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Mayor and Council Direct Manager to Negotiate Renewable Power, Resiliency Support From TEP; Move Toward Franchise Outreach
Summary
The Tucson mayor and council voted March 4 to direct staff to negotiate a package of agreements with Tucson Electric Power (TEP) that includes a power purchase agreement committing the city’s accounts to at least 100% renewable electricity, infrastructure support for a resiliency project at the Donna Ligon Center, and public engagement on a potential new TEP franchise with a tentative November 2025 election.
The Tucson mayor and council voted March 4 to direct staff to negotiate several agreements with Tucson Electric Power (TEP) after an executive session. The motion, adopted by voice vote, asks staff to bring back a power purchase agreement under which TEP would commit to supplying 100% of the electric power the city purchases from renewable sources, to develop infrastructure and equipment for an energy resiliency project at the Donna Ligon Center, and to engage with TEP on advancing the city’s Resilient Together climate action and adaptation goals. The motion also directs staff to begin public engagement on a new franchise agreement request with a tentative election target of November 2025.
The council’s action followed an executive session citation stated in the meeting record; after the closed session, a council member asked for direction to staff and a motion was made, seconded and carried by voice vote.
City officials clarified that the 100% renewable commitment would cover electricity used by the city as a customer (city accounts), not electricity delivered to all Tucson residents. Councilmember discussion produced one explicit amendment asking that the agreement require “at a minimum” 100% renewable supply so future contracts could potentially include higher renewable percentages; the amendment was accepted by the motion maker before the final vote.
The motion lists four discrete tasks for staff to return to council: (1) present a power purchase agreement with TEP that commits, at a minimum, to providing 100% of city-purchased electric power from renewable sources; (2) present an agreement for TEP to provide essential infrastructure and equipment to support an energy resiliency project at the Donna Ligon Center; (3) engage with TEP to advance goals and policies in the Resilient Together climate action and adaptation plan; and (4) initiate public engagement regarding TEP’s request for a new franchise agreement, with a tentative election timeline discussed for November 2025.
No final agreements were approved at the meeting; the council’s vote authorized staff to negotiate and return with concrete proposals for council consideration and formal action. The record shows the council approved the directive by roll-call-style voice vote after the motion and an accepted amendment.
What’s next: staff will return to the mayor and council with draft agreements and recommended franchise materials for public engagement and eventual council decisions. The council did not set final terms or adopt any contract at this meeting.
Sources: meeting transcript, March 4, 2025 mayor and council study session and executive session report.
