A report published today by the Sierra Club and Synapse Energy Economics takes aim at Arizona Public Service (APS), the state's largest utility. Titled Passing the Buck: How APS's Gas Rush Risks Ratepayer Dollars, the analysis tracks how the company's dependence on natural gas has evolved and what that means for customers.
The central finding is that APS's aggressive buildout of gas infrastructure could leave ratepayers on the hook for years. The report argues that these investments, while perhaps beneficial to the utility, shift financial risk onto customers who may be paying for assets that become stranded as cleaner alternatives grow cheaper.
The report does not offer a counterpoint from APS, and the source provides no utility response. Still, the analysis adds to a growing debate over whether gas expansion is prudent in a state already facing extreme heat and rising electricity demand.