Arizona Corporation Commission election: How the candidates compare on key issues

Six official candidates, three Republicans and three Democrats, will compete for three open seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates electric utilities, some investment companies and various other entities.

Democrats Ylenia Aguilar, Jonathon Hill and Joshua Polacheck responded to key questions submitted by the Arizona Republic, as did Republicans Rene Lopez, Lea Márquez Peterson and Rachel Walden. Peterson is the only incumbent running in the race. Two Green Party write-in candidates, Mike Cease and Nina Luxenberg, also are registered for the primary.

Here's how the official candidates replied to our questions. Answers are in alphabetical order, and some were trimmed to meet the agreed to length for all.

Arizona election: Read our full election coverage of the Arizona Corporation Commission race

Vision: Why are you running for the Arizona Corporation Commission?

Why are you running for the Corporation Commission? What are your priorities or goals?

Ylenia Aguilar: I am running for the Corporation Commission to ensure that everyday Arizonans feel there is transparency and accountability in the government responsible for setting the prices of essential services. Arizona continues to face unprecedented rate increases in utility bills. This financial pressure affects families, small businesses and everyday Arizonans. Below are some of my priorities for the commission.

Utility and rate protection: I am dedicated to ensuring that utility rates remain affordable for Arizona residents and businesses. I will work to increase transparency in rate-setting processes to empower consumers and hold utility companies accountable.

Renewable energy and sustainability: I support expanding renewable energy infrastructure and promoting sustainable practices to reduce Arizona's carbon footprint. We can do this by using our homegrown energy created in Arizona from the sun. This includes incentivizing the adoption of solar and wind energy and implementing energy efficiency programs.

Consumer protection and advocacy: I will prioritize advocating for consumer rights, including protections against fraud, unfair billing practices and ensuring access to essential utility services. I will work to represent the interests of Arizona residents and businesses in all matters related to utilities and regulation.

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Jonathon Hill: I am a native Arizonan, born in Kingman and raised in central Phoenix. Since 2000 I have lived, studied and worked in Tempe. For the last 18 years, I have been a spacecraft engineer at Arizona State University, where I have operated science instruments on NASA’s Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, the Mars Odyssey satellite and the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample-return mission. I began my career on the engineering side of these missions with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering but then decided to switch my focus to the geology side of the missions, and earned my master’s and doctorate degrees in geological sciences. 

I am running because I believe we need more commissioners with strong technical backgrounds who understand the engineering and science behind power generation, water distribution and groundwater management. The Corporation Commission is responsible for making many critical technical decisions, such as where power plants and transmission lines can be built and whether water companies have sufficient groundwater resources to provide for their current and future customers. Commissioners need to have the training and experience to properly evaluate the different options and make the best possible decisions. 

Rene Lopez: I want to continue to fight and win for the ratepayers of Arizona, as I did successfully for the residents of Chandler.

The current federal administration’s policy is causing increased cost of coal and natural gas that has caused major increases in the utility rates we are paying across the country.  Along with the wasteful use of Colorado River water by California, we have lost approximately 40% of our hydro generating capacity from Hoover Dam.  I will work to ensure that only necessary costs of operations, maintenance and cost-effective reliable sources of energy are passed on to the ratepayers.

A diverse energy portfolio is in the best interests of stability and cost effectiveness for Arizona’s long-term future. All forms of energy production should be on the table for use. Some specifics are hydro, nuclear, coal and natural gas, in that order of priority.

For variable energy production, which is used to meet peaking and supplemental energy demands, I see natural gas and solar as the two main viable options in the immediate term.  For the long term, Small modular reactors or other forms (batteries, geothermal) could be utilized once they have been proven safe, cost effective and reliable.

Lea Márquez Peterson: It has been an honor to serve as a commissioner and chairwoman over the past five years. I am the only incumbent running for re-election and am proud of my voting record on behalf of ratepayers. As chairwoman, I ensured our voting records were transparent at AZCC.gov. I also ensured that the public could easily comment on issues, whether by sending an email or participating in our open meetings via Zoom or in person. My background as a chamber president has shaped my priority for public speaking and attending community events across the state and educating ratepayers on our role at the commission. I pride myself on being an accessible elected official.

