Senator Rodriguez to Oppose EPEC Rate Hike Proposal

Word on the street is that State Senator José Rodriguez will hold a press conference this coming Monday, November 23rd. He will be speaking out against the rate hike proposals by El Paso Electric. He has apparently chosen the home of a young Hispanic family as the venue for his conference. The family installed a solar panel and the EPEC hike will hammer them. 

El Paso Electric has been falsely claiming in their advertisements that solar users are taking money from all the rest of us and especially from lower-income rate payers. The truth is that solar customers help all customers in the system and EPEC customers shouldn't have to pay for EPEC's outdated business model that builds and minimally uses power generators but still wants everyone to pay more for these dinosaurs. Senator Rodriguez's choice for a venue will demonstrate that it isn't solar users hurting struggling rate payers. No. It is EPEC that is hurting them.

Eco El Paso, which has intervened in the rate case, makes these points:

• Solar energy is either immediately used by the homeowner or El Paso Electric immediately sells it to its other ratepayers. 
• Solar homeowners pay full retail price for the energy received from the grid and pay all fees and taxes just like every other homeowner.  Solar is just an efficient appliance that saves money just like an energy efficient refrigerator or AC unit.
• Electricity from solar homeowners reduces Transmission & Distribution costs on the Utility.  
• Solar creates clean solar energy and reduces pollution and fossil fuel dependence.
• Solar reduces peak demand and is as cost effective as natural gas. 
• The Sun City has some of the best solar radiation in the country that we can harvest to create jobs and clean energy. 
• Solar saves ratepayers money! 
• Solar creates jobs and economic development! 
• Solar subsidizes the utility!

Visit ecoelpaso.org for more information.