The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) sets rates for many of Arizona's utilities and regulates gas pipelines, railroads and securities.
Two seats are open on the 5-person board. Four candidates are vying for them.
Democrat Lauren Kuby has made sustainability a cornerstone of her campaign just like in her career.
She has researched the topic as a sustainability scientist at Arizona State University for the past 25 years and ran for Tempe City Council on that platform.
After two terms, Kuby left the seat earlier this year.
Now she says she wants to bring sustainability experience to the ACC.
"Because the way we get there, to a clean energy economy, is through ensuring that clean energy sources are used by utilities and keeping watch over that. Holding them accountable," she told ABC15.
And she is very focused on solar.
"Solar energy is far cheaper, exponentially cheaper now, so it is time to transition and set a time certain when we want to transition," she said.
ABC15 pointed out that utilities are currently transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy and asked what she believes is wrong with their plans.
"It's not fast enough," she said. "And it's done in such a way as to benefit their shareholders, especially from the investor-owned utilities, and not the ratepayers. We see utilities deciding-some utilities deciding-to still go forward with natural gas when technology-neutral RFPs will show you that gas is more expensive."
Utilities have widely held that the use of natural gas-powered turbines helps to keep the grid reliable when and if renewables are not available. Kuby disagrees.
"Distributed energy, distributed solar is the best chance we have for creating reliability on the grid and ensuring affordable rates for customers," she said.
With the move to clean energy from coal, commissioners must decide whether to direct ratepayer funds to help communities that have relied on the industry for generations.
"To me, it's morally abhorrent to say there's no responsibility. And this is something that is a moral stain upon our state. And it's not just that, you know, the shareholders benefited greatly. So did ratepayers. So did all of the citizens of Arizona. So we need to develop a really robust plan for how we're going to ensure those communities are not left behind," she said.
Another of her priorities is increasing utility energy efficiency with tools like programmable thermostats.
"That saves customers money. It saves utilities money. In fact, for every dollar you spend on energy efficiency, you get $4 back," she said.
And when it comes to the power struggle between the ACC and the legislature regarding who should set energy policy, Kuby said she believes the Commission is best equipped.
"The legislature is known to, you know, if it's a good idea it doesn't even get out of committee, oftentimes. And it's very polarized," she said. "To me, when you're on the commission, you put your party politics aside, and you decide what's best for the ratepayer."
