The Latest: Deal between solar firm, utility ends fight

PHOENIX (AP) - The Latest on voter referrals dealing with rooftop solar power (all times local):

6:15 p.m.

A deal between the nation’s largest solar company and Arizona’s biggest utility means competing measures asking voters about how to treat rooftop solar power are being withdrawn.

The agreement announced late Thursday between SolarCity and Arizona Public Service puts an end to an increasingly public fight pitting the utility against solar companies for now.

The two sides agreed to mediation over how solar customers are paid for the power they produce on their rooftops. Gov. Doug Ducey and lawmakers negotiated with the two sides and the governor’s office will participate in the talks.

The deal was announced By Sen. Debbie Lesko less than an hour after Republicans in the Arizona Senate took steps to send Arizona voters measures mandating separate rates for rooftop solar users and to regulate solar leasing companies as utilities. That was in response to a SolarCity-backed citizens’ initiative measure mandating that utilities pay homeowners with rooftop solar panels the full retail price for power they send back to the grid.

4:30 p.m.

Republicans in the Arizona Senate are moving to send Arizona voters measures mandating separate rates for rooftop solar users and to regulate solar leasing companies as utilities.

Thursday’s action came as talk of a deal between solar firms and utilities to call off a competing citizen’s initiative appeared.

The Senate voice-vote advancing the pair of ballot referrals came despite Democratic efforts to postpone action to let the two sides work on emerging negotiations.

The measures are sponsored by Republican Sens. Debbie Lesko and Don Shooter.

Lesko says they were crafted after a citizen’s initiative was filed earlier this month by a group backed by Solar City.

The initiative would mandate that utilities pay homeowners with rooftop solar panels the full retail price for power they send back to the grid.

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This story has been corrected to show action occurred Thursday.