Residents are very satisfied with the service they’re receiving from our state’s traditionally regulated electric utilities.
According to the J.D. Power 2020 Electric Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study, SRP ranked as the top-performing utility nationwide among large utilities (utilities with 500,000+ customer households) in three of the six factors that make up the Customer Satisfaction score:
Additionally, Tucson Electric Power and Arizona Public Service (APS) have also earned customer satisfaction rankings above average for investor-owned utilities in the West.
Residential customers haven’t fared as well in deregulated states, though. Marketers have frequently employed predatory marketing practices to pursue new customers, and restructured energy markets have shifted the financial incentives away from investments in reliability and capacity. Instead, such markets focus on persuading customers to switch to alternative or even eccentric energy plans that make it hard for them to understand whether they’re getting a good deal. All too often, the answer is no.
The Arizona Constitution recognizes the essential nature of utility services. Our state’s regulatory structure ensures residents are served at just and reasonable rates – without harmful predatory marketing. It also holds utilities accountable for maintaining system reliability and energy resource capacity throughout the year, so there is year-round reliable power, including during peak demand in the hot summer season. This structure encourages proper planning and adequate investment in systems that can provide reliable power when it is needed most. It also translates to affordable and stable prices for consumers.