On January 4, 2021, Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson was elected to serve as the Chair for the Arizona Corporation Commission. Peterson was first appointed to the Commission by Governor Doug Ducey in 2019 and was subsequently elected in November 2020. Chairwoman Peterson is the first Latina elected to a statewide office in Arizona and the Commission’s first Chair from Southern Arizona.
Chairwoman Peterson has been a strong advocate of efforts to update Arizona’s Energy Rules, and she took an active role in ensuring that the rules package adopted by the prior Commission represents a meaningful effort to achieve a diverse and cost-effective mix of energy sources while achieving a robust goal of 100% carbon-free energy by 2050. Chairwoman Peterson has committed to reinforcing the pending Energy Rules update now that she is at the helm.
Among the priorities for her first 100 days and beyond, Chairwoman Peterson plans to examine policies and procedures to increase the transparency and consistency of the Commission as a whole and review the direction and workload of Commission staff.
On her upcoming term, Chairwoman Peterson remarked:
Our great state is at a crossroads. As we begin to recover from the depths of this pandemic, Arizonans want, and deserve, an Arizona Corporation Commission that is united, forward-looking, and prepared to confidently overcome challenges which will arise. Let’s work as one team whenever possible to create the most effective and impactful Arizona Corporation Commission possible.
The Western Way congratulates Chairwoman Peterson on her election to the Commission and Chairmanship, and we look forward to working with her and the other Commissioners in the coming months.