Arizona's Salt River Project: How a 1903 landowner voting system shapes the utility's energy future
By
Jake Bittle
Hot, fresh, and worth queueing round the block for.
Summary
The Salt River Project (SRP) in Arizona operates under a unique 1903 voting system where landowners get one vote per acre, giving disproportionate power to large landowners like the conservative group Turning Point USA. Climate-focused candidates are running to steer SRP toward clean energy, but face opposition from this entrenched voting structure that favors fossil fuel interests. The article examines how this antiquated system impacts Arizona's energy future and the broader challenges of outdated electricity governance in the U.S.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIn a country characterized by antiquated systems for regulating how electricity is produced and transported to homes and businesses, one utility in Arizona may be the most outdated.
The landowners created the Salt River Project Association to govern the operation of the dam, and gave each landowner a vote for every acre of land they owned.
A group of climate-focused candidates is hoping to steer the Salt River Project toward clean energy. Turning Point USA stands in their way.
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