Havasu Homeowners Power meeting. 14% price hike.

[Jonas Grumby]

Unisource is going to hit us with 14% more.

Reminder Upcoming Virtual ACC Public Comment Session on Unisource Rate Hike

Lake Havasu City, AZ – Mohave County Supervisors Buster Johnson and Ron Gould would like to inform the public of an upcoming Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) public comment listening session that has been scheduled at the Mohave County Library in Lake Havasu City on Monday, September 11th, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Johnson and Gould’s office have been working with the Corporation Commission to find a way for those in the Lake Havasu City community concerned about the upcoming 14% Unisource rate hike to voice their opinions to the ACC. “We really wanted to get the Commissioners here in person, but we were told that wouldn’t be possible due to legal issues with ex-parte communication,” Supervisor Gould explained. “While sending in written comments in opposition does help, I feel that being able to voice your concerns face to face sometimes has a better affect. So, we are glad we were able to at least get this virtual listening session scheduled,” Supervisor Johnson stated.

Johnson and Gould’s efforts will ensure that Havasu residents will be a part of an upcoming public comment session being held in the evening of September 11th. For Havasu residents, the public comment session will be held virtually via WebEx at the Mohave County Library in rooms A/B. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. so residents can sign up to speak. For those who cannot make it until after 5p.m., sign up forms will still be available until 6p.m. and the public comment session will continue until the last person speaks. Supervisor Johnson is encouraging residents who know that they will be there to speak to contact his office at 928-453-0724 so he can start a list of speakers prior to the event. “We will call people up on a first call, first come basis,” Johnson stated.

Those speaking will be called up one at a time to a computer set up in the front of the room where they will then be able to give 3 minutes of public comment regarding the rate hike. Those in attendance can watch the proceedings while they wait their turn to speak on two big screens that will also be set up in the room. The Administrative Law Judge for the Hearing Division will also have a Spanish translator available for anyone who may need it. “This will ensure your comments are heard, recorded and put into the official public comment record for the Commissioners,” Gould said. “While no one can respond to public comment due to legal reasons, this will enable the Commissioners to get an understanding of what this rate hike will mean for our community and residents,” Johnson stated.

The last time Unisource came before the Commissioners for a rate hike was in 2016. At the time, they wanted to mandate demand charges and if passed it would have been the first utility company in the United States to force demand charges on residents. “We had a similar set up in 2015 where the community came out and gave their comments. In the end, I truly believe it helped. The demand charges were changed to a voluntary program instead of being forced onto us,” Johnson explained.

To add your name to the official speaking list prior to the event, please contact Supervisor Buster Johnson’s office at 928-453-0724 or email his assistant Sarah Hall at [email protected]

For those who cannot make the meeting and still wish to submit comments electronically, you can do so @ https://efiling.azcc.gov/online-services/utilities-public-comment-external

You will need the docket number: E-04204A-22-0251.

Or call ACC Utilities Division, (602) 542-4251 or (800) 222-7000.

 

[Xring01]

May the force be with you!.

Your gonna need it to win this battle.

When you compare the costs of “raw materials”, labor, transportation, and many other items (since the last rate hike) that have impacted the cost of utility’s to keep the lights on… 14% is probably a bargain. Thats not even factoring in the cost of Natural gas, which is required by most of the power plants feeding the west.

I know you guys dont want to hear it… Look at the price of copper, transformer core steel, regular plate steel, labor, transportation costs, natural gas over the last 4 years… Which is why everyone wages are going up, driving inflation higher.

Inflation is a Bitch… until the US Gov stops spending $$$ faster than they can print it, inflation will continue to go higher.

 

[AZLineman]

The Unisource mentality of providing safe reliable power for its customers at the most cost effective means possible is long gone. It is now a small piece of UNS which is owned by Fortis Inc. Basically a foreign company that not only serves multiple service territories in Arizona but also Central Hudson New York, the country of Belize, the grand Cayman Islands, ITC transmission in the Midwest, the continent of Newfoundland and 1/3 of Canada. It is a massive investor owned utility conglomerate that's primary concern is making money. The current regime running the Arizona companies have completely changed the direction of the company and its core principles along with an extreme woke mindset. While I would love to see the rate case reversed I highly doubt that it is possible. The ACC seemed to approve this one immediately behind closed doors rather than prior public hearings to discuss.

