After years of fighting in court, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Vote Solar, overturning the Arizona Corporation Commission’s (ACC) approval of discriminatory charges for Arizona Public Service (APS) customers who have rooftop solar panels. In its decision, the Arizona Court of Appeals struck down the solar energy charges, finding that they were imposed unfairly and violated the requirements of due process.
APS, a regulated utility that powers 1.4 million homes and businesses in Arizona, has created solar rates in the 2022 tariff for the first time, and they currently amount to about $2 to $3 in additional monthly costs for households with rooftop solar. Vote Solar filed an appeal against the ‘grid access charge’ in 2025.
APS has proposed increasing fees to approximately $6 per month under the current rate scenario under consideration at the ACC. Vote Solar, the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest (ACLPI) and Earthjustice also oppose the reimbursement in that case.
“As Arizonans brace for another hot summer and another rate hike from APS, today’s decision marks an important step forward toward a fairer and more affordable energy system. Monopoly companies should not be allowed to impose unwarranted fees on households who choose to lower their energy bills by installing solar,” said Kate Bowman, Senior Regulatory Director of Vote Solar in West. “Investments in rooftop solar help families reduce their monthly energy costs while providing benefits to the electric grid. Solar electricity sends power to the grid on warm, sunny days when it is needed most, lowering costs for everyone, even those who don’t have solar panels themselves. Now it’s up to the Arizona Corporation Commission to side with communities and officially eliminate APS’s efforts to impose discriminatory solar rates.”
