Ignoring threats by a company to pack up and leave, a House panel voted late Tuesday to overturn the renewable energy mandate on utilities by the Arizona Corporation Commission. HB2701 strips utility regulators of their authority to impose such requirements. In its place, it puts in a different mandate, this one crafted by Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Glendale. But the mandate is full of loopholes that, in essence, would undo the commission order requiring utilities to generate at least 15 percent of their power by 2025 from solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable sources. Most notably, the legislation would let companies meet that mandate with nuclear or hydro power. That automatically would exempt Arizona Public Service, the largest electric provider, which already gets that much from its share of the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. And it would prohibit any utility from being forced to purchase ‘alternative energy - meaning something other than coal, oil or natural gas - if it would interfere with its ability to provide services at ‘just and reasonable costs to ratepayers. The move came over the objection of commission lobbyist Amy Love, who said that, if nothing else, the move might […]