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City and Tucson Electric Power begin public engagement on energy collaboration; mayor and council approve election placeholder
Summary
City staff and Tucson Electric Power launched public engagement on a proposed Energy Collaboration Agreement, a green-tariff option for city operations and a pilot microgrid; council approved continuing outreach and set a placeholder for a possible November ballot on a TEP franchise.
City resilience and legal staff described a city‑utility engagement effort to develop an Energy Collaboration Agreement (ECA), a proposed green-tariff subscription for municipal operations, and a Donna Liggins microgrid pilot project.
Chief Resilience Officer Fatima Luna said the city ran three town halls in April and collected feedback on priorities: clean and renewable energy, resilience (microgrids and resilient hubs), affordability protections for low-income households, workforce development for clean-energy jobs and increased EV and transit electrification. The team presented a proposed second phase of engagement — additional town halls and an online comment period — and said an ECA framework will be drafted for public review before any formal agreement.
City staff and TEP staff also described a green-tariff option that would supply a percentage of clean energy to city facilities (the recommended budget includes roughly $300,000 to pay for a city subscription). The Donna Liggins microgrid pilot, funded in part with federal and utility partners, would create the city’s first energy-resilient hub with battery storage and a potential microgrid for emergency operations.
After sustained discussion about phasing, transparency and ensuring community input, mayor and council authorized the next phase of public engagement. Separately, the mayor and council passed an ordinance that functions as a procedural placeholder to allow a November 4, 2025 special election on a proposed franchise agreement with TEP (Arizona law requires non‑candidate elections to be called at least six months in advance). City staff emphasized the placeholder is procedural only; final terms would be brought back after the public engagement and legal negotiation.
