By Ryan Randazzo | The Republic
The Arizona Residential Utility Consumer Office was set up to act on behalf of utility customers to fight for fair rates. Its officials can be adversarial with utilities trying to pass rate increases.
But text messages obtained through a public-records request show RUCO working closely with the state’s biggest utility on a case that will affect how all regulated utilities in the state treat people with solar panels. Both RUCO and Arizona Public Service Co. want solar customers to pay more to support the power grid on which they rely at night and when their panels don’t generate sufficient power.
