TEP working towards new plan to replace failed Prop 412

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson voters said no to TEP's request for a 25-year franchise extension. The vote called Prop 412 failed by roughly 55% to 44%.

No one's suggesting the lights will go out but TEP has to offer a new plan voters will accept.

Connecting a substation at 36th and Kino, and another substation at Grant and I-10, to the U of A area and Central Tucson is a big part of an operating agreement that Tucson voters just rejected.

So the natural question is, what now?

Prop 412 asked voters whether to give TEP a 25-year extension on the franchise it needs to use Tucson streets for poles, wires and everything else needed to supply electricity.

Tucsonans were already paying 2.25% as a franchise fee. Prop 412 would have added another 0.75%t called an 'environmental resilience fee,' supposed to fund things related to environment and climate change.

But voters said no.

Judith Anderson of the Tucson Climate Coalition says the plan didn't devote enough to the environment, and devoted too much to paying for underground wires in one particular area.

The underground wires were to increase power reliability to U of A and Central Tucson, without placing large poles in quiet neighborhoods north of U of A.

Anderson agrees with suggestions to find other ways to meet demand and pay for those wires.

"Maybe work out a plan for some of their electricity from micro grids and other other things to lessen the demand in a central area. But also, you know, they should be kicking in something toward paying for it, I think, as well as the neighborhoods that want it."

Spokesperson Joe Barrios says TEP is working on many environmental commitments that are outside the franchise provisions.

"We have a goal of providing 70% renewable energy by 2035. That's a goal that we set about three years ago and we continue to work toward that. And that will result in an 80% reduction in emissions. None of that changed. Even while we were considering the options available through proposition 412."

TEP says it’ll keep providing power in the three years left in the old agreement while it works out a new proposal for the power line project and the franchise extension.

——-Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 30 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing [email protected] or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.

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