The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry is endorsing incumbent Lea Márquez Peterson and candidates Rene Lopez and Rachel Walden for three seats on the five-member Arizona Corporation Commission, the state utility regulator.
“Arizona needs utility regulators who understand the connection between access to safe, reliable, and affordable energy sources and our state’s continued economic competitiveness,” Arizona Chamber Vice President of Government Affairs Courtney Coolidge said. “We believe that Lea Márquez Peterson, Rene Lopez, and Rachel Walden will work hard to maintain Arizona’s reputation for competitive utility rates and modern energy infrastructure.”
The candidates
Márquez Peterson was appointed to the commission in 2019 and then elected to a full four-year term in 2020.
Rene Lopez is a former Chandler city councilmember first elected in 2014 and is a U.S. Navy veteran.
Rachel Walden is a member of the Mesa Public Schools Governing Board and previously worked in financial services.
There are three seats up for election this cycle, so Márquez Peterson, Lopez, and Walden will not have a contested primary and will advance to the general election.
Business community seeks reliability
Coolidge said the business community believes the makeup of the commission will play an important role in determining whether the state continues to be a leader in job attraction and economic growth.
“Businesses looking to invest in Arizona want assurances that they’ll have reliable energy service and won’t face wild swings in rates,” she said. “During triple-digit temperatures, businesses should have confidence that their operations won’t be interrupted and that their employees and customers won’t be negatively affected.”
A report from commercial real estate research firm Newmark released earlier this year says that Phoenix is the top growth market for manufacturing thanks in part to the availability of “lower-cost energy.”
Arizona is a growing hub for advanced manufacturing, including semiconductors, electric vehicles, and next-generation batteries for use in vehicles and other applications.
All of the above
Coolidge says the business community would encourage commissioners to embrace an all-of-the-above energy strategy and not shrink businesses’ access to certain types of energy sources.
“We know other states, for example, are severely limiting access to natural gas, but that just puts upward pressure on job creators’ overall costs. Arizona thrives because of the availability of electricity, natural gas, renewables, and nuclear power. We don’t want to lose that choice,” she said.
The ACC
The commission sets rates that customers are charged by public service utilities. Commissioners reach their determinations based on thorough rate cases with input from commercial and residential ratepayers, other interested parties, and the utilities themselves.
The commission also oversees the regulation of railroads and pipeline systems, regulates securities, and handles certain business filings.
Members are elected to four-year terms and can be reelected. With three seats open this year, two seats will be on the ballot in 2026.