Recent debates about economic development in our community have focused on the impacts of large-scale projects like data centers, advanced manufacturing facilities, and mines. These conversations are important, as they show how much people care about our community, our resources and our future.
But they’ve also raised a misconception that TEP gets to decide which kinds of businesses to serve, picking winners and losers behind closed doors.
That’s simply not how it works. Local governments make those decisions through ordinances, rules and regulations.
At TEP, our role is straightforward and defined by law. We have an obligation to serve all customers in our service area. We don’t make decisions based on politics or public opinion. If a customer meets the requirements, has been approved through applicable local, county, or state processes, and we can serve them safely and reliably, we must provide service.
That includes homes, small businesses, and large industrial projects alike.
Importantly, we don’t set the terms or price of our electric service on our own. Every rate, tariff, and energy supply agreement is subject to review and approval by the Arizona Corporation Commission (“ACC”). We also ensure that adding new customers will not negatively impact service for others, and that growth pays for itself.
We recognize that not every project will have unanimous public support. Concerns about growth, water, or energy use are understandable and deserve thoughtful discussion. Critics of some projects have called for us to deny service, but that’s not our role. We don’t think most people would want our region’s sole electric provider making those kinds of judgement calls.
At the end of the day, our job is not to debate whether a particular new large customer is desirable. Our job is to ensure that if a project moves forward, it is served safely, reliably, and in a way that is fair to everyone. That is our mandate. And it’s one we take seriously.
Chris Norman is Vice President of Public Policy for Tucson Electric Power
