Help Support a Clean Energy Future for Arizona!

If you are an Arizona Public Service Company (APS) customer, you have a great opportunity to support increasing energy efficiency programs.  APS has applied to the Arizona Corporation Commission for another rate increase – a proposed increase of 9.3% for the average residential customer bill. To help reduce energy bills and offset increased rates for its customers, and to help customers become more energy efficient, APS should invest more in energy efficiency programs. The regulatory process for this rate increase has already begun and there will be a public hearing on March 30, 2009.

Please write today and tell the Arizona Corporation Commission you support increasing energy efficiency programs in this rate case, thus reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants and lowering electric bills, even if it means a slightly higher electric rate.  By increasing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption, customers can reduce their energy bills by 10-50%, even if the cost of the customer programs increases electric rates by 1-2%.

Energy efficiency saves us all money and is very cost-effective; in fact energy efficiency is the lowest cost of any resource.  The Western Governors’ Association Energy Efficiency Task Force Report indicates that the average cost for energy efficiency programs is $0.02 to $0.03 per lifetime kilowatt-hour (kWh) saved – much lower than the cost of new conventional generation ($0.05 to $0.09/kWh) and lower than current electric rates (about $0.10/kWh).

The less electricity we use, the less pollution we generate.  That means fewer greenhouse gas emissions, fewer mercury emissions, and less pollution overall.  It also means we use less water as most power-generation requires significant amounts of water.  It is a true win-win – we reduce pollution, conserve water, and save money.

What can we do to increase energy efficiency? These rate-making processes afford the public opportunities to support larger investments in energy efficiency.  Programs to support include:

• Rebates to electric utility customers who purchase energy efficient appliances, air conditioners, lighting devices, or invest in measures in their home, office or other buildings that result in reductions of energy use.
• Technical assistance and financial incentives for businesses that upgrade their energy efficiency.
• Design assistance and incentives for builders who construct efficient new homes or commercial buildings.
• Grants for low-income home weatherization.
• Programs to reduce the urban heat island effect through shading, cool roofs, and cool pavements.
• Technical assistance and incentives for schools and local governments to increase their energy efficiency
• Training and certification of builders, contractors, and other energy service providers.
• Training and technical assistance for commercial and industrial facility managers.

The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) will balance many competing claims about APS’ need for a rate increase.  To expand the availability of the APS energy efficiency programs for utility customers, the Commission needs to hear from APS’ residential and business customers who support efficiency programs.

This support can be provided as a letter to the Commission (Docket Control, Arizona Corporation Commission, 1200 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007, indicating Docket Numbers E-01345A-08-0172 and E-00000J-08-0314), and/or as a public comment at the hearing.  The Commission is currently scheduled to take public comment on March 30, 2009 at 10:00 AM in the hearing room at the Commission offices at 1200 W. Washington St. in Phoenix.

For more information, a sample letter you can send, and what you can do to promote energy efficiency in Arizona, please contact Sandy Bahr at (602) 253-8633 or sandy.bahr@sierraclub.org

~ by akagreen on February 20, 2009.