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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Everyday Arizona utility customers should not be forced to subsidize the infrastructure powering massive artificial intelligence data centers and advanced manufacturing, according to Arizona Corporation Commission candidate Jonathan Hill.
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Speaking with Tucson Now host Makayla Goos, the engineer and former NASA scientist argued that tech companies requiring gigawatts of new power must pay for their transmission and generation needs up front.
Hill warned that speculative development risks creating stranded assets if tech ventures collapse, leaving regular ratepayers on the hook unless strict upfront collateral and bonds are required.
Beyond power demands, Hill stressed the need for strict water oversight amid regional drought and Colorado River supply cuts. He stated he would vote against utility permits for any new developments lacking a verified 100-year water supply, while criticizing the current commission for allowing private water company consolidations to trigger sudden, triple-digit rate hikes in rural communities.
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Instead of allowing small water providers to go decades without minor adjustments only to shock customers later, Hill called for proactive, gradual oversight and firm water-use accountability for industrial users.
Hill also pledged to rein in approved utility profit margins, arguing that current decisions prioritize corporate returns over working families forced to choose between groceries, medication, and summer air conditioning.
If elected alongside running mate Clara Pratte, Hill promised to rebuild public confidence in the commission by restoring in-person field hearings in rural communities outside Phoenix and leaning heavily on independent consumer advocates like the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) to evaluate rate cases.
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For more on Hill’s platform, click here.
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