electricity cut off on the hottest days of the year under a plan being advanced by state Corporation Commission staff.
The proposal unveiled Friday would bar service termination if the weather forecast for the next five days says the temperature will rise above 95 degrees.
Similar language is proposed for the other extreme, meaning the thermometer dipping to freezing in the coming five days.
For the moment, there should be no one disconnected: The commission earlier this year implemented an emergency rule barring shutoffs between June 1 and Oct. 15.
But that is a temporary rule that will end, leaving in place existing regulations. Those pretty much allow power companies to pull the plug except in cases where weather will be “especially dangerous to health,” with no definition of how hot or cold such weather would have to be.
The new proposal also would beef up existing requirements for electric companies that want to cut power on other days to provide notice to customers beforehand.
That would include finding out from each customer his or her preferred method of communication. Notice would have to be provided at least two days ahead of power termination.
