In March, following pushback from members of the public and affected customers, Tucson Electric Power quietly lowered its proposed rate increase from 14% to 12.6%. Joe Barrios, spokesperson for TEP, says the adjustment was the result of input from interveners, or participants who represent stakeholder interests. “Particularly ACC staff and also the Residential Utility Consumer Office known as RUCO,” he said.

The Arizona Corporation Commission is responding to a consumer complaint about an APS billing error that has left dozens of customers facing unexpected charges for electricity that was used years ago, despite being current with payments. Cyndee Jago always pays her APS bills on time, but she is on the hook for an extra $500 charge. “I’m still beside myself that this has even happened,” Jago told On Your Side. “Going back six years. It blows my mind. It’s not customer service.”

Phoenix homeowners are seeing electricity rates climb as rapid population growth, rising commercial demand and longer, hotter summers put increasing strain on an expanding energy grid. In addition, time-of-use pricing is changing the rules, making power significantly more expensive during the late afternoon and evening hours, exactly when customers are returning home from work. That means higher bills when they need energy most.

As of Monday, Arizona utility companies cannot shut off customers’ power if they’re overdue on bills or have missed a payment as the state heads into a hot summer. The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) is reminding residents that utilities are barred from cutting off customers’ electricity under a summer moratorium, or suspending service if the National Weather Service predicts 95-degree temperatures.

Some APS customers are getting hit with higher-than-expected energy bills because of a billing error that goes back years. Cyndee Jago pays her APS bills on time via autopay, so she was surprised when the utility told her she owed more than $500 for electricity she used going back six years. “It’s deceptive,” she told On Your Side. “It doesn’t indicate that there was a problem on my account at all.”

Attorney General Kris Mayes has blocked state utility regulators from repealing renewable energy standards. The Arizona Corporation Commission says the AG’s action is illegal. When the Arizona Corporation Commission votes to enact a new rule, it gets sent to the Attorney General's Office for review. If the AG disapproves of a rule, it is sent back to the commission.

On May 18, I stood outside the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) with small business owners, parents, faith leaders, veterans and everyday Arizonans who had one unified message for our state’s utility regulators: Enough. Only a single speaker that day supported Arizona Public Service’s (APS) proposed rate hike, a hike that could raise electricity bills by hundreds of dollars a year for families already choosing between groceries and keeping the lights on. The hearing room filled to capacity and an overflow room had to be opened.

Electricity costs are straining household budgets — and the 2026 cooling season won't be any different. A forecast from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association projects electricity bills for June through September could be about 8.5% higher than last summer. Experts point to data center demand, utility rate changes, higher fuel costs and investments in aging infrastructure.