TEP and Arizona Electric Power Cooperative are changing how they collect power by building new solar farms in Cochise County. Combined, the companies are bringing renewable energy to over 90,000 homes across the state.

U.S. Representative Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.) and 120 House Democrats this week introduced the Energy Bills Relief Act, legislation aimed at lowering rising energy costs by expanding renewable energy and modernizing the electric grid to meet rising demand.

Arizona’s electricity system is entering a period of rapid change, and the decisions made in the next few years will determine whether the state can maintain affordable, reliable power while continuing to grow. Demand is rising from both population growth and large new industrial users, including data centers. Meeting that demand will require significant investment in generation, transmission and grid infrastructure, all of which will ultimately be paid for by customers.

With litigation over the Colorado River looking increasingly likely, Arizona has hired a high-powered, New York City-based global law firm to defend its river water rights before the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office announced Monday.

Arizona utility regulators earlier March formally voted to repeal the state’s renewable energy standards. The Corporation Commission, though, had been taking steps for some time that signaled this was the direction it was headed.

The standards had been in effect since 2006. They required regulated utilities, like APS and Tucson Electric Power, to get at least 15% of their energy from renewable sources.

Mesa is taking steps to insulate the 18,000 residential and commercial customers in its 5.5-square-mile Electric Service Area, which includes the downtown, from spikes in their energy bill and eventually save them some money.

Salt River Project and Arizona Public Service will not shut off power to customers with delinquent accounts through Sunday as an extreme heat warning remains in effect across the Valley.

SRP officials said the utility will not shut off power anytime an extreme heat warning is issued this year. That policy is in addition to SRP’s existing practice of not shutting off power during the summer months. APS confirmed a similar suspension of shutoffs for the same period.

In Mesa, six Arizonans gathered to tell Gov. Katie Hobbs about how utility bill assistance programs have made it easier for them to pay their bills, keep their homes and provide food for their families.

One woman named Beverly told the governor that she received a $400 credit toward her Salt River Project utility bill with assistance from the Mesa Community Action Network. Without that credit, Beverly said she doesn’t know what she would do.

New data shows that Arizona installed a record amount of solar capacity last year.

Arizona added nearly 2-gigwatts of solar power, bringing the total amount statewide to about 11.5 gigawatts. To put that in perspective, APS’ peak demand last year was more than 8 and a half gigawatts.

Across tribal nations, hosting a convening with dinner and a tour of an ambitious new project is a familiar scene. But for David Harper, a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes and CEO of the newly created tribal energy financing organization Huurav, a recent gathering felt different.