It's 115 degrees. Your bill just hit $400. Sound familiar?
In 2020, the average Arizona electric bill was $137 a month. Today? It's pushing $233 — and climbing. That's nearly double in just five years.
And it's not slowing down. Air conditioning eats up half your summer electric bill — and summers aren't getting cooler. Phoenix hit triple digits in March 2026. AC units that used to run for four months are now running for six.
For 161,000 Arizona households, this isn't an inconvenience — they're already behind on their bills and at risk of losing power. Some families are spending up to 30% of their income just to keep the lights on and cool their homes in the summer.
This is an emergency. And it has a cause.
Does the ACC regulate your electric company?
The ACC reviews rates for investor-owned utilities such as Arizona Public Service (APS) and Tucson Electric Power. Other utilities, including SRP and city-owned utilities, are governed differently.
Learn more about which utilities the ACC regulates here.
The pain isn't spread evenly. Working class people are taking the hit.
High energy costs don't hit everyone the same way. If you're paying more than 6% of your income on electricity and gas, you're considered "energy burdened." More than 10%? That's a crisis. And in Arizona, the people carrying the heaviest load are the ones who can least afford it.
Hispanic households pay
Native American households pay
The message is simple: The ACC helps decide what regulated utilities can charge. Voters decide who serves on the ACC.
In November 2026, two of the five ACC seats are on the ballot. That means this year, every Arizona voter may vote for up to two candidates to decide who sits on the board that controls your electric bill.
Two votes. One election. Real consequences for your wallet.
We're not here to tell you who to vote for. We're here to make sure you know the stakes — and that you show up.