Thread by @utilityreporter

I'll be tweeting from the @CorpCommAZ meeting today where they will debate the request to repeal the '17 @APSfyi rate hike, @EPCORUSA management of Johnson Utilities and more. All votes will be tomorrow. (thread)

Small bombshell just ahead of the meeting: @Andy_Tobin proposes that because the public still has so little faith in the state's utility regulators, they drop the loophole-filled code of ethics they gave themselves and instead adopt the stricter state Judicial Code of Conduct.

Adopting the Judicial Code was a central campaign issue of @rodneyglassman. a Republican who lost a close election last fall to @_JustinOlson

Also causing a dustup this morning is @Andy_Tobin participating in the Phoenix meeting remotely from Ajo, and there is an Ajo utility rate increase on the agenda today. Several customers in Phoenix meeting shouting about that to kick off meeting. Chairman has to call for order.

Now an update from @EPCORUSA on the troubled Johnson Utilities system in the far East Valley. Regulators put a partial building moratorium in place in the territory because of problems with water supply and sewer capacity.

EPCOR is running the utility now as an "interim manager" and company says part of the moratorium on new customers should be lifted because they've built infrastructure to get adequate water to part of the territory.

Lawyer representing two homebuilders in the area wants to at least partially lift the partial moratorium. Builders have been limited to 1 home a month, suggests a tweak.

Considering buying a home in the Johnson Utility water territory? Consider this. After this meeting broke for lunch, lawyer for the water co. had heated argument with EPCOR regarding how much water is available in the territory. Johnson thinks EPCOR painting too dire a picture ..

While EPCOR officials don't want to portray to regulators that everything with the water system is fine and then run into trouble this summer and see taps go dry like they did last summer.

Now @APSfyi discussing whether it will be feasible to burn biomass at one of the coal units at the Cholla Power Plant near Holbrook.

Regulator @_JustinOlson now asking @apsFYI how much using biomass will cost compared to other power sources. Olson wrote recent op-ed for AZCentral on his concerns over price of biomass/renewables.

APS says about 3x-4x the cost of other generation options. 2-3x or more of other renewables like solar/wind.

Corp Comm policy treats biomass as "carbon neutral" resource because wood would normally release its carbon, especially if it burns in wildfire, but forests regrow. So burning for power is no net change. APS says it has less mercury, SOx, NOx pollution.

County representative says carbon argument versus solar/coal/wind etc. is misguided. Carbon release of burning biomass for power should be compared to carbon released in megafire now common in the Southwest, which is the likely alternative to thinning AZ forests.

Representative of Novo Power, which runs the state's only biomass plant, near Snowflake, says he's been begging APS, SRP, TEP to sign new contracts to keep that facility running.

He also says it's "ridiculous" to assume more AZ forests won't burn, considering recent history. Those fires emit smoke. Biomass burned in a power plant has emissions filtered.

Mark down @SandraDKennedy as opposed to biomass plan, along with @_JustinOlson. The Democrat and Republican both have suggested cost is a concern and said the feds should be paying to manage forests, not APS customers.

Commissioners will revisit the biomass issue next month, and have moved on to a water/sewer/electric rate issue affecting Ajo residents. Many have been in Phoenix all day today, and many more are at a remote site watching the hearing.

19 or so Ajo residents are lined up to voice opposition to a big rate hike on water/sewer/electricity and the ACC just revised the meeting to allow it to run into Thursday. Still to be discussed are the APS rate challenge and code of ethics for regulators.

Regulators taking final comments on Ajo issues and will get to APS rate challenge tomorrow.