Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is the recipient of multiple awards and recognitions, including the United Food Bank Service Award, recognition as a Champion for the Southeast Business Group, and was awarded the Mesa Veteran Appreciation Award, to name a few. Kevin and his wife, Donna, have been married for 37 years and have two children.

Commissioner Kevin Thompson Biography

As a small business owner, he has helped clients grow and expand their own businesses while bringing economic development to Arizona. Kevin was a co-founder of the Mesa Veterans Resource Center, an East Valley resource for veterans that helps with employment access, resume building, VA healthcare and benefits training, and mental health counseling.

Kevin Thompson's Biography - Arizona Corporation Commission

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Kevin Thompson has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He is a husband and father.

Kevin Thompson was elected by his peers2s Chair of the Arizona Corporation in January 2025. He has over 25 years of utility, regulatory, and public service experience, including serving as a twice-elected Mesa City Councilman. Kevin is a United States Air Force combat veteran, serving in Operation Desert Storm. As a small business owner, he has helped clients grow and expand their own businesses while bringing economic development to Arizona.

Kevin was previously the Manager of New Business Development for Southwest Gas for over 12 years, responsible for all new business engineering including the sale, design, and installation of billions of dollars of natural gas pipelines for residential, multi-family, retail, and commercial development. During the economic downturn of 2008 when economic development all but ceased nationwide, he transitioned to focus on local government relations for five years.

Kevin is a United States Air Force combat veteran, serving in Operation Desert Storm. As a small business owner, he has helped clients grow and expand their own businesses while bringing economic development to Arizona. Kevin was a co-founder of the Mesa Veterans Resource Center, an East Valley resource for veterans that helps with employment access, resume building, VA healthcare and benefits training, and mental health counseling.

Kevin is a small business owner. He is also a United States Air Force combat veteran.

In January 2023, Kevin was sworn in to a four-year term as a Commissioner with the Arizona Corporation Commission. He currently serves on the Western Energy Imbalance (WEIM) Body of State Regulators (BOSR), an independent, self-governing states committee.

POLITICAL OFFICES HELD

Councilmember, City of Mesa, 2015-2023

Commissioner, Arizona Corporation Commission, 2023-2026

Kevin Thompson — Arizona Corporation Commissioner Candidate Questionnaire

Kevin Thompson - Corporation Commissioner - Voter Guide

Kevin is a current commissioner with the Arizona Corporation Commission. He previously served as a Mesa city councilmember from 2015 to 2023.

2026 Arizona General Election

Transform the Commission into an efficient, well run organization
 - Implement Business One Stop so it's easier for entrepreneurs to  start a business.
 - Move rate case hearings in a timely manner to eliminate exuberant costs borne by ratepayers

Kevin Thompson for Corporation Commission

Wants to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start a business.

- Wants to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start a business.

Small Businesses

As your Arizona Corporation Commissioner:

- I have stopped or repealed cost shifts associated with mandates and subsidies, including the REST and DSM/EE standards, which have cost Arizona ratepayers nearly $4 Billion since their inception. There is always more to do, so I can't let up now. With your support, I will continue the fight!

Initiated proceedings in 2023 to end costly DSM and EE rules that have cost rate payers over $3B
Eliminated $51M from APS DSM and EE programs and redirected remaining funds to help low and fixed income consumers
Eliminated $2.5M from UNS DSM and EE programs

As a commissioner, he says he stopped or repealed utility cost shifts associated with mandates and subsidies and redirected some efficiency-program funds to low- and fixed-income consumers.

- As a commissioner, he says he stopped or repealed utility cost shifts associated with mandates and subsidies and redirected some efficiency-program funds to low- and fixed-income consumers.

Utility Costs

Eliminated over $8M in marketing from APS budget
Required APS to demonstrate a sufficient mix of dependable and dispatchable generation before they can close any existing coal plant
Fined SWG the largest fine to date ($2M) by the Commission as part of the Chandler incident

To protect ratepayers, I offered an amendment in 2024 while considering APS’ latest Integrated Resource Plan to address the generation gap. The amendment required APS to replace any future lost generation at the Four Corners coal plant to be replaced with similar reliable and dispatchable generation.