 

[TCHB]

I have always thought why would a large company want to service a small town in the middle of know where.

 

[fat rat]

We have Unisource n Prescott, I wonder if we are going to experience the same thing. Seems kind of dumb to target 1 area.

 

[TCHB]

The Unisource mentality of providing safe reliable power for its customers at the most cost effective means possible is long gone. It is now a small piece of UNS which is owned by Fortis Inc. Basically a foreign company that not only serves multiple service territories in Arizona but also Central Hudson New York, the country of Belize, the grand Cayman Islands, ITC transmission in the Midwest, the continent of Newfoundland and 1/3 of Canada. It is a massive investor owned utility conglomerate that's primary concern is making money. The current regime running the Arizona companies have completely changed the direction of the company and its core principles along with an extreme woke mindset. While I would love to see the rate case reversed I highly doubt that it is possible. The ACC seemed to approve this one immediately behind closed doors rather than prior public hearings to discuss.

Why do you think prices are going up. Labor, material, fuel prices, transmission upgrades, power plant major maintenance.

 

[Waterjunky]

We have Unisource n Prescott, I wonder if we are going to experience the same thing. Seems kind of dumb to target 1 area.

Not really, pick the easiest you think on this then the president is set for everywhere else.

 

[AZLineman]

Why do you think prices are going up. Labor, material, fuel prices, transmission upgrades, power plant major maintenance.

Of course those things are a given in a standard utility business model however I believe this is the third rate increase since 2019, corporate profits are at an all time high along with senior leaders personal income, a $500+ million dollar campus renovation in Tucson/ a wind farm in New Mexico and reciprocating engine peak load generation (another $500 million) thats pretty much a flop and metro system maintenance schedules/budgets on all facets of the system have been continually cut to increase profit margins resulting in reduced system reliability numbers (SAIDI, SAIFI, and CAIDI) compared to the past.

If revenue/net profits/compensation numbers were actually down or even suffering a little then sure there's justification but corporately they're going for the double win at the rate players expense.

 

[retaocleg]

increase the money supply, everything goes up

 

[Jonas Grumby]

I didn’t ask for a economic lesson, I was letting locals know about the meeting. And if any of you Karen’s would do your homework, you would see how top heavy unisource is and the multi million $ campus they built for no reason. They need to do like the rest of the country has done, run leaner. I got released from a very large company due to this f-Ed up administration, myself and plenty of others don’t want to fund unisource’ s glutenest practices.

 

[EarpRider]

Off course public comment is held during the first Monday Night Football game of the year.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I didn’t ask for a economic lesson, I was letting locals know about the meeting. And if any of you Karen’s would do your homework, you would see how top heavy unisource is and the multi million $ campus they built for no reason. They need to do like the rest of the country has done, run leaner. I got released from a very large company due to this f-Ed up administration, myself and plenty of others don’t want to fund unisource’ s glutenest practices.

This. This x1000.

 

[AZLineman]

Lol. 11 vice presidents just for Arizona

 

[TCHB]

Of course those things are a given in a standard utility business model however I believe this is the third rate increase since 2019, corporate profits are at an all time high along with senior leaders personal income, a $500+ million dollar campus renovation in Tucson/ a wind farm in New Mexico and reciprocating engine peak load generation (another $500 million) thats pretty much a flop and metro system maintenance schedules/budgets on all facets of the system have been continually cut to increase profit margins resulting in reduced system reliability numbers (SAIDI, SAIFI, and CAIDI) compared to the past.

If revenue/net profits/compensation numbers were actually down or even suffering a little then sure there's justification but corporately they're going for the double win at the rate players expense.

A utility does not make money when you reduce expense costs. Profit comes from an approved rate of return by the PUC on all capital money spent. All normal expences are a direct pass thru to rate payer (no profits). The average rate of return on approved capital investments is between 8 and 12 percent return. I helped put rate cases together for years for a large utility.