I am running for re-election to continue to fight for energy reliability at the most affordable utility rates and serve families and businesses throughout the state. As chairwoman, I was instrumental in approving a code of ethics to minimize the politicizing of the commission and voted to approve more than $40 million in rebates to APS and TEP customers during the pandemic. I also led on the creation of an energy reliability summit to ensure that we did not face rolling blackouts like California. 

Joshua Polacheck: The Corporation Commission is not a flashy position. There are no big names. It’s hardly in the news. But this fall, Arizona voters have a stark choice between two very different futures: generations more of shipping billions of dollars out-of-state to feed our dependence on dirty and expensive fossil fuels or energy independence through affordable and reliable clean energy. I am running to fight for everyday Arizona residents to have affordable, reliable, and secure utilities now, tomorrow and a decade from now.

My top priorities are: Transparency and responsiveness to the citizens who elect us, versus the corruption and double dealing we have now; keeping our service reliable and our rates affordable and finishing rural electrification and broadband access so that everyone in our state has equal access to power and the internet.

If elected, I will work with private and public partners to bring in the billions in investments we need to secure our energy and water future. Unlike my opponents, I don’t want to keep sending billions out of state every year because fossil fuel billionaires tell me what to do and how to vote.

Rachel Walden: I am running to keep Arizona affordable and a great place to live now and for future generations. The commission exists under the Arizona constitution to protect the ratepayer. Their responsibility is to maintain a safe and reliable grid using the least cost of generation. The commission is supposed to regulate, not legislate. Forced energy investments and climate goals put the ratepayer last and thwart free market principles. The government should not pick winners and losers in the marketplace by choosing products that meet a personal agenda but instead allow for competitive pricing to be key in an all of the above approach to energy generation. We also need to eliminate subsidies and mandates that increase the cost of your rates.

Lastly, Arizona is one of the slowest states for rate cases to be heard and the cost of this regulatory lag is passed down to the ratepayer. We must work to create an efficient and effective organization that is responsive to the communities and businesses across our state.

Ratepayers: How do Arizona Corporation Commission candidates weigh protecting them and still invest in the power grid?

What is your view on balancing ratepayer concerns against the needs of utilities to finance power-plant and grid expansions?

Aguilar: This would be one of the core challenges I would face in regulating power providers in Arizona. On one side, we must protect the interests of residential and business ratepayers. The people of Arizona deserve reliable and secure electricity at fair and affordable rates. Families and companies already struggle with the high cost of living and doing business in our state. We should avoid adding to that whenever possible. However, utilities also have a valid need to maintain and expand our electricity generation and grid infrastructure to meet growing power demands. Arizona's growing population and economy require investment in new plants and transmission lines.

I would stringently scrutinize utility rate requests to ensure any increases are prudent and justified based on operational needs. I would push utilities to exhaust all cost-cutting and efficiency measures before passing further expenses to customers. I will fight for ratepayer interests while ensuring utilities can keep the lights on and power our prosperity through managed, responsible investments. Energy regulation is complex, but that is the balance I would work to achieve.

Hill: Balancing the cost-of-living concerns of ratepayers and the financial needs of our utility companies is the most important role of the commission. The utility companies must have access to the funds needed to properly maintain and modernize our power plants and transmission lines, but ratepayers cannot and should not be expected to shoulder more than their fair share of the burden. We have to remember that both ratepayers and the utility companies must remain financially healthy for Arizona to prosper in the 21st Century. 

The commission must remain vigilant and carefully review all rate increase proposals to ensure that they accurately reflect the true cost increases that ratepayers will see on their bills and do not unfairly inflate the profits of the utility companies at the ratepayers’ expense. They must also effectively communicate with the public about the reasons behind their decisions, so that ratepayers can clearly see what they are receiving in terms of grid upgrades and modernization in return for their increased bills.

Over the next four years, the commission must work hard to carefully balance the evolving needs of Arizona’s utility companies and ensure hardworking Arizonans and their families are not shouldering an undue financial burden. 

Lopez: I see the Commission’s priority being the reliability and affordability of energy and water, and balancing these two is essential. Having a reliable grid does mean having a financially sound utility and I do not see these in conflict.  To maintain reliability and to expand will affect the cost (rates) and the role of the Arizona Corporation Commission is to ensure that what is required and prudent is what the ratepayers are paying for. Any other programs, subsidies or special projects would need to be funded out of the revenues and profits of the respective utility.

