More than 500 people filled the PERA Club meeting hall in Tempe today to voice their opinion on Salt River Project’s proposed rate increases. The majority of attendees were there to speak out against the changes for solar customers.
If the proposal is approved, SRP customers will see their bill go up by 3.9 percent, which is about a $4.60 increase for the average household. The plan could also increase solar customers’ rates by about $50 a month or more.
Most of those who spoke Monday voiced their opposition to the new solar plan. Jeff Spees is an SRP customer from Chandler. He said the plan is unreasonable adding that, if approved, SRP rate payers would be financially restricted from generating their own power.
"This proposal is fundamentally unfair to SRP rate payers and solar customers and I respectfully request the board reject this proposed unreasonable rate plan," he said.
SRP spokesman Scott Harelson said existing solar customers wouldn’t see any changes on their bill for 10 years. He added the rate changes are necessary to help balance the cost of serving all customers on the electric grid.
"As a community based nonprofit utility whose obligation is to provide affordable low-cost power to all of our customers, we knew this was the appropriate time to make this decision and go forth," Harelson said.
The utility board will be voting on the proposal on Feb. 26.
