Low-voltage utility elections face surge of attention as electricity bills rise

Elections for control of utilities are gaining national attention, fueled by rising household electricity prices and the burgeoning demand from data centers, particularly in states like Arizona and Alabama. These once-sleepy contests are transforming into fierce political battles, attracting involvement from national organizations such as Turning Point Action, which seeks to curb environmentalist influence over the Salt River Project (SRP), the nation's largest public utility serving the Phoenix area. In Arizona, the Salt River Project board election is seeing unprecedented engagement, with more than three times the early ballot requests compared to two years prior. The utility anticipates needing to double its power capacity within a decade, largely due to the rapid growth of data centers and semiconductor factories in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Two rival slates are competing for control: one supported by Turning Point Action, advocating for 'responsible growth' and questioning the feasibility of an immediate shift to solar, and another backed by the Jane Fonda Climate PAC and clean energy advocates who criticize the current board's reliance on natural gas and its embrace of data centers. Meanwhile, in Alabama, concerns over high power bills are prompting a push to reshape the state's Public Service Commission (PSC). The Alabama Legislature recently passed a bill, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, to expand the PSC from three to seven members, with the new members initially appointed by the governor, and to freeze retail base rates until 2029. This legislative overhaul comes as two of the three current PSC seats are up for election, with Democrats in Alabama drawing inspiration from Georgia's successful campaigns in 2025 to make electricity prices a central issue.