Peterson: My priority as a commissioner is ensuring energy reliability at the most affordable utility rates. I support an “all of the above approach” to energy resources, which means that the commission is not selecting “winners and losers” but balancing the needs of the ratepayers with energy load demands. Energy reliability is a life-and-death issue in the heat of the summer.

I’ve been steadfast in analyzing whether the capital investment recovery requested by our regulated utilities is in the best interest of our ratepayers. I have also encouraged third-party developers to invest in energy projects throughout our state.  Ratepayers can review the plan for each utility by viewing their Integrated Resource Proposals on their websites: APS.com, UNS.com and TEP.com. The IRPs project their activity over the next 15 years and are updated bi-annually. These are important documents that I refer to frequently to analyze the utilities’ commitments and direction.

Polacheck: Companies like Arizona Public Service and Tucson Electric Power have been partners for decades in building Arizona’s economy and I want to see that partnership continue into the 21st Century. Ultimately though, the commission answers to the people of Arizona, not to the shareholders of our utilities. My duty will be to the voters first, making sure they get the affordable, reliable and safe utilities they deserve. At the same time, outdated government regulations supported by the current majority on the commission have stopped billions of dollars of investment from flowing to Arizona to build out our 21st Century clean infrastructure and reforming those regulations will be a top priority of mine.

Unlike my GOP opponents, I want to see our state achieve long-term energy independence, reliability and affordability by freeing ourselves from dependence on out-of-state coal and methane. That will not happen under the current tangle of GOP government regulations.

Walden: Our role is to uphold the state constitution to protect the ratepayer as a check on monopolies. The commission is tasked with determining “just and reasonable” rates. Commercial and industrial users or residential developments that require power plant or grid expansions must bear the cost of such a demand and not socialize the cost among all the ratepayers of the utility. The rule that should be followed is that the one who benefits is the one who should pay.

The commission must balance affordable rates against grid reliability, which means ensuring a stable regulatory environment to keep up with the need for well distributed and reliable resources. The utility industry needs access to debt at the lowest interest rates to finance the generation and transmission build out required for a growing economy. The commission should not create mandates or burdens that would inhibit a utility's ability to acquire low interest rates. An increase in these costs would trickle down to the ratepayer.

Reliability: How do Arizona Corporation Commission candidates balance growth against keeping power available?

How do you prioritize economic development against need to maintain power availability?

Aguilar: I would like to ensure that we continue to grow and prosper as a state and also have the long-term energy supply necessary to meet the needs of this growth. We have to make sure that we are investing in future energy sources that will be able to meet the demand of our growing population in the state of Arizona while doing everything possible to slow the effects of climate change. We can do this by tapping into homegrown energy from Arizona through solar and other alternative energies.

Hill: Economic development and power availability are two sides of the same coin; you can’t have one without the other. As the Arizona economy continues to grow, especially with the construction of the new chip plants and data centers, we must ensure that our utilities can provide the power and water they need to function. Otherwise, we won’t see the new job opportunities and economic growth that they promised to deliver.

A rapidly increasing concern is the availability of renewable power. Many of the tech companies who are considering relocating to Arizona have a strong desire to buy power produced from renewable sources, and our potential for both solar and wind energy is what often led them to consider our state in the first place. Our power utilities must meet this need, or we risk losing those economic development opportunities to other states who are willing to meet those needs. This is all not to mention that our state’s long-term climate resiliency will likely rely on our ability to produce energy from sources like solar and wind.

Lopez: I see these as one in the same.  We must maintain a stable, reliable and cost-effective power profile to support existing businesses and residents, and plan for expansion of each accordingly. By the (commission) staying connected to our chambers of commerce across the state and regular communications with municipalities, we will be able to establish long-term planning and timely responses for organic growth and future expansion along with creating two-way open interactions around any rate changes as required.

Peterson: As we grow as a state, we need to ensure that rates are set so that cost causers are paying their fair share and existing ratepayers are not subsidizing new commercial, industrial and residential customers. This is a key issue as Arizona is one of the fastest growing states in the nation. 

