Despite the bluster and fury of campaign ads, a close examination of studies shows that Proposition 127, The Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona ballot initiative, would have only a modest impact on electricity bills.
“Climate change needs to be addressed, the question is whether to do so through amending the state’s Constitution or via the Arizona Corporation Commission. Based on climate research, by 2030 the state may lose about one-sixth of its economic growth because of the more extreme heat caused by climate change and by 2090 the state’s economy may begin to contract,” noted Dr. Dave Wells, research director with the Grand Canyon Institute (GCI) and author of the policy paper Impact of 50% Renewal Portfolio Standard Under Prop. 127.
GCI, a nonpartisan think tank, has not taken a position on Prop. 127 and conducted its analysis without payment from any organizations or people.
Prop. 127 would increase the amount of electricity Arizona’s utilities must get from renewable sources to 50 percent by 2030. Utilities like APS have already achieved the current standard of utilizing 15 percent renewable energy by 2025. The initiative defines renewable energy as solar, wind, biomass, certain hydropower, geothermal, and landfill gas energies. It excludes current nuclear and hydro capacities.
