Yesterday, the Chair of the Arizona Corporation Commission, Lea Márquez Peterson, requested that regulated utilities in Arizona communicate to the ACC on how they would be pursuing new federal infrastructure funds and credits to deploy clean energy.
Chair Márquez Peterson noted that it was important to better understand how the new federal provisions could benefit ratepayers, “As chair of the Arizona Corporation Commission, I believe we have a duty to ensure that ratepayers see lower costs as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act. As commissioners, I believe we must study these credits thoroughly and determine how, exactly, the investment and production tax credits provided by the Inflation Reduction Act should be applied to Commission policies and procedures.”
Chair Márquez Peterson also described the importance of permitting reform and the role that states can play to ensure federal incentives are properly applied, saying, “Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce inflationary pressures on American consumers, including for the price of gas and electricity. But these provisions will not be felt immediately, or at all, if they are not properly applied. Congress also promised to address permitting reform upon the passage of its Inflation Reduction Act. Congress must keep its promise.”
Arizona and the rest of the Western United States will play a vital role in efforts to increase domestic manufacturing, mining and processing of critical minerals, and the deployment of advanced energy solutions over the next several decades. Opening this docket will ensure that the ACC and regulated utilities in Arizona are able to keep consumer rates down while leading on clean and reliable energy production.
Requested comments from the regulated utilities will be provided via ACC Docket Number E-99999A-22-0046 (Resource Planning and Procurement for 2021, 2022, and 2023).