More recently, Chair Myers joined me in encouraging APS to consider the priorities of this Commission with decisions like Coronado and Springerville as they contemplated the future of Cholla. We encouraged the company to hold true to their public commitments to prioritize reliability and affordability amidst our unprecedented period of rapid growth and increased demand.

Commissioner Thompson Statement on Plans to Convert Cholla Coal Plant to Natural Gas

As your Arizona Corporation Commissioner:

- I support an "all of the above" energy portfolio. That means plenty of renewables when they are in fact the cheapest form of energy and just as important: reliable. I also recognize Arizona needs baseload and non-interruptible generation to get us through our hot summer days and nights. I have voted to add new natural gas generation and to convert our closing coal plants to natural gas, ensuring there is plenty of capacity to meet our demands well into the future.

As a commissioner, he says he required Arizona Public Service to demonstrate dependable, dispatchable generation before closing coal plants.

Supports an energy portfolio that includes renewable energy when it is low-cost and reliable, alongside natural-gas generation and coal-plant conversions to natural gas.

- As a commissioner, he says he required Arizona Public Service to demonstrate dependable, dispatchable generation before closing coal plants.
- Supports an energy portfolio that includes renewable energy when it is low-cost and reliable, alongside natural-gas generation and coal-plant conversions to natural gas.

Energy & the Environment

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Kevin Thompson

Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.

Disagree

I support U.S. Supreme Court enacted protections ensuring that private businesses should not or cannot be forced to provide "expressive goods and services"—that are contrary to their beliefs. The First Amendment protects individuals and businesses from providing services that violate their beliefs as this is compelled speech or a violation of their free exercise of religion. The exception to this is government public accommodation services and protected classes under civil rights laws.

“To date in Arizona, the data center industry is paying its fair share of expansion of power generation and infrastructure under existing utility rate structures and Commission practices,” said Chair Thompson.

“I believe it's important that the ACC be proactive in reviewing existing policies and potentially forming new policies to continue to safeguard ratepayers and to ensure that large users like data centers shoulder the costs of building new electricity generation and infrastructure that solely benefits a particular business. Our utilities are currently having a challenging time meeting the generational challenges of existing customers. We need to explore potential solutions for developing behind-the-meter solutions to meet large customer needs and growth that don't jeopardize the integrity of our grid.”

ACC Addresses Data Center Development; Ensure Customers Are Financially Protected

As your Arizona Corporation Commissioner:

- I ended the practice of millions of dollars in ratepayer money going to homebuilder companies to subsidize the purchase of appliances in new home builds. These savings were not being passed along to homeowners.

"The estimated $1.9 billion price tag needed to restart Cholla as a coal plant was economically infeasible and an unfair burden to ratepayers."

As your Arizona Corporation Commissioner:

- Arizona is in a water crisis and we need representation with experience. I will work with our staff and water utilities to ensure they are taking a proactive approach to reducing water losses in their pipelines. We know some Arizona utilities are losing 25% of their water through leaking pipes, and this is unacceptable.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Strongly Disagree
I am an avid outdoorsman and defender of our beautiful state. However, the environmental movement has been hijacked by extremists and activists who use their religious-like fervor to shutdown or prevent proven forms of generation like natural gas plants in the name of climate change.

- :
- Supports an energy portfolio that includes renewable energy when it is low-cost and reliable, alongside natural-gas generation and coal-plant conversions to natural gas.
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Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

As your Arizona Corporation Commissioner:

- Arizona has the opportunity to lead the west in energy independence, and the Commission's job is to help clear the regulatory path for new technologies that can make us energy independent, like micro-nuclear.

Clara Pratte

Jonathon Hill

Mike Cease

Ralph Heap

- The Commission manages public utilities, maintains railroad and pipeline systems, and oversees businesses and securities.
- The Commission may also serve in a judicial capacity within its jurisdiction such as in cases related to utilities, investment management advisors, and pipeline and railroad crossing safety.
- Corporation commissioners are elected to four-year terms in partisan statewide elections. A commissioner can serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. 
- There are five total commissioners in the Corporation Commission.

Oversees utility rates, pipeline and railroad safety, and business and securities. 