As with the water case last year, there are two issues facing Sun City in regards to Southwest Gas’ rate case: increases in rates and decoupling. Both need you to take action today!
According to Southwest Gas’ application, the proposed increase would raise the current average monthly winter residential bill of $58.10 by $9.01 to $67.11 or a 15.5% increase and the present average monthly summer residential bill of $24.07 would increase by $2.54 to $26.61 or 10.55%. Even if Sun City residents do not have gas utility available in their homes, this proposed rate increase will greatly affect RCSC’s operating expenses and therefore increase annual property assessments for Sun City.
In addition to seeking a permanent increase in rates, Southwest Gas is also requesting approval of an “Energy Efficiency Enabling Provision,” which is a general decoupling methodology that will allow Southwest Gas to collect, from its ratepayers, lost revenues attributable to declining sales due to conservation and energy efficiency programs. In simple terms, decoupling means that the actual utility revenues would track the utility company’s projected revenue and should not increase or decrease with changes in sales, a subsidy of sorts to guarantee revenues to the utility company regardless of usage.
If you want to make a difference and help keep everyone’s operating costs down in Sun City, here is what you must do: Write to the Arizona Corporate Commission, Consumer Services Section, 1200 W Washington St, Phoenix AZ 85007, providing the following information: your name, your address, your phone number, your email address, and the following:
Utility Name: Southwest Gas Corporation
Docket Numbers: G-01551A-10-0458
Re: Rate Increase and Decoupling
And/or email and/or call each of the Commissioners as follows: (Please send to both email addresses.)
Gary Pierce, Chair | pierce-web@azcc.gov and gpierce@azcc.gov | 602-542-3933
Sandra Kennedy | kennedy-web@azcc.gov and skennedy@azcc.gov | 602-542-3625
Paul Newman | newman-web@azcc.gov and pnewman@azcc.gov | 602-542-3682
Robert Stump | stump-web@azcc.gov and bstump@azcc.gov | 602-542-3935
Brenda Burns | burns-web@azcc.gov and bburns@azcc.gov | 602-542-0745
You may also access the public comment form emailing it to mailmaster@azcc.gov.
