The upcoming utility board election in metro Phoenix will decide control of Salt River Project, which manages power and water for more than 2 million residents and plays a central role in shaping how the region responds to drought and energy demand. The race, normally low profile, has become a high stakes contest over how quickly SRP should expand renewable energy, how it manages growth from power-hungry data centers, and how it plans long term water storage and delivery in a stressed Colorado River system.
One slate of candidates, backed heavily by conservative activist group, Turning Point Action, argues for keeping SRP focused on its traditional mission. The opposing slate pushes for lowering rates along with stronger consumer safeguards, a faster build-out of solar and other renewables, and requiring large industrial customers like data centers to pay more of the infrastructure costs tied to their operations.
