Overview
- A $7 million consent judgment announced Wednesday requires APS to stop residential disconnections for nonpayment whenever the next day’s forecast at a customer’s location reaches 95°F or higher.
- The settlement followed the May 2024 death of 82-year-old Katherine Korman after APS cut power on a 99°F day, and investigators said a voluntary 95-degree hold had been ended three days earlier.
- APS must pay $2.75 million to the state consumer protection fund, provide $1 million for assistance with at least $800,000 in bill credits before Sept. 1, 2026, and invest about $3.1–$3.4 million in program upgrades.
- The deal orders clearer warnings via text messages and stronger Safety Net alerts to designated contacts, and it keeps a cold-weather pause on shutoffs when temperatures are 32°F or below.
- APS denied wrongdoing and said shareholders will cover the costs, while Attorney General Kris Mayes urged other Arizona utilities and regulators to adopt temperature-based protections beyond the state’s June–Oct pause.