Explosive spending could be new norm for Corp Comm elections

Regional News

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More than $7 million poured into this year’s Arizona Corporation Commission, largely from two continually sparring foes whose businesses rely heavily on the regulatory body.

The unprecedented level of spending could be the new normal for the once-quiet agency, as battles over solar energy likely will continue in the coming years.

The 2016 election also represented the first time the state’s largest utility, Arizona Public Service, openly spent on electing its favored regulators.

Pinnacle West Capital Corp., the parent company of APS, spent nearly $4 million through an independent expenditure committee, the AZ Coalition for Reliable Electricity, to boost Bob Burns, Boyd Dunn and Andy Tobin.

Burns, Dunn and Tobin were ultimately victorious, leaving the commission completely in the Republicans’ hands for at least the next two years.

But spending from a solar group to boost one of the Democrats put up nearly as much money. SolarCity, through an alliance of solar companies, had pledged in 2015 to stay out of commission elections, though the company ultimately reneged on that promise.