Meet the Commissioners
Jim O'Connor
Chairman
Commissioner Thompson and Chairman O’Connor Protect Ratepayers from Electric Vehicle Charging Cost Shifts
Phoenix, Ariz. — Today, Commissioner Kevin Thompson and Chairman Jim O’Connor successfully offered amendments in the APS Transportation Electrification Implementation Plan and Budget (TEIP) agenda item during the December 5 open meeting that further protect ratepayers from subsidizing costs associated with electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
Commissioner Thompson authored an amendment that rejected the utility’s request to use up to $5M in ratepayer funds to develop and install EV charging infrastructure as part of the utility’s proposed “Take Charge AZ” program. Under the program as originally proposed, APS would have installed and maintained L2 EV charging plugs at various public locations that could have been used by commercial users for purposes of providing public charging. These stations would have been paid for using ratepayer funds.
“We can’t continue to financially burden the majority of ratepayers who don’t own an EV or who utilize charging stations,” said Commissioner Thompson. “Infrastructure for EV charging is an opportunity for the market and private enterprise to innovate and thrive, not utilities at the expense of their ratepayers.”
Chairman O’Connor authored an amendment that ensures any EV rebates offered by the utility must be provided at shareholder expense, and not at the expense of ratepayers or ratepayer subsidization. Chairman O’Connor’s amendment also requires data sharing provisions to enable the utility to better manage its load demands from customers wishing to charge their EVs.
“Our decision on Trico’s EV program in September of this year set the model we would like to see for all future EV charging; namely, no cost shift to ratepayers,” said Chairman O’Connor.
Additionally, Commissioner Myers provided an amendment that discontinued the Take Charge AZ program moving forward, allowing APS to complete the installation of charging stations currently underway.
The amended TEIP proposal further protects ratepayers from cost shifts and passed on a 5-0 vote.