By Patrick O’Grady | Phoenix Business Journal
If there’s one constant in the lives of Arizona Corporation Commission members, it’s that they will invariably have a lot of folks from the Sun Cities at their meetings discussing anything remotely resembling a rate hike.
So the group Tell Utilities Solar won’t be Killed, or TUSK, is enlisting the help of those in the Sun Cities when it comes to getting its point across at the commission when it comes to solar and net metering.
The group has prompted the Recreation Centers of Sun City Inc. to enter into the battle as well. In a letter sent to the commission on the net metering issue, the group pointed out that many in the Sun Cities now are relying on solar power to help them with fixed incomes and their energy bill.
For those curious, Recreation Centers of Sun City Inc is like the city government for the Maricopa County island in the West Valley. They’re also big adopters of solar themselves, converting their parking lots into generation stations.
And make no mistake, solar is incredibly popular in both Sun City and Sun City West. According Arizonagoessolar.com, the Website set up to track who was using solar in Arizona utilities’ territories, there are 926 rooftop solar systems in Sun City West either installed or waiting to be installed. Sun City is a little behind that with 605 systems.
That’s 1,531 solar systems. It represents, give or take, between 8 and 10 percent of the entire number of solar systems in Arizona Public Service Co.’s territory.
Seniors in that area have adopted solar in droves, and they continue to do it.
They also do something that ACC members are keenly aware of.
They vote. In droves.
If you’d like to discuss energy issues, contact Court Rich, Co-Chair of Rose Law Group’s Renewable Energy Department at crich@roselawgroup.com
