APS to return $33.6 million on November bills; typical household savings around $14

Arizona Public Service customers will receive a one-time credit on their November 2026 electric bills. APS says the adjustment will be automatic for residential and business customers. No application or phone call is required.

APS estimates that a typical household using 1,050 kilowatt-hours a month will save about $14. The Arizona Corporation Commission puts the combined savings at about $14.70. Those are estimates for a typical account, not amounts promised to every customer.

The distinction matters in Yuma: the credit goes to APS customers, not everyone who receives an electric bill from another utility.

Where the refund comes from

The Commission says approximately $33.6 million was left uncommitted in APS's Renewable Energy Adjustment Charge fund, or REAC. According to APS's Sept. 4 application, much of that surplus came from the Green Power Partners program, which sells renewable-energy credits to participating businesses and directs the proceeds toward customers' costs.

Instead of keeping the balance to offset charges over time, APS proposed returning it through a one-month credit. The Commission announced its approval Oct. 8, and APS confirmed the November adjustment Oct. 13.

This is temporary relief. The previously approved REAC rate returns Dec. 1. The credit is not a permanent reduction in APS electricity rates.

Why the savings estimates differ

The Commission's figure includes two benefits: a credit funded by the surplus and the regular REAC charge that customers will not pay in November.

The Sept. 29 Commission staff recommendation describes a proposed residential credit capped at $12.21, replacing a REAC charge capped at $2.49. An account reaching both caps would be $14.70 better off than it would have been without the adjustment. APS's roughly $14 estimate is based on a household using 1,050 kilowatt-hours.

Actual savings will depend on electricity use and the account's billing category. Customers with certain solar or other distributed-generation arrangements have different charge treatment. Businesses qualify, too, but the typical-household example does not describe their credits.

There is another billing distinction. APS says the Environmental Benefits Surcharge combines the REAC with a separate charge supporting energy-efficiency programs. Suspending the REAC for November does not mean the entire surcharge line necessarily disappears.

The Commission has publicly confirmed the credit, but the adopted order and final compliance tariff were not independently obtained for this article. The staff recommendation explains the proposed calculation; the final approved tariff governs how it is applied.

Customers can look for the adjustment on their November statement. Anyone needing an explanation of the amount on a particular bill should contact APS through its regular customer-service channels.