 

[TCHB]

Arizona regulators OK 10% Tucson Electric Power rate increase, eliminate EV incentive

Customer advocates at the Sierra Club called the decision “a blow” to ratepayers and lamented an amendment that limits support for coal communities.

www.utilitydive.com

 

[TCHB]

Arizona

https://s22.q4cdn.com/464697698/files/doc_downloads/2022/10/RateRegSum/2022-APS-Rate-Case-Application.pdf

 

[Havasu Rehab]

Lol. 11 vice presidents just for Arizona

That alone makes me want to go solar, just to avoid paying those fat cats.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Lol. 11 vice presidents just for Arizona

But you don’t understand the increasing costs in transmission, raw materials and infrastructure…..

Translation - you don’t understand we need pensions, higher salaries and more top heavy management .

 

[prorider]

Someone has to pay for green energy and saving the planet

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Someone has to pay for green energy and saving the planet

If by green energy you mean executives, yes.

 

[Xring01]

A utility does not make money when you reduce expense costs. Profit comes from an approved rate of return by the PUC on all capital money spent. All normal expences are a direct pass thru to rate payer (no profits). The average rate of return on approved capital investments is between 8 and 12 percent return. I helped put rate cases together for years for a large utility.

I know thats how IOUs work, but do Muni’s operate the same?

 

[yuppie]

Are there any alternatives at all? Are Havasu residents just at the mercy of this one monopoly?

 

[CLdrinker]

A utility does not make money when you reduce expense costs. Profit comes from an approved rate of return by the PUC on all capital money spent. All normal expences are a direct pass thru to rate payer (no profits). The average rate of return on approved capital investments is between 8 and 12 percent return. I helped put rate cases together for years for a large utility.

This

 

[TCHB]

I know thats how IOUs work, but do Muni’s operate the same?

I am nor sure how Munis work but from what I have seen their rates are lower than standard big utilities.

Are there any alternatives at all? Are Havasu residents just at the mercy of this one monopoly?

I do not know of an Independent that would take over a small city like this.

 

[TCHB]

Someone has to pay for green energy and saving the planet

Electricty contracts are won after a utility puts out a RFP for a specific amount of energy (500MWs) for a specific amount of time. The big boys put their bids together and the lowest bid gets the contract. The successful bidder will then build a plant. Today know one would build a merchant plant with no contract.

 

[TCHB]

Long Beach was going to try it on their own a couple years back but figured it would be a huge risk to the city.

 

[Xring01]

Long Beach was going to try it on their own a couple years back but figured it would be a huge risk to the city.

Are you talking about the Long Beach, AES Alamitos power plant?

I know that story, inside and out, backwards and forwards…

Risk to the City… ???? Yeah… thats was not the issue… NOT AT ALL..

that was all about Not in my backyard… green initiatives… politicians…trying to come up with a palatable solution, thats a total cluster, and lots of problems. From what I am hearing, it will never work as its was supposed to.

 

[TCHB]

Are you talking about the Long Beach, AES Alamitos power plant?

I know that story, inside and out, backwards and forwards…

Risk to the City… ???? Yeah… thats was not the issue… NOT AT ALL..

that was all about Not in my backyard… green initiatives… politicians…trying to come up with a palatable solution, thats a total cluster, and lots of problems. From what I am hearing, it will never work as its was supposed to.

I was the President/General Manager of Alamitos for many years and General Manager of Alamitos when SCE owned it. The plant had nothing to do with Long Beach trying to form a So called Muni.

 

[Xring01]

I was the President/General Manager of Alamitos for many years and General Manager of Alamitos when SCE owned it. The plant had nothing to do with Long Beach trying to form a So called Muni.

Ahhh. Now I understand what your talking about.
Lots of areas in SoCal tried that out, few succeeded. (Creating Munis) All they do is hire EPC’s to come up with ideas to solve problems they dont even understand, or know how to write a spec to even get quoted. Total clusters from my dealing with them. Some of my retired SCE buddy’s made a killing for a few years being consultants to the “new muni’s”.

One of my very good friends was the head guy of AES Engineering, he is retired now, but the Alamitos “repower” was huge nightmare for him. Probably why he Retired earlier than expected. LOL.

 

[Spudsbud]

Get Elon to buy it.......

 

[AZLineman]

I thought this was funny and this was the appropriate thread. Apparently a few of these have popped up around town this one being just across the street from the Tep/Unisource temple downtown (you can see it in the background)