by Matthew Holloway | Apr 13, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Corporation Commission approved a temporary bill credit for UNS Electric customers, expected to reduce monthly costs during peak summer usage.
According to a Wednesday press release, the Commission approved an $18.50 monthly credit for customers with average usage of 884 kilowatt-hours. The credit will be in effect from May 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. The measure was approved in a 5–0 vote during the Commission’s open meeting on April 8.
The adjustment is tied to the Purchased Power and Fuel Adjustment Clause (PPFAC), a mechanism which utilities use to recover fuel and purchased power costs. The Commission stated that utilities do not earn a profit on expenses recovered through the PPFAC.
Commissioner Kevin Thompson said in the release that the credit follows the Commission’s earlier action to address a significant under-collection in the PPFAC balance.
In May 2023, the Commission approved a temporary surcharge to reduce the balance, which was accruing interest costs that were being passed on to ratepayers.
“The Commission had to make a tough vote in 2023 to pay down significant fuel cost debt that had been allowed to build as a result of circumstances outside the utilities’ control,” Thompson said. “As a result of the temporary surcharge, UNS was able to rapidly pay down the debt and save ratepayers money in the long run. Asking ratepayers to pay more in their monthly bills to pay down costs is never an easy task, but this solution removes the massive debt hanging over the heads of the ratepayers and provides additional bill relief when customers need it most.”
The surcharge was eliminated in December 2025 after the balance was paid down. The Commission said that the change reduced the average residential customer’s bill by approximately $20 per month.
Following the removal of the surcharge, the utility reported a positive PPFAC balance of $5.6 million in mid-February 2026, which has continued to grow.
According to the release, UNS Electric began experiencing under-collection in October 2021, which grew to approximately $48 million. The deficit was attributed to increased natural gas prices during the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather events including Winter Storm Uri, and global energy market impacts related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“As we are approaching the summer heat, I am glad the Commission was able to provide some rate relief for customers in Kingman, Lake Havasu, Nogales, and other smaller communities in Mohave and Santa Cruz counties,” Chairman Nick Myers said in a statement.
With the new temporary credit in place, the Commission said a typical residential customer is expected to see an average monthly reduction of approximately $38 this summer compared to the same period last year.
“As regulators we often have to make difficult decisions as we balance the various interests involved in ratemaking,” Myers said. “In this case, I am pleased that our difficult decision to address the PPFAC in 2023 has resolved the problem and resulted in a meaningful reduction in rates for UNSE customers through the end of the year.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Ethan Faverino | Aug 20, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
In a unanimous decision, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has dismissed its lawsuit against Grand Canyon University (GCU) and its CEO, Brian Mueller, bringing an end to years of coordinated lawfare by former Biden administration officials targeting the university.
The lawsuit, previously dismissed by the United States District Court of Arizona on jurisdictional grounds, was fully resolved through a joint Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, joined by Commissioners Melissa Holyoak and Mark Meador, issued a statement citing recent developments that influenced the decision.
The statement reads:
“This case, which we inherited from the previous administration, was filed nearly two years ago and has suffered losses in two motions to dismiss. These losses are compounded by recent events: Grand Canyon secured a victory over the Department of Education in a related matter before the Ninth Circuit; the Department of Education rescinded a massive fine levied on related grounds; and the Internal Revenue Service confirmed that Grand Canyon University is properly claiming 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation designation. In its reduced form, this case presents consumers very little upside relative to the cost of pursuing it to completion, especially given the developments chronicled above. We view it as imprudent to continue expending Commission resources on a lost cause. Because we have a duty to maximize consumers’ return on their tax-dollars investment, we have decided against pursuing this matter any further.”
GCU President Brian Mueller expressed gratitude for the FTC’s objective review, noting that multiple agencies and courts have consistently ruled in GCU’s favor.
“They threw everything they had at us for four years, and yet, despite every unjust accusation leveled against us, we have not only survived but have continued to thrive as a university,” President Mueller said. “That is a testament, first and foremost, to the strength and dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and their families. Above all, it speaks to our unwavering belief that the truth would ultimately prevail.”
The FTC lawsuit was part of a broader, coordinated campaign by former Biden administration officials, including the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), to target GCU with duplicative investigations and lawsuits.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 26, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
With Democrat Commissioner Anna Tovar absent, the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) voted 4-0 vote on Friday to direct its Office of General Counsel to launch an investigation into alleged legal and ethical violations by Tovar.
The vote was conducted during a Staff Open Meeting and addressed specific allegations of ACC Code of Ethics and Arizona Administrative Code violations.
At the start of the meeting, Chairman Jim O’Connor said he couldn’t “help but share that I’m disappointed in Commissioner Tovar,” for not “hav(ing) the courtesy to show up,” after she reportedly indicated she would do so. “It’s very, very disappointing,” he added.
The Commission then entered into Executive Session for approximately thirty minutes before returning to the public-facing meeting.
