One journalist's experience with a utility shutoff led them to look more closely at who provides their city’s power. It turns out there's a push for the city to buy out the investor-owned utility and create a public one.
When a journalist’s power was shut off in January 2025 — despite months of pending federal energy assistance — it set them on a path to investigating whether Tucson should own its own electric utility.
With Tucson Electric Power’s 25-year franchise agreement expiring, the city faces a pivotal choice: renew the contract, pursue a multi-billion-dollar buyout, or build a competing public system from scratch. A city-commissioned feasibility study projects residents could save up to $1,077 per year by years 16–20 of public ownership — but legal battles, upfront costs, and complicated data on shutoff rates make this anything but simple.
Shelterforce examines the full picture, from the human cost of utility shutoffs to the national movement toward municipal power.
Read the full story: Will Tucson Take Back Its Power—Literally?
Utilities Spending Less on Energy Efficiency Despite Higher Fuel Prices
A survey of major utilities reveals a link between states with strict efficiency standards and incentive programs and efforts to improve efficiency on the part of utilities.
In California, electric school buses are powering 1,000 homes — and turning a profit
Tellus Power, the charging equipment manufacturer behind the project, is also helping school buses connect to the power grid in Vermont, Illinois and San Francisco.
Phoenix and Tucson create emergency water reserve, anticipating Colorado River cuts
The Secure Water Arizona Program will allow participating cities to use a reserve of water or make agreements to buy it from other jurisdictions.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
US buildings threatened, destroyed by fires set to triple by 2060
Researchers found a high fire risk for socioeconomically vulnerable neighborhoods in the American West.
LA residents may be allowed to paint their own crosswalks
Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky put out a motion instructing the Los Angeles Department of Public Transportation to study the feasibility of allowing volunteers to paint crosswalks.
Dallas moves to overhaul its zoning code
The city's zoning reform will allow more multi-family and mixed-use developments.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority