Facebook Photo/Arizona Public Service – APS
Author: Joe Dana | KPNX-12 News
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s office released more than 700 pages of emails and correspondence between a team of AG investigators and attorneys for Arizona Public Service, dating back to November 2019.
The documents provide a glImpse into more than a year of negotiations and legal maneuvering between the AG’s Office and APS.In through community outreach and a faulty rate comparison tool, but deny they intentionally misled ratepayers.
What we learned
Among the details in the documents:
AG attorneys issued three “Civil Investigative Demands” (CID’s) that covered a broad range of issues within APS dating back several years.
AG attorneys sought details related to APS’s flawed rate comparison tool, its purpose, the creator of it, how APS became aware the tool was flawed, and the number of customers negatively impacted.
AG investigators expanded their initial rate comparison tool probe to include data error issues by APS and an unfulfilled promise by APS regarding the excess amount of money customers would pay ($120 annually) if they were not on their most economical plan. The expansion of the investigation led to the eventual $24 million settlement.
APS attorneys put up strong resistance against the credibility of the investigation, claiming Brnovich’s office didn’t have jurisdiction to investigate them because an authority on these issues remained exclusively with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
APS attorneys also argued that the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act didn’t apply to this investigation.
