Pinal County David vs. Goliath

Very near and very dear in our hearts is a small community in Pinal County that is in a battle with the public utility (Salt River Project - SRP) over the expansion of its power station located there.

Randolph is a small community in central Arizona that has a history of having some of the worst air quality in the state. Located between Picacho and Casa Grande (ish) it started in the early 1900’s and grew mostly due to the cotton industry.

The community grew to its peak around the 1960s when the mechanization of the cotton industry eliminated much of the work and caused high unemployment. This lead to many migrating to California, but still- many remained.

Apparently, most of those remaining in Randolph are direct descendants of those original settlers and some live in homes built in those earliest years.

To say there is a vibrant (and vital) history there is an understatement.

‘Heavy polluting industries’ are said to have replaced the cotton industry and the local air quality has reportedly suffered as a result. The community has suffered not only economically but environmentally as well with markers of poor health among the residents reportedly telling the tale.

SRP has a power plant there and intends to expand it. This proposal was met with opposition from the residents of Randolph. Last year, they were successful in getting the project stopped.

But SRP continues to push. It took the decision to the Maricopa County Superior Court and lost, so now they are attempting to take it to the Arizona Supreme Court.

There’s complicated politics at play here because the original decision rests with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) who is composed of commissioners that are elected directly by voters. The political make-up of the ACC can (and does) change over time with the broader political swings in the state.

If SRC can’t get their plan re-instated via the Arizona Supreme Court, they can (and probably will) wait for new commissioners to be elected.

A true Arizona real-life David vs. Goliath, Randolph has won the early rounds but there’s many more to come.

“Arizona Utility Just Won’t Let This Historic Black Community Be”

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/04/randolph-arizona-salt-river-project-fight-historic-black-community-utility-fossil-fuels-environmental-justice/

This illustrates the continual issue we all face as home owners. The public utility (SRC in this case) is a monopolistic entity that serves customers who have no choice other than them.

The only thing standing between them and their ‘customers’ (more like ‘subjects’) is the ACC- a politically staffed entity that supposedly looks out for the ‘good’- you know… to make sure everything’s fair…

The good news is rooftop solar technology has now progressed far enough that it is viable, reliable, and in many cases affordable. That means homeowners finally have an actual choice between owning their own source of power production or subjecting themselves to continual one-sided service from their randomly assigned monopolistic utility company.

If you are looking into rooftop solar for your home or business, I have a book coming that you might want to check out. Click here to be notified when I release Tucson Solar Insider Desk Guide for Buying Solar.

Be Good!
Curtis