What is the Arizona Corporation Commission?
- Factsheet
Pop quiz: Who decides how much you pay for electricity in Arizona?
If you guessed your utility company, you’re close — but not quite right. For most Arizonans, the real answer is the Arizona Corporation Commission, or the ACC for short.
These five elected officials make decisions that directly impact your wallet every month, but most residents don’t know who they are.
The ACC regulates most utilities in Arizona, including APS, TEP, and UNS Electric. Commissioners have the power to:
Approve or deny rate increases.
Determine the amount of credit solar customers earn for the electricity they generate.
Impose or remove solar-specific fees.
In other words, these five Commissioners make decisions that directly impact our energy bills as well as solar investment for millions of Arizonans. Because the decisions they make have so much power over our daily lives, the ACC is sometimes nicknamed the “4th branch of government” in Arizona.
How the ACC worksHow does the ACC work?
The ACC is made up of five Commissioners who are elected statewide to staggered 4-year terms.
Unlike most states where the governor appoints utility regulators, Arizonans choose their Commissioners at the ballot box in regular partisan elections every 4 years.
Our current Commissioners are:
- Nick Myers* (Chair)
- Rachel Walden (Vice Chair)
- Kevin Thompson*
- Lea Marquez Peterson
- Rene Lopez
*Commissioners up for reelection in November of 2026.
Like many states, Arizona has monopoly electric utilities, meaning you don’t get to choose your electricity provider. The ACC’s job is to represent Arizonans by ensuring utilities are effectively regulated and that rates remain “just and reasonable ” as required by the Arizona constitution. Your electric company cannot increase rates or pass on new fees without first receiving approval from the ACC.
Why this mattersWhy does this matter for rooftop solar customers?
Recent decisions made by the ACC have been harmful to rooftop solar. In recent years, Commissioners have:
Voted to reduce export rates for solar customers (the amount that your utility pays you for any excess solar production fed back to the grid).
Voted to impose new fees on APS rooftop solar customers.
Dismantled rules that require Arizona utilities to source some of their power from renewable sources like solar. This is on top of the many rate hikes they’ve approved for utilities across the state.
These decisions have consequences. Rooftop solar installations in APS territory fell 50% in 2024, the lowest adoption rate in a decade. Installations dropped by an additional 33% in the first half of 2025. With the federal solar tax credit now expired, Arizona’s solar industry faces compounding challenges made worse by ACC policies.
In the sunniest state in the nation, our decision-makers should be increasing access to affordable solar energy, not turning their backs on it.
Make your voice heard!Make your voice heard!
Arizona Corporation Commissioners ultimately answer to us – the people of Arizona. Utilities cannot raise rates or change solar policies without the ACC’s approval and any new changes to rooftop solar policies must first go through them. You have the opportunity to weigh in and share your experience and opinions with your elected decision-makers.
Why commenting matters
- Public comments help shape decisions that directly affect our energy bills, solar access, and grid reliability.
- They become part of the official record and are reviewed by Commissioners and ACC staff.
- Your voice adds lived experience to a process often dominated by utilities and legal experts.
Ways to participate
Submitting comments shows Commissioners that real people are paying attention. You don’t need to be an expert — just speak from your experience and values. One well-timed, well-written comment can stick with decision makers and potentially influence outcomes.
Questions?
Want to know more about the ACC or an upcoming rate case for a different utility?
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