The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
As a company built around connections with customers, Tucson Electric Power is naturally focused on collaboration — an approach that was mischaracterized in a recent op-ed.
Our local electric grid links every home and business in our community to the energy resources that support modern life. While our system includes plenty of equipment most people never see, it also requires the poles and wires that extend through every local jurisdiction.
Because these facilities share space that everyone uses, we work with local governments and other service providers to protect public safety and mitigate any negative impacts of necessary infrastructure — even if that infrastructure belongs to someone else.
For example, many of the wires strung along TEP’s poles belong to telecommunications companies. We also allow telecom providers to install mobile networking equipment on our poles. As long as these facilities won’t compromise the safety and reliability of our service, we’re happy to host them.
These accommodations are not merely corporate citizenship; federal law requires them. In accordance with these laws, TEP develops standardized agreements with applicants and responds promptly to all co-location requests, with details that include the costs they would incur for any upgrades required to allow their installations.
Of course, telecom providers can choose to develop their own infrastructure, especially if TEP’s poles aren’t located where they want their equipment. That seems to be the case with new “small cell” poles being installed by telecom providers to support their new 5G wireless service. These new facilities have attracted attention from residents and local elected officials, including some who have asked why telecom companies aren’t installing their equipment on TEP’s poles.
In most cases, the answer is simple enough: They haven’t asked.
TEP is ready and willing to accommodate 5G facilities on our distribution poles. We approved the only such request we’ve received to date, from Verizon, the following day. Despite the assertions in a recent op-ed, TEP does not require lengthy contract negotiations or reject co-location requests based on “design specifications” of specific poles.
Because our poles are designed for electric service, they might need to be replaced or upgraded to accommodate other facilities. Those costs can be significant, particularly if a new pole is required and we must send crews to facilitate the work. It might well be quicker and cost less for telecom providers to install their own poles where they need them the most.
We have no interest in making it difficult to locate telecom equipment on our facilities. TEP employees live and work alongside our customers, and we share an interest in our city’s livability and well-being. We remain committed to working collaboratively to develop the infrastructure our community needs with minimal adverse impacts.
