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Arizona's largest public utility company has proposed a double-digit rate hike that would mean higher power bills for ratepayers. Consumer advocates are urging state residents to share their thoughts on the plan with regulators in public comment hearings today.

Arizona Public Service has asked the state's Public Utilities Commission for an average 14 percent rate hike, translating to a $20 monthly increase to the average ratepayer's power bill.

Diane Brown, executive director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, said her organization is talking with consumers statewide.

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"Customers appreciate the company's service reliability, but don't appreciate the continual rate and bill increases," she said, "particularly when the utility wants shareholders to earn more and ratepayers to pay more."

The rate hike would generate nearly $580 million in revenue for APS shareholders, according to company documents. APS has cited inflation, supply chain issues and infrastructure investment as reasons for the proposal.

APS also proposes doubling what's called the "grid access charge," which allows customers basic access to electricity, from $3 to $6 a month. Brown said the 14 percent rate hike, if passed, would just be the beginning of higher rates.

"If adopted, [it] would essentially allow for automatic annual increases," she said, "meaning the 14 percent increase they are proposing would be a baseline for the next five years."

Consumer advocates contend that while APS has the right to cover costs and profit on their service, shareholders have reaped hundreds of millions of dollars in profits to the detriment of ratepayers.