PHOENIX — On Monday the Arizona Corporation Commission begins work to determine how hot the temperature gets before power companies must suspend shutting off power to delinquent customers. Since the middle of June, APS has not terminated service to any customer for failure to pay. The moratorium is in effect until October 15. It's a response to the revelation a 72-year-old woman died in 2018 after her power was shut off during a period of triple digit temperatures.
"I think it's appalling." Consumer advocate Stacey Champion says the 105-degree cutoff being proposed is too high. Champion sites research used by the Maricopa County Department of Health which shows once temperatures exceed 100-degrees, the number of indoor heat related deaths rise significantly.
"We're going to see people potentially perish in their homes at that temperature," Champion said.
In an earlier version of its proposed rule modifications, the Corporation Commission staff considered preventing power companies from shutting off the electricity once the temperature reached 95-degrees. Nicole Capone, spokesperson for the Commission, said the change was made after comments from stakeholders.
Among them, APS, while supporting stopping service terminations during extreme weather, the power company said, "Initially we have concerns with the five-day forecast approach to the 95-degree threshold as described in Staff's proposal."
APS did not offer an opinion on what temperature should be considered the cutoff. APS says it stopped cutting off power to customers for 31 days during the summer of 2018 because of extreme heat.
There is no indication Corporation Commission staffers talked with medical professionals or scientists prior to submitting the proposal. But Capone said Monday's meeting is a workshop. It'll be a chance for Commissioners to review the proposal and hear from the public as well as stakeholders. No decisions will be made, no vote will be taken.