Upon returning to the public meeting O’Connor announced, “It is with a deeply troubled heart that I will now make a motion to authorize our Office of General Counsel to undertake an official inquiry to determine whether Commissioner Tovar and her office staff have violated our code of ethics as amended to include the code of conduct, the Arizona State statutes, and the Arizona Administrative Code regarding: interference in and disclosure of confidential personnel-related information and whether she or her staff have harassed public servants of the State of Arizona employed here at the commission.”
He then directed General Counsel Tom Van Flein: “With respect to two things: that that would go back to include, the examination, all the way back to last year with respect to J.P. Martin in terms of potential harassment there, to investigate that. To do that expeditiously and return to the commission in ten days with a recommendation.”
According to Juan ‘JP’ Martin’s LinkedIn profile, he served as Legislative Liaison & Public Information Officer to the ACC from January to December 2023 before leaving the commission to become Deputy Communications Director to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes.
Van Flein said in a statement that the ACC Office of General Counsel will begin the investigation immediately and complete the inquiry on behalf of the Commission within ten days. This would put completion of the probe on or about December 2nd or 3rd.
Tovar, formerly an Arizona State Senator and Senate Minority Leader, announced in February that she would not seek reelection. She is due to step down from the Commission in January 2025.
Announcing her decision in a post to X at the time, Tovar wrote, “The current Corporation Commission needs a shake-up to gain renewed focus on actually serving the people of our State and that’s why I will not be seeking a second term on the Commission. I look forward to doing all I can to support candidates who will bring new voices and perspectives to this vital work.”
Tovar is the only Democrat presently serving on the commission. Along with current Chairman Jim O’Connor, she will be replaced by newly elected Republican commissioners Rene Lopez and Rachel Walden in January.
Before serving on the commission and in the Senate, Tovar served as a member of the Arizona House and Mayor of Tolleson after working as an educator.
AZ Free News reached out to Commissioner Tovar requesting comment, however, she did not reply by the time of publishing this article.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 6, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Top financial officers from 17 states, 13 State Treasurers, one Commissioner of Revenue, and three state auditors, came together to issue a firm rebuke to members of Congress calling upon Fortune 1000 companies to “reaffirm their commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).”
The letter, signed by Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee, stated, “We the undersigned are state financial officials responsible for state investment vehicles that hold ownership positions in your companies. We write concerning recent calls from Congressional members that your companies reaffirm their commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). They commend DEI to you, claiming it is ‘good for business’ and ‘benefits employees, customers, and the bottom line.’ Significant evidence is mounting that precisely the opposite is true.”
Yee and her colleagues wrote in response to entreaties sent by a coalition of Democrat politicians, who wrote to the same firms in support of the radical-left DEI agenda. The Democrat coalition made unfounded claims that DEI programs create “a culture of equality” that “allows your companies to remain competitive,” as reported by the Daily Wire.
Jeremy Tedesco, Alliance Defending Freedom SVP of Corporate Engagement told the outlet:
“The divisive and discriminatory ideology at the root of DEI has caused some of our country’s most prominent companies, like Home Depot, Lowes, Ford, and Toyota, to pull back on their DEI programs. We should celebrate that and call on other companies to follow their lead. Sadly, some members of Congress have instead responded by urging companies to reaffirm their DEI commitments. Businesses should listen to their employees, customers, and shareholders, rather than politicians, and jettison DEI once and for all.”
The letter from the State Officers cites scholarly studies from Econ Journal Watch and Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance that sharply disprove the Democrats’ claims that corporate DEI efforts improve bottom line earnings and debunk the McKinsey studies upon which the agenda is based. They state, “The authors of the Econ Journal Watch article reported that they were ‘unable to quasireplicate’ the McKinsey studies’ results and admonished that ‘they should not be relied on to support the view that US publicly traded firms can expect to deliver improved financial performance if they increase the racial/ethnic diversity of their executives.’”
The state officials highlighted key takeaways from a recent New York Times article for the industry leaders to consider when addressing the continuation of the controversial DEI measures: University student reactions and the birth of a “grievance culture,” and the delivery of a divisive culture as opposed to the goal of inclusivity. In a study that examined the University of Michigan’s DEI program as an exemplar of these policies, the author found in part:
“On campus, I met students with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. Not one expressed any particular enthusiasm for Michigan’s D.E.I. initiative. Where some found it shallow, others found it stifling. They rolled their eyes at the profusion of course offerings that revolve around identity and oppression, the D.E.I.-themed emails they frequently received but rarely read.”
The author noted, “Michigan’s D.E.I. efforts have created a powerful conceptual framework for student and faculty grievances — and formidable bureaucratic mechanisms to pursue them. Everyday campus complaints and academic disagreements, professors and students told me, were now cast as crises of inclusion and harm, each demanding some further administrative intervention or expansion.”
“Michigan’s own data suggests that in striving to become more diverse and equitable, the school has also become less inclusive: In a survey released in late 2022, students and faculty members reported a less positive campus climate than at the program’s start and less of a sense of belonging. Students were less likely to interact with people of a different race or religion or with different politics — the exact kind of engagement D.E.I. programs, in theory, are meant to foster.”
