The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Lea Marquez Peterson
A family in Tucson. Farmers and ranchers in Eastern Arizona. Small businesses in Prescott. An advanced manufacturing facility in Phoenix.
What they all have in common is a need for reliable, affordable energy.
This simple objective guides everything we do as members of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC).
It requires a focus on fundamentals: planning ahead, protecting ratepayers, strengthening the grid and making sure our state has the diverse energy portfolio we need to support families, small businesses and major employers across our state.
Arizonans deserve nothing less.
The ACC has prioritized building a resilient power grid that includes diverse energy resources such as nuclear, traditional fuels like natural gas and coal, and renewables ranging from solar to wind and hydroelectric. Utility-scale battery storage is a technology that is growing rapidly in Arizona, while we continue to study new technologies like small-modular reactors and other advances to generate affordable power. Despite rapid growth and over 100 days per year of 100-degree heat, this smart strategy has enabled Arizona to maintain a grid that is among the nation’s most reliable, and electricity rates that are cheaper than the U.S. average.
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This is campaign season, but our job with the ACC is much bigger than politics. The ACC is responsible for holding utilities accountable and ensuring they provide safe, reliable and affordable service. That means asking hard questions, reviewing projects carefully and weighing costs vs. benefits. Decisions must be made based on facts and in consideration of the long-term interests of Arizona ratepayers.
I’m proud to work with colleagues who understand that reliable, affordable energy is not a partisan talking point; it is the foundation of our work and Arizona’s future.
Over the past year, the ACC has taken concrete steps to help Arizona meet rising energy demand. In 2025 alone, we approved projects expected to add about 42 miles of new transmission lines and increase Arizona’s net generation and net summer capacity by approximately 4,750 MWs. Projects are being added to our grid that include natural gas expansion, solar generation and utility-scale batteries that enable us to store energy during times when it is cheap and deploy it when the grid — and customers — need power most.
There is no single energy source that can meet Arizona’s needs. The most resilient grid is one supported by a diverse energy portfolio and a strong transmission network.
This balance is important as Arizona attracts new industries hungry for electricity. Advanced manufacturers, data centers and other industries bring jobs and investment, but also can create added demands on the grid. The ACC is examining how large-load customers like these can grow in Arizona without shifting unreasonable costs to other customers, including residential ratepayers and small businesses. Growth must pay its own way.
As a Tucson resident, mother and former small-business owner, I know “affordability” is much more than a talking point. It is the difference between a family just barely getting by or getting ahead.
That’s why, instead of chasing political fads, the ACC will continue to keep our focus on the mission: reliable service at affordable rates.
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Lea Márquez Petersen serves on the Arizona Corporation Commission and is a Past Chair, an office to which she was appointed in 2019, and won statewide election in 2020 and 2024. She lives in Tucson.
