Arizona lawmakers are again pushing a bill that prioritizes utility profits to their shareholders over public interest, clean air and the social determinants of health.

HB2679  — titled “power; public utilities; UCC; securities” (sponsored by Rep. Griffin) — is headed for the Governor’s desk after being fast-tracked through the Senate Tuesday and the House Wednesday, with little transparency, minimal stakeholder engagement, and virtually no opportunity for public review.

What Is HB2679?

HB2679 is being pushed by APS to let them issue bonds to recover and imposes “non-bypassable” charges on ratepayer utility bills. It basically would let utilities like APS move debt from their balance sheet into mandatory ratepayer charges.

Non-bypassable means there’s a mandatory fee added to all utility customers’ bills which can’t be avoided even if they generate their own power (e.g., via rooftop solar) or reduce energy usage via energy efficiency measures etc.
If Governor Hobbs signs HB2679, utilities will be able to move debt into bonds to recoup funding from inefficient assets like coal-fired power plants. They’d then be able to pass on those unlimited costs directly to our bills, with no cap, little proper vetting and limited oversight from the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC).
APS will pay anything to craft energy policies in its favor | Opinion
Because HB2679 doesn’t cap how much bad debt utilities can turn into ratepayer charges, there’s NO limit on what you could be forced to pay.
Even after the amendments this week, it would still shift financial liability away from the utilities and onto customers who would be on the hook.

Extending the Life of Dirty Coal Plants

Besides the fact that customers rather than shareholders would be on the financial hook, HB2679 would likely extend the operational life of the Four Corners Power Plant. This comes at a direct cost to:

  • Ratepayers, who will be stuck footing the bill for electricity they buy from outdated inefficient infrastructure.
  • Public health, especially for communities already disproportionately affected and because low-income people will be stuck with unavoidable electricity fees.
  • The Environment, as the continued burning of coal harms air and water quality.
While HB2679 claims to empower the Arizona Corporation Commission to approve or deny utility bond applications, it has contradictory language. Even if the ACC rejects a bond application, the “non-bypassable” consumer fee —would still added to your bill.
The real beneficiaries are APS shareholders — not everyday Arizonans.
Unlike similar utility securitization policies adopted in Colorado and New Mexico, HB2679 doesn’t include meaningful guardrails. In those states, the retirement of coal plants was part of broader, thoughtful energy transition plans. Arizona’s version lacks:
  • A requirement to retire polluting plants.
  • Any obligation to replace coal with renewable energy.
  • A robust oversight process through the ACC or SRP Board.
  • Cost-effectiveness protections that prioritize clean energy.

There’s Still Time to Get It Right

The Four Corners Plant isn’t slated for retirement until 2031. That means there’s no rush to pass this flawed legislation (making ratepayers pay for the retirement of the plant is one of the excuses APS uses for pushing the bill) …. so there’s still time to draft responsible legislation next session that protects consumers, ensures proper oversight, and advances a cleaner, more sustainable energy path for Arizona.

Send a message to Governor Hobbs and ask her to veto HB2679. Use this form here.

Let’s not make a rushed mistake that foists extra costs onto people who buy electricity in order to help wealthy people who have stock in utilities. Instead, let’s take a more thoughtful approach over the next year to truly examine the impacts.

APS will pay anything to craft energy policies in its favor | Opinion

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