There is a surge in power demand across the nation, and commissioners need to consider all options, including the need for additional generation, and better, faster transmission. I serve on the board of EPRI (a global energy think tank), which has studied advanced conductoring, which is a helpful new technology that can increase the capacity of our existing transmission lines.

The development of AI and continued growth of computing technology has led to a huge power demand by data centers who are soliciting western states for new locations. This provides a challenge to states that are growing rapidly, like Arizona, and we need to determine the best path forward for Arizona’s ratepayers. I am a supporter of small, modular nuclear facilities and co-chair a national nuclear taskforce. Small, modular nuclear may be an answer to providing clean energy for economic development in Arizona in the future.

Polacheck: Arizona can have both economic development and maintain power availability at the same time. The biggest roadblock to achieving this win-win scenario is the outdated regulations being pushed by the current majority on the commission. Reliable and affordable power are the foundation of our way of life in Arizona. We need to reform those regulations to provide the incentives for our utilities to build overpriced methane infrastructure. As we have seen in Florida and Nevada, the clean energy transition leads to better reliability, more affordable rates and even higher utility profits. If elected, I will keep the $4.7 billion (2022 figures) we send every year to out-of-state methane and coal wholesalers in Arizona to build clean energy infrastructure that we control.

Walden: The rapid growth in Arizona has changed from a steady increase of 3 to 4% a year to double digits and the utilities are scrambling to meet that demand. Not only do our utilities need to be affordable, we also need to factor in energy reliability and the integrity of the grid. There are many companies that want to come to Arizona and that growth is important for the economic strength of our state. However, the utilities must ensure the energy resources are in place before that can happen. They work with city councils, boards of supervisors and the commission to determine their resource adequacy, and we cannot allow growth to happen faster than energy generation is able to keep pace. Reliability is crucial in Arizona when heat can harm or even kill people and lifesaving industries such as hospitals must have reliable generation.

Solar: Where do Arizona Corporation Commission candidates stand?

What is your view on rooftop solar power and grid-access charges?

Aguilar: I am a strong proponent of expanding rooftop solar adoption in Arizona. Our abundant sunshine can allow Arizonans to have homegrown renewable energy resources. I recognize the need for utilities to be able to maintain and update grid infrastructure, which has upfront costs. So I don't oppose reasonable grid-access charges for solar customers. However, any such charges must be fair and not structured in a way that disincentivizes or undermines rooftop solar growth.

My approach would include a need for balance to keep any grid fees as low as possible while still giving utilities the funds they need for grid maintenance and upgrades. I would not support excessive or punitive fees aimed at protecting the utility monopolies rather than accounting for true costs. Solar owners should not bear the full burden.

We must find a way to continue rapidly scaling up rooftop solar by tapping into our sunshine and using our homegrown renewable energy while ensuring all customers pay their fair share of costs in a fair system. It's a complex issue, but as a commissioner, I would fight for policies that uphold consumer energy choice while maintaining grid reliability. Supporting solar is key to a sustainable energy future.

Hill: Rooftop solar increases the reliability and resiliency of our power grid by distributing power generation capacity and lowers utility bills for homeowners and businesses, particularly during Arizona’s increasingly hot summers when so much additional energy is required to run our air conditioners during the day.

The grid-access charges were initially designed to fairly compensate the utility companies for the costs associated with maintaining the power lines and other infrastructure that connect homes and businesses to the power grid, even if they generate their own power through solar. However, in recent years, the grid access charges have been increased to the point that they are discouraging people from installing solar, when we should be doing the exact opposite by finding more ways to encourage solar installation. The Corporation Commission should revisit grid-access charges to ensure that they have been calculated in a way that is fair to both the power utilities and their customers who have chosen to install solar.

Lopez: Rooftop solar is one option of many in providing our overall grid with a diverse source of energy. It, among all other options, is what helps keep our grid stable, and at low cost. Grid-access charges are part of the overall impact. These charges help in mitigating and covering infrastructure to accommodate this option.

Peterson: I support residential solar programs like most of our existing commissioners. In 2006, the commission mandated that 15% of Arizona’s energy resources come from solar, and that policy ended up costing APS and TEP ratepayers an extra $2 billion in their utility rates over time. Today, Solar energy is one of the least expensive methods of new energy and its use will continue to grow rapidly within our state. During my five years on the commission, I’ve approved dozens of utility-scale solar and battery projects throughout the state. It’s exciting to see the increased development by our utilities and third-party developers investing in our state.

