by 
Initial steps that could lead to a resolution of the inadequate electric power infrastructure around the southern Pinal County towns of Oracle and Mammoth were reportedly taken at a closed door meeting of interested parties held July 30 at the Oracle Fire Station.
Attendees included representatives of the San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP), the current provider of electricity to Oracle and Mammoth; and Arizona Power Service (APS) and Trico Electric, two other area electricity providers. Also present were Mammoth Mayor Don Jones, members of the Oracle business community, Pinal County Supervisor Pete Rios, and Blanca Varela, an aide to U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick.
Issues concerning the inadequate power capacity provided by SCIP and their effect on the economy of the Oracle-Mammoth area were thoroughly debated at the meeting.
SCIP argued that it was originally geared to provide power to the copper mines that once dotted the area and, beginning in the 1950s, local missile silos built to defend the U.S. in case of an atomic attack by the former Soviet Union; but not to be a consumer power company. Unlike many other Arizona electric utilities, SCIP is run by the U.S. government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
Business people in turn complained that the aging SCIP electric lines and that SCIP has not conducted studies to anticipate future power needs as state-regulated utilities like APS are required to do, SCIP’s electric lines are now at peak load capacity. This has resulted in SCIP recently telling real estate developers that it couldn’t guarantee it could provide electrical service to any new homes. SCIP is thus retarding real estate and business development along with job creation in the area, and could be negatively impacting local real estate prices, they said.
After all concerns were aired, SCIP’s representative said the utility would look into the situation and crunch some rough numbers to determine what it could do to improve local electricity load capacity. APS likewise said it would look into the costs of taking over and upgrading all or part of the SCIP territory. Trico Electric declined to look into joining this bidding, saying that as a member-owned co-op utility its funding is limited to what users pay into it and thus couldn’t come up with the dollars that might be required to annex and upgrade any or all of SCIP’s territory.
Economic analyses for improvements will likely take into account whether improvements to lines are made above or below ground, and if they might be piggybacked with cable firms such as Century Link, which is boosting its presence in southern Pinal County.
SCIP and APS said they would present their figures for upgrading electrical service and another meeting tentatively set for late August at a site to be named later.
APS already supplies electricity to the area around San Manuel, so any expansion into Oracle-Mammoth would be of short distance. Trico Electric serves a territory to the south and west of the SCIP territory, including SaddleBrooke Ranch.
In the interim, Valera promised that Rep. Kirkpatrick’s staff would consider to study the situation, including whether BIA might be open to either improvements to SCIP or allowing SCIP to be spun off into the ownership of another electric utility. About 15 years ago, negotiations were conducted through the offices of Sen. John McCain to transfer SCIP’s service territory to another Arizona utility, only to be quashed by BIA on grounds it would reduce local Native American employment. This may no longer be an issue with the San Carlos Apache Tribe building a second casino in nearby Dudleyville.
James J. Hodl is a career journalist who has worked for newspapers, magazines and trade journals. A graduate of Southern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, Hodl began his career as a reporter with the Palatine (IL) Herald and the Morton Grove (IL) Review before becoming editor of the trade publication Appliance Service News. In recent years, Hodl has had articles published in Consumers Digest, Good Housekeeping, Home Remodeling, Kitchens & Baths and Salute; and has contributed to trade publications serving the home furnishings, restaurant and casino markets. A native of Chicago, Hodl relocated to San Tan Valley in 2013.
by by