Ratepayers of the Salt River Project in Arizona will vote on Tuesday for half of the utility's 14 board seats, in a contest between clean energy advocates and pro-fossil fuel backers. The election could shift control toward more solar, batteries and nuclear power amid rising demand from data centers and growth. The unique one-acre-one-vote system limits participation to landowners.
The Salt River Project, serving over 2 million customers in the Phoenix area, operates under a century-old governance model established in 1903. Landowners receive one vote per acre owned, excluding renters and most businesses, with typically low turnout. John Qua, a campaign director at Lead Locally, described the system as 'effectively feudal.' This structure has kept the utility reliant on fossil fuels, which made up nearly two-thirds of generation in 2024 despite Arizona's solar potential. SRP faces surging demand, with peak usage projected to rise 4 percent annually through 2035 and data center consumption nearly tripling. Clean energy candidates, holding six seats, aim for majority control. They credit their influence for plans to add 2.8 gigawatts of solar in 2024 and reach 45 percent renewables within a decade. Casey Clowes, a board member running for vice president, said, 'A lot of the votes on resources are split, us all on one side and them all on the other.' Opponents, backed by Turning Point USA and $500,000 from a pro-business group, favor converting coal plants to gas and building new gas turbines. Barry Paceley, a construction owner running against Clowes, argued, 'They’re chasing rainbows and unicorns,' emphasizing real-world growth needs. Key races are in Districts 4 and 6, covering western Phoenix and Glendale, with about 7,000 votable acres in District 4 among 57,000 landowners. Clean energy hopefuls Sandra Kennedy for president and others need strong wins to tip the board.