The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Sharon Bronson
For decades, and long before I entered public service, I’ve watched Tucson Electric Power stand beside this community through growth, transition, and challenge. One thing has remained unchanged in my experience: I have always trusted TEP as a steady partner committed to the long term wellbeing of Southern Arizona.
That commitment is central to understanding the company’s current request for updated electric rates.
TEP is seeking a 14 percent adjustment to cover costs the company already incurred between 2021 and 2024. It does not include future spending or forward looking investments and is lower than the roughly 15 percent rate of inflation recorded over the same period. These are real, documented costs related to keeping the system reliable during a period of nationwide inflation, supply chain challenges, and sharply rising prices across the energy sector.
Like every household and business, TEP has been affected by rising costs for materials, fuel, equipment, construction, and skilled labor. Transformers, power lines, and substations now take longer to obtain and cost considerably more to install. Just as families have paid more for groceries, rent, transportation and other essentials, TEP has absorbed those same economic pressures—while maintaining the scrutiny and discipline expected of an essential service provider. TEP customers actually saw bill reductions two summers in a row, with customers paying lower fuel and purchase power costs in both 2024 and 2025.
The reality is that maintaining a reliable grid in today’s world requires substantial investment. The costs included in this case reflect work already performed to meet growing energy needs, strengthen reliability, and support customers in a rapidly modernizing economy.
In a time when many essentials cost more, it’s clear that the company is prioritizing value, stability, and careful stewardship. TEP consistently ranks among the top utilities in the nation for keeping the lights on, a standing made possible by years of smart, sustained investment. Those investments show up in shorter outage durations, hardened substations and poles, and infrastructure ready for the real world challenges that come with extreme weather and a more electrified economy.
TEP has powered this region for more than 130 years, guided by accountability to customers, to regulators, and to the long term health of the region it serves.
That accountability is also at the heart of the recent public debate over Project Blue. Some have criticized TEP’s service to a potential new customer located squarely within its regulated territory. But under Arizona law, this is not optional. Regulated utilities cannot pick and choose who “deserves” power based on popularity or political ideology. They are required to provide service equitably and consistently, ensuring reliability and fairness for all customers. The City and County have appropriately examined the broader economic considerations, which is where those discussions belong.
Through all of this, what often gets overshadowed is the company’s enduring commitment to the community itself. From nearly $1.7 million in charitable giving last year to thousands of employee volunteer hours, TEP’s contributions strengthen nonprofits, schools, cultural institutions, and neighborhoods across Southern Arizona. Strengthening the region is part of the company’s identity.
So yes, questions about growth, energy needs, and rates will continue. They should. Scrutiny is healthy. But these conversations must reflect the full picture: a utility that has earned trust through careful planning, responsible investment, and a clear commitment to serving this region for generations to come.
As we look ahead, we should recognize the value of having a partner that understands both our history and our future, and that will continue investing in a stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable community for all of us.
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