APS employs a diversion tactic on renewable energy

In a June 12 guest editorial, Don Brandt, the CEO of Arizona Public Service Co., deliberately confused two separate issues: energy generated by his Palo Verde nuclear power station, and renewable energy. We will sort out those issues but first, let’s challenge Mr. Brandt on the unethical role APS and Pinnacle West play in Arizona politics.

We don’t have a choice in buying electricity. When our local government issues a franchise to a utility like APS, we are forced to buy electricity from APS. In exchange for the monopoly, APS is regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Under Brandt’s leadership, APS (operating under its parent corporation’s name, Pinnacle West) has become the largest political manipulator in Arizona. Since 2012, APS has spent over $8 million in the election of corporation commissioners, legislators, a governor and other statewide officers.

Today, APS is spending millions to challenge the initiative that would mandate 50 percent of Arizona’s energy come from renewable sources by 2030. APS plans to spend untold millions more on politicians who support its agenda and again spend millions on the Corporation Commission races that determine the profit it makes from the customers of its monopoly.

The APS monopoly made over $2 billion in profit in the past five years, and Brandt is making a salary of $19 million a year. The APS political contributions are clearly intended for APS to raise the rates on its customers so that APS and its CEO can make even more money. APS rates are the highest in the state.

By contrast, Tucson Electric Power, like APS, is a government-created electric monopoly. TEP keeps its corporate profits out of elections. Ethics mandate that a monopoly should stay out of politics so that decisions by regulatory bodies appear to be just and fair.

Because of the extraordinary APS political contributions, every rate increase approved by the Corporation Commission now appears to be corrupt. APS, Johnson Utilities, Pinnacle West and all other utilities should follow TEP’s leadership and stay out of the elections.

Now, let’s clear up Brandt’s confusion on “clean” and renewable energy. Brandt refers to the electricity generated at the APS Palo Verde nuclear power plant as “clean” because nuclear power is carbonfree. He claims that with Palo Verde, 80 percent of APS energy is clean.

Palo Verde’s nuclear waste is piling up without a permanent disposal site, and APS feeds 26 billion gallons of water every year into Palo Verde to create electricity. Nuclear waste isn’t clean, it is deadly. The water consumption is much higher than that needed for a coal-fired plant.

Renewable resources such as solar and wind have no byproducts and use no water to generate electricity.

Truth is, APS generates only 11 percent of its energy from renewable resources.

Solar is becoming the least expensive source of energy at a reliable long-term cost. If APS made its customers a partner in solar, APS would not need to transport energy long distances from large energy sources out of state. It would lower all our rates and employ more people in the long run. With battery technology and 300 days of sunlight in Arizona, solar would be a very reliable source of energy.

Whether or not to keep APS’ carbonfree Palo Verde station is not on the ballot. In November, this is the issue: Do we want 50 percent of the energy from solar and renewable sources by 2030?

It will lower our costs, create jobs and be a reliable source of power.

I say yes.