The current grid-access charge that is part of the APS rate case is a contested matter that I cannot comment on now (or would have to recuse myself from a future vote).

Polacheck: If Arizona is going to meet the challenges of a 21st Century economy, we need an all-solutions-on-deck approach to securing our grid for the demands of the coming decades. That means utility-, industrial-, commercial- and residential-scale solar and storage, utility-scale wind and clean traditional baseload generation paired with a resilient and well-managed grid. That means we should not punish homeowners — not to mention small businesses, churches and schools — that are easing the strain on the grid with distributed solar generation. Our grid would have failed during recent heat waves if all that distributed generation were suddenly removed, and we Arizonans know that when the grid fails in the heat, people die. We need to reform the outdated regulations that pit utility profits against those who invest in rooftop solar.

Other states, including fellow Four Corners states, have figured it out. But the current (Make America Great Again) majority on the Arizona commission and my opponents on the ballot are not interested in solutions. They would rather play politics with our essential utilities than come together for common-sense solutions.

Walden: If you want rooftop solar, that is your choice. However, it should not be subsidized by ratepayers and taxpayers. Many rooftop solar residences still require access to the grid because they don't have enough power or don't have the batteries to store the excess solar. Therefore, in such instances, these ratepayers have the same responsibility as everyone else to pay their fair share to uphold the integrity of our grid. I do support the right of any household or business that wants to be energy independent and disconnect from the grid.

Regulation: Where do the Arizona Corporation Commission candidates stand on enforcing securities laws?

Would you like to see changes in the way the commission’s staff enforces and monitors securities laws in Arizona?

Aguilar: I would like to see changes that increase transparency for Arizona consumers so they can be more informed of the work that is being done at the commission.

Hill: The commission needs to improve its monitoring and enforcement of securities laws across Arizona, particularly when it comes to the financial exploitation of our senior citizens and other vulnerable adults. To do this, the commission needs to be more proactive in the prevention of securities fraud before Arizonans fall victim to it.

First, the commission simply does not have enough staff or resources to properly protect the 7-plus million people in Arizona from securities fraud and abuse. If elected to the commission, I will work closely with members of the Arizona legislature from both parties to increase the resources available to the commission’s securities division, particularly their prevention and enforcement activities. 

Second, the commission’s securities division produces a lot of information to help people, especially seniors, identify the warning signs of securities fraud and avoid falling victim to it. However, that information is not reaching the vast majority of Arizonans who could benefit from it. The commission needs to take a more proactive role in distributing these materials and educating the public on how to become more informed investors.

Lopez: The current structure of tracking, investigating and enforcing securities law has been protecting residents of Arizona very well so far, to the tune of over $11 million in restitution in 2024 to date. Once on the commission, I hope to utilize my experience and skills in process improvements and prioritizing customer service to our residents to make further enhancements and streamlining to make the (commission) a more cost-effective and friendlier place to do business.

Peterson: No. I believe that the (Arizona Corporation Commission) staff is an incredible resource to the state. Every month we see five to 10 securities cases before us that have been investigated and civilly prosecuted by our staff. Their diligence has resulted in millions of dollars in restitution for Arizonans who have been defrauded by bad actors. Our securities staff has also been proactive in educating citizens, especially elderly investors, about ways to avoid scams and fraud.

There are always ways to improve a process, but I believe that our securities staff has done a great job in assisting our residents. 

Polacheck: When I was a senior American diplomatic representative in Jamaica, I worked closely with U.S. and Jamaican law enforcement to protect some of our most vulnerable citizens against international criminal financial gangs. In many states, state attorneys general and securities regulators were close partners. Unfortunately, while federal law enforcement in Arizona stepped up, the commission did not. This was not for lack of trying by the staff, but it simply was not a priority for the commission’s political majority.

Things have only gotten worse in recent years as the current MAGA majority has shown zero interest in leadership or governing. We need to strongly partner with our state and federal law enforcement, especially our attorney general, to go after bad actors who prey on our citizens with securities and financial scams.

