In a few weeks time we will be electing commissioners for the Arizona Corporation Commission. Oftentimes we overlook the importance of these down-ticket races. But the ACC affects each of us, and a wrongheaded ideological majority on the ACC can cost Arizona families dearly each month and drive companies out of the estate or keep others from relocating here. Here’s what I mean.
Arizona has a renewable energy mandate. 15% of its electricity must come from renewable sources by 2025, and renewables are defined as wind, solar and biomass only. Hyydroelectric power, which provides 5-6% of Arizona’s electricity annual, doesn’t count. Why not? It’s clean power, too. Hydroelectric should count against the mandate. Also, Arizona currently gets 29% of its electricity from nuclear power, which doesn’t generate any greenhouse gases. Shouldn’t nuclear be counted? All told, 40% of Arizona’s electricity right now is not adding to greenhouse gases. This figure is higher than many states.
According to the US Dept. of Energy website, at present Arizona gets just under 5% from solar, wind, and biomass. So renewables will have to be greatly expanded to meet the mandate. And, since renewables aren’t as cheap as traditional methods of generating electricity, that means taxpayers will be deeply subsidizing green energy even more than they are. I’ve seen the green energy portion of my monthly power bill go from 1-2% of the cost to about 8%. How much higher will it go? High electricity costs will keep businesses and people from moving here.
Even worse, the current ACC chair said back in August that he wants the mandate changed to 30% by 2030. If that became the mandate, then our power costs would increase exponentially and start to imitate Denmark and Germany, which have gone all in with green energy. These countries now have the most expensive electricity in the western world. Danes and Germans pay 3 to 3.5 times as much for their power (about 35 cents a kilowatt-hour) as Arizonans. How many readers could afford to pay three times what they’re paying now in midsummer for power? And, let me remind the readers as I close that the German consumers were told when they started this green energy crusade that their power wouldn’t increase very much, if at all, in cost.
I urge you to do your research on the on the ACC candidates and then vote intelligently with an eye to your wallets and pocketbooks.
D. Viking