According to the front-page article in the 8/26/23 edition of the Arizona Star, the Arizona Corporation Commission approved a proposal to reduce credits for excess energy provided by rooftop solar electric customers. The article notes that advocates of reduced credits contend that rooftop solar power producers are unfairly subsidized by other customers.
"Subsidized", makes it sound like rooftop solar owners are receiving handouts. That's nonsense. A typical rooftop solar electric system produces more power that the house can use. That excess power is sent to the electric power grid for use by other utility customers. Tucson Electric Power (TEP), "subsidizes" the rooftop producer of electricity at approximately 7 cents per kWh for the power it receives. It then charges utility customers 12 cents per kWh to use that electricity. Commissioner Myers, with support from TEP "confidential data", proposes to decrease the "subsidy" for rooftop electricity producers to 3 cents per kWh. That "subsidy" reduction for rooftop solar installations constitutes a 400% profit for TEP.
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George Kalman
SaddleBrooke
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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