In the letter, the financial experts concluded that employees have widely expressed the same views of DEI programs with a Freedom at Work Survey conducted by Ipsos and released by Viewpoint Diversity Score, finding that 40% of respondents said the policies divide rather than unite the workplace. They added that legal exposure is also possible as Chief Justice Roberts observed, “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” Adding that the race-based theories and practices baked-into DEI programs “fly in the face of our colorblind Constitution and our Nation’s equality ideal.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Kevin Thompson | Sep 16, 2024 | Opinion
By Kevin Thompson |
The Corporation Commission recently unanimously voted to support Tucson Electric Power’s (“TEP”) Midtown Reliability Project (“Midtown”). The Midtown project is a much-needed improvement for the City of Tucson’s antiquated and overloaded 46kV sub-transmission system. The equipment will be upgraded to a 138kV system in the area adjacent to the University of Arizona and Banner University Medical Center. The project would also replace a portion of the 4kV distribution lines located in the Midtown neighborhoods. These systems are over 50 years old and no longer meet the needs and demands of the area as the system has become increasingly overstrained and unstable.
Fragile wooden poles that are susceptible to damage will be replaced with larger capacity metal poles and more powerful transmission lines. Up to eight 46kV existing substations and 19 miles of current 46kV line will be removed, resulting in a reduced number of substations and overhead power lines in Midtown Tucson. The upgrades will benefit all of TEP’s customers; the transmission lines will improve system redundancy and grid resiliency, allowing power to bypass lines and areas that might be down or overloaded. In supporting the proposal, the Commission rejected calls by the City of Tucson leadership and neighborhood groups who demanded the new lines be “undergrounded” as opposed to the standard more affordable above ground installation.
Tucson voters overwhelmingly rejected Prop 412 in March 2023, which was supported by Tucson’s Mayor and TEP. The proposition would have extended TEP’s franchise agreement with the city, and in return would have established additional fees to fund the undergrounding of the Midtown project and establish a “Climate Action Fund.” The defeat left the franchise agreement renewal in limbo, but it also required TEP to move forward with an alternative plan to complete the needed and already delayed improvement. City leaders continued to call for the undergrounding of equipment, a beautification effort where costs would have been picked up by all TEP ratepayers, not just the customers who will benefit from the Midtown project improvements.
During the Commission proceedings, some claimed the incremental cost difference between underground and above ground lines was negligible, and that the historic nature of the area and neighborhoods called for a greater standard of beautification. There are two important responses to those viewpoints. First, the region already has above ground power lines. Any sort of undergrounding would be a luxury the area currently doesn’t enjoy. And as previously noted, the above ground upgrades will actually reduce the total number of transmission lines and substations. Second, there is a huge price difference. Project estimates for the cost difference between underground and above ground are $64 million dollars. An additional $64 million that would have to be funded by all TEP ratepayers, the far majority of whom live nowhere near Midtown.
Last year, the Commission adopted a transmission line policy statement that utilities under the Commission’s jurisdiction should avoid incurring higher costs from underground installation of transmission lines unless it was necessary for reliability or safety purposes. Undergrounding lines for purposes such as stakeholder or community preferences are not valid reasons on their own. And concerned third parties such as cities or neighborhood groups can still seek to cover the cost difference to underground through other means such as forming an improvement district.
With most rate design, there’s a degree of “subsidization” that exists, wherein equipment upgrades or power line installations are spread out across an entire ratepayer base for that utility’s customers. However, when a project or proposal clearly only benefits a small subset of customers, it is our duty as a Commission to look out for all ratepayers. We must ensure the desires of a few do not adversely impact the pocketbooks of the many.
It’s not uncommon for the Commission to review proposals that subscribe to what some refer to as “luxury beliefs.” Ideas and opinions that benefit a group of people who are better off while often inflicting greater costs or more harm on less fortunate classes. We see this most frequently amongst climatism promoters, who advocate to end the use of hydrocarbons and rapidly transform our electric grid, with no concerns for the price tag to ratepayers. It’s akin to advocating for ratepayers to subsidize electric vehicle charging stations that benefit a small set of utility customers, while the far majority of other customers either do not want an electric vehicle or can’t afford one.
During the hearing, proponents of line undergrounding attempted to rationalize the cost increase due to the unique history and beauty of the area. They argued the monthly cost to underground the Midtown project is negligible when spread out across the entire customer base. While I am sympathetic to the preferences of property owners, how can I as an elected official possibly rationalize to ratepayers in South Tucson that their neighborhood isn’t worthy of receiving the same special treatment?
With this vote, the Commission honored the will of Tucson voters and protected the pocketbooks of TEP ratepayers. We also took big steps to improve the long-term reliability and durability for all TEP customers in the Tucson area.
Kevin Thompson was elected as a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2022. He previously served as a member of the Mesa City Council for eight years, representing the fastest-growing area of the city.
