New Corp. Commission members may kill clean-energy rules

Arizona will have two new faces on the Arizona Corporation Commission, and one returning member, and the new makeup of the office could threaten the recently passed clean-energy rules for electric utilities.

The Associated Press called the race Saturday for Republican Lea Márquez Peterson, who Gov. Doug Ducey appointed to the commission, Republican Jim O’Connor, who had to qualify for the ballot as a primary write-in, and Democrat Anna Tovar, who is finishing a term as Tolleson Mayor.

Tovar and Márquez Peterson are the first two Hispanic women elected to statewide office in Arizona.

The five-member commission sets rates and policies for electric, gas and water utilities, and oversees railroad crossings, pipeline safety and securities. One such policy could be in the crosshairs of the new commissioners, though.

Commission members recently approved cleanenergy rules mandating utilities to get all of their energy from carbon-free sources by 2050, but that could be undone based on statements O’Connor made during the campaign and the way Márquez Peterson has voted on the issue.

Three votes are needed to pass any measure at the commission, and recently, the commission voted 3-2 to require electric companies to shift to carbon-free sources, among a host of other requirements for how they plan their energy resources and what kinds of power plants they use to supply customers.

It was the first increase in the state’s renewableenergy requirements in 14 years. The current requirement, until the new rule is finalized, requires utilities to get 15% of their energy from renewables by 2025, and 22% from renewables by this year with no more increases.

Márquez Peterson voted against the measure last week, and O’Connor said he opposes any such mandates. Two Republicans who voted for that increase are leaving office this year. Tovar campaigned on a pledge to increase renewable energy in Arizona.

The three election winners will join Democrat Sandra Kennedy, who also supports more renewable energy, and Republican Justin Olson, who voted against the new rules.

Breaking that down, the new commission will include two Republicans in Olson and O’Connor who seem immovable in their position that the commission should not be setting requirements for renewable energy. And it will have two Democrats in Tovar and Kennedy who advocate for stricter renewable-energy requirements.

That will put Marquez Peterson in something of a swing vote position.

Reach reporter Ryan Randazzo at ryan.ran dazzo@arizonarepublic. com or 602-444-4331. Follow him on Twitter @UtilityReporter.