Tucson Electric Power Co. is once again trying to install new high-voltage transmission lines through midtown.
The utility’s previous attempts to erect 110-foot-tall power poles that would connect three substations across central Tucson has drawn strong criticism in the past from historic neighborhoods concerned about visual blight and decreased property values.
While TEP’s latest plan now skirts around some of the previously impacted neighborhoods, such as Sam Hughes, several, including Jefferson Park, remain along the proposed route, joined by other areas, like the West University neighborhood, that weren’t previously subjected to it.
TEP maintains that undergrounding the lines as previously proposed by neighborhood stakeholders is cost prohibitive.
On July 8, a public hearing will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel-Reid Park, 445 S. Alvernon Way, where TEP’s application will be…
