Phoenix, Ariz. —   The Arizona Corporation Commission voted on 24 matters, including securities, electric, and water items.  Highlights from the meeting include:

Securities

• Darien Euclid Bonney

Utilities

• Sahuarita Water company, LLC
• Southwest Gas Corporation
• Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc.

ACC

• Electric Rules

Darien Euclid Bonney (S-21263A-23-0233)- The Corporation Commission revoked the Arizona securities salesman registration of Darien Euclid Bonney of Scottdale, ordering him to pay $1.98 million in restitution and a $30,000 penalty for his unethical conduct.  The Commission found Bonney engaged in “selling away,” which is the practice of a registered salesperson selling investment products to that have not been approved by his dealer. It is considered unethical conduct under Commission rules and grounds for revoking a salesperson’s registration.  Bonney’s attorney argued that the products sold were not securities and that the Commission's hearing was 'unconstitutional' because he was not granted a jury trial.  Ultimately, the Commission voted unanimously to revoke Bonney’s securities salesman registration and sanctioned restitution and administrative penalties against him.

Sahuarita Water company, LLC (W-03718A-24-0172)- The Commission voted unanimously to approved the rate case Settlement Agreement reached between the Company and ACC Staff.  Sahuarita Water Company (SWC) provides water service to approximately 6,800 customers in the Town of Sahuarita in Pima County.  The average bill impact for residential customers amounts to about a 70-cent increase, going from $33.59/month to $34.29/month.

Southwest Gas Corporation (G-01551A-21-0368)- The Commission voted unanimously to adjust the Delivery Charge Adjustment (DCA) rate to reflect the difference between the Company’s authorized revenues per customer and its actual revenues.  Customers had been receiving a credit since 2020 as a result of overcollection of the authorized revenues.  However, in 2024 the DCA balance reflected an undercollection of approximately $40.7 million.  The Commission approved an increase in the DCA per therm rate, which results in about a $2.61/month bill impact for the average residential customer.  The DCA balance fluctuates every year and the DCA rate is adjusted on an annual basis.

Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. (E-01750A-23-0155)- Mohave Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MEC) is a member-owned, not-for-profit rural electric distribution cooperative based in Bullhead City, AZ, and provides electric service to residents of Mohave, Coconino, and Yavapai Counties. MEC filed an application to reinstate its Demand Side Management (DSM) surcharge, stating a drop in its DSM overcollection account balance of approximately $500,000 and current surcharge revenues are insufficient to absorb additional expenses. Chair Kevin Thompson and Commissioner Rachel Walden proposed amendments that would approve the reinstatement of the DSM tariff surcharge, limits MEC’s DSM programs to the support of low-and fixed-income ratepayers, establishes a floor and ceiling budget cap to prevent future overcollection, and suspended several programs, including shade tree programs and light bulb giveaways.  The approved surcharge bill impact will be approximately $0.23/month.

In the Matter of the Proposed Modifications to the Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff (REST) Rules – Article 18 (RE-00000A-24-0026)- The Commission voted 5-0 to direct ACC Staff to file a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with the Secretary of State’s Office to repeal the Renewable Energy Standard and Tariff Rules (REST) Rules (A.A.C. Title 14, Chapter 2, Article 18). The REST rules were adopted by the Commission in 2006, requiring retail electric utilities to obtain a portion of the utility’s annual retail kilowatt-hour (“kWh”) sales from renewable energy resources including distributed renewable energy resources (i.e., rooftop solar). More specifically, the mandates require utilities after 2024 to obtain 15 percent of retail electric sales from renewable energy resources.   “I believe it’s time for the Commission to move forward and repeal these outdated renewable mandates that have unnecessarily driven up costs for customers,” said Vice Chair Myers. “Utilities should have the flexibility to choose the most cost-effective energy mix to deliver reliable, affordable service—without being burdened by government-imposed rules that ultimately increase costs for customers.”  The Commission Staff must file a Notice of Rulemaking Docket Opening with the Office of Secretary of State by September 19, 2025.  The Commission will hold three public comment sessions regarding the repeal of the REST Rules in mid-November. Ratepayers may also file written comments with the Commission’s Docket Control.

See news release:  https://azcc.gov/news/home/2025/08/15/acc-directs-staff-to-begin-process-to-repeal-renewable-energy-mandates