As part of Arizona PBS’ ongoing “AZ Votes 2026” election coverage initiative, a series titled “Candidates in Conversation,” we were joined by the candidates running for a seat on the Arizona Corporation Commission: Republican incumbent Kevin Thompson and Democratic candidates Jonathon Hill and Clara Pratte.
Ralph Heap, Republican candidate, did not respond to the request to join the conversation.
Hill said he believes the Arizona Corporation Commission’s primary job is to maintain balance between protecting rate payers and protecting utilities.
“You know, on one hand, we need financially healthy utilities; we have seen what happens when utilities fail. We don’t want that in Arizona. But on the other hand, their primary responsibility is and should be protecting rate payers,” Hill said. “The average Arizonans don’t have all the resources of the utility companies to help advocate for them. So that’s the Corporation Commission’s job.”
Both Thompson and Pratte said they agree the Corporation Commission needs to find that balance to help Arizonans.
“Our job is to make sure that we are taking care of our rate payers,” Pratte said.
Pratte said another primary focus should be on maintaining reliability and affordability with rate payers. She said a poll showed Arizona voters prioritize reliability over affordability.
“The number one priority was reliability, which was surprising to me as I thought it would be affordability, but it was actually reliability. People are willing to pay more to keep the lights on, to ensure that they have reliability,” Pratte said.
Thompson said he believes since he’s been on the Corporation Commission, they have been able to focus on reliability for Arizonans.
Thompson said, “This Commission, since I have been on it, has been taking all of the above approach. We want to make sure that our utilities are vested in every form of generation possible, to keep the lights on in Arizona. We can’t put all of our eggs in one basket.”
Thompson used Texas’s power crisis during winter storms as an example.
“That impacts us here, so it’s good to have that balanced portfolio,” Thompson said.
