TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As Tucson’s population continues to climb, so does the strain on its infrastructure — including electricity. That pressure is now playing out in a midtown neighborhood where Tucson Electric Power is proposing a new substation, prompting vocal opposition from nearby residents concerned about scale, placement and transparency.
The proposed substation would be built in a parking lot just west of Banner University Medical Center’s midtown campus, near the Jefferson Park and Desert Mallow neighborhoods. TEP says the facility is needed to meet growing energy demands tied to new housing, medical facilities and commercial development across the city’s urban core.
Opponents packed a special Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing Thursday in downtown Tucson, where frustration with the utility boiled over. During the public comment period, one speaker said, “TEP clearly doesn’t give one iota about Jefferson Park or Desert Mallow…”
Residents say their biggest concern isn’t the need for upgraded power, but how it would be delivered. Aaron Paxton, who lives near the proposed site, said neighbors are alarmed by the size of transmission infrastructure planned for the area.
“TEP wants to obviously upgrade our power, I think that’s something we all agree about,” Paxton said. “But what we don’t agree about is driving huge, 120 foot tall power lines through our neighborhood.”
TEP disputes claims about the height of the poles. Company spokesman Joe Barrios said some descriptions shared publicly are inaccurate.
“We have heard concerns from customers that all of the poles are gonna be 100 feet tall, That’s not really accurate,” Barrios said. “The grand majority of them are going to be shorter than that.”
Barrios also emphasized that Thursday’s hearing was limited in scope.
“Tonight is really just about the substation And whether the zoning examiner feels it’s appropriate for us to receive these variances,” he said.
Critics argue that framing ignores the broader impact of the project, including the power lines feeding into the substation. They say those lines should be buried underground — a more expensive option upfront, but one they believe would reduce long-term costs and neighborhood disruption.
Daniel Dempsey of Underground Arizona said, “You have all of these advantages to under grounding that make the maintenance and repair costs less, Even though the upfront cost is more…”
TEP has said undergrounding high-voltage lines can be significantly more expensive and time-consuming, potentially delaying projects meant to improve reliability during extreme heat.
The zoning examiner said he will issue a ruling on the requested variances within two weeks, setting the next chapter in a debate that underscores the growing pains of a rapidly expanding city.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
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