August 15, 2013
Arizona Power Consumers Coalition
Coalition grows to over 60 organizations and hundreds of individuals and elected officials
ARIZONA – Support for the Arizona Power Consumers Coalition (AZPCC) continues to grow as the organization announced 14 new business and community organizations that joined this week. The broad coalition spans the political spectrum, uniting this diverse group in the effort to protect consumers and small businesses.
The coalition has also been actively engaging in community and business forums debating the dangers of deregulation and gathering additional support.
"As we have engaged in this discussion, most people agree that the current regulatory system is working well and the Arizona Corporation Commission has done a great job keeping prices stable and low while providing choice within the existing framework," said Jay Heiler, Chairman of the Arizona Power Consumers Coalition, "Very few are enticed by the idea of exchanging local control for added federal oversight further inviting federal intrusion into the Arizona market place."
Arizona Power Consumers Coalition latest supporters:
In addition, the coalition rolled out the names of over three hundred individuals and elected officials including state legislators, county supervisors, mayors, and city councilmembers who oppose electricity deregulation. The complete list of supporters can be found at www.azpowerconsumers.com/about-the-coalition/coalition-members.
The coalition has also been actively debunking the myths surrounding deregulation in Texas which led to a spike in customer service complaints and increased pricing. Despite claims that things are going well, Reuters recently reported that Texas is facing looming shortages and rolling blackouts.
Heiler concluded, "Every day, more individuals and organizations are joining the effort to oppose electricity deregulation and its failed promises. We're taking our message across the state and will most certainly be sharing our concerns with the Arizona Corporation Commission."
About Arizona Power Consumers Coalition
The Arizona Power Consumers Coalition is dedicated to supporting competitive, reliable power options that offer choice and reduce the risks of power shortages, blackouts, and out of control pricing. The coalition believes that Arizona should not support deregulation efforts, which may increase power bills for average consumers and small business owners. The coalition supporters also believe that it is not fair for out of state providers to cherry-pick the biggest purchasers of electricity and leave everyone else to pay higher prices.
Deregulation has had a disastrous effect in other states. When the post deregulation rate freeze ended in Maryland, rates increased 60%; in Illinois, rates jumped by 55%; and in Pennsylvania, they jumped 53%. In Texas, prices skyrocketed and customer service complaints increased 700%. In California, it was conclusively demonstrated that ENRON and other companies were only manipulating the market to increase costs for power, enabling these energy trading companies to make more money at the expense of the consumer.