Walden: Fraud with cryptocurrency is increasing, but it's tough to track down and investigate. We will need to implement training and resources to fight this new wave of scams. I am the only candidate that has been securities licensed and has a financial background. I am very familiar with the regulations involved in investment products and will have a much-needed perspective as the commission seeks to enforce the integrity of the financial marketplace and recover assets for investors.

Inspiration: Who shapes the Arizona Corporation Commission candidates' thinking?

Who in public service, past or present, do you admire most? What do you draw from that person’s experiences in public life?

Aguilar: Commissioner (Anna) Tovar is approachable. I met her back in 2016, when I got elected to the school board, and she's been true to her word ever since. That kind of follow-through is hard to find in politics. Over the past eight years while I've been in office, she's always responded to my calls. She actually does what she says she'll do and cares deeply about Arizona. You don't see that very often from elected officials. She's the kind of leader we need more of — someone you can count on to do the right thing and be there for the people she represents.

Hill: I greatly admire Dr. Sian Proctor for her work at South Mountain Community College encouraging and enabling young women to attend college and pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), as well as her professional accomplishments as the pilot of the first all-civilian mission to orbit, Inspiration4.

Although Sian is a fellow graduate of ASU’s Geological Sciences PhD program, our paths did not cross until 2018, when she invited me to speak about my experiences working on NASA missions at a women-in-STEM conference at SMCC. I was extremely impressed by the programs she had built to help underserved students in the community college system learn how to pursue careers in STEM, her dedication to the success of her students and the admiration her students had for her. 

Shortly after that, Sian was selected to serve on the crew of the Inspiration4 mission and in 2021 became the first woman of color to pilot a spacecraft. Although her dream of becoming an astronaut with NASA never came to pass, she stuck with her passion and eventually achieved her dream, just through a different route than she had planned, a lesson in perseverance we can all learn from.

Lopez: Abraham Lincoln. He stepped forward during the most tortuous time in American history and was willing to take on the burden to fight for our union and restore our republic. He did this with great sacrifice to himself and his family; however, he had the ability and so he felt he had the obligation. His leadership in putting nation and country above self is what I admire most and hope to emulate.

Peterson: I admire President Ronald Reagan, and he’s one of the reasons that I registered as a Republican at the age of 18. My family has owned a variety of small businesses over generations in southern Arizona. President Reagan’s focus on stimulating the economy influenced me and my future public life. I enjoyed his leadership style and his use of humor. He was approachable and decisive and inspired many people.

He also produced results that I admire. During his tenure, the American economy saw a significant reduction in inflation, the unemployment rate fell during his leadership and the United States entered its then-longest peacetime period. He advocated for minimal government interference in the economy and was tough on crime. We need more leaders that follow President Reagan’s examples and principles in elected office. 

Polacheck: I deeply admire President Harry Truman, both for his personal sense of responsibility (“the buck stops here”) and for how he fought to make life better for the everyday American citizen through the Fair Deal. I took his lead and served our country in war zones like Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, as a commissioned foreign service officer. I had hoped to spend my career apolitically serving our country but, much like President Truman, accidents of history and a crisis in our democracy brought me into the arena of electoral politics. His life taught me to do the jobs that are meaningful to our community, not to seek celebrity or power.

Making sacrifices to improve our society is our duty as Americans “to form a more perfect Union.” I hope to follow in his footsteps and leave the world a better place for my and all of our children. Our future is too important to sell out for political favors. Let’s get our state government working for the people of Arizona again.

Walden: George Washington has always been my favorite public servant. When I visited Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, I was struck by the grit and determination of the men who served under him. They were freezing cold and starving, risking complete demoralization and the loss of everything, even their own lives, but the strength of their cause sustained them. General Washington, who would later become the first president of our nation, wasn't someone who sought leadership; instead leadership sought him. Because of him the colonists outwitted and defeated the greatest empire on earth.

However, liberating America from Britain was not enough to sustain the nation in the years to come, and he was instrumental in bringing about the convention to create our constitution and develop checks and balances within the government. Always mindful that authority must be limited, he chose to step down as president after two terms. He rejected having a monarchy when people wanted to crown him a king. He prioritized the freedom of the people over power. His strong moral character defined his actions and leadership.