By Patrick O’Grady
Phoenix Business Journal
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?
A plan by the Arizona Corporation Commission staff that utilities spend more on rooftop solar has Arizona Public Service Co. defending its business model and solar practices.
ACC staff presented a plan it called a “paradigm shift” in response to APS’ annual filing that shows how the utility would meet the state’s renewable energy standard. The plan calls for APS to go beyond state requirements of getting 30 percent of its solar capacity from rooftop systems.
The issue, as written in the staff report, is that rooftop solar represents a cheaper way for the utility to deploy its renewable resources. APS contends the way commission staff figured costs doesn’t consider all factors, including prices that would rise on non-solar customers in the wake of more people adopting the technology.
“Our goal at APS is to educate stakeholders on all the costs,” said Jim McDonald, a spokesman for the utility.
Those in the solar industry say the move by APS marks a change in direction and offers a glimpse of a company that is trying to protect its business.
“Unfortunately this isn’t a surprise,” said Michael Neary, executive director of the Arizona Solar Energy Industry Association, a trade group of various companies involved in the industry, including utilities. “APS is a heavily regulated monopoly that is trying to preserve its market.”
The discussion likely will continue next month, when the ACC takes up the utility’s plan to implement its spending on solar for 2013.
