Specifications include, but are not limited to: Provide professional, technical, and economic consulting services. The objective of this Energy Sourcing Study is to analyze various options to source 100% renewable power for the Tucson community. Options to be analyzed will include: A. A feasibility study on the formation of a public power utility; B. Opportunities and barriers to co-forming a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program; C. Opportunities for solar service agreements (SSAs) or virtual power purchase agreements (PPAs) to meet the City's power needs for municipal operations; and, D. The ability to deploy micro-grids to support the clean energy transition. Phase 1 of the study should, at a minimum, consider (collect data on): A. Feasibility 1. A comprehensive feasibility study is the first step. This study should assess the economic, technical, and regulatory feasibility of forming a public power utility. It should include an analysis of the current energy infrastructure, potential costs of acquiring or building new infrastructure, and the projected costs and benefits of operating a municipal utility. B. Legal and Regulatory Considerations 1. The City would need to understand the legal and regulatory landscape for municipal utilities in Southern Arizona. This should include analysis of the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) and other regulations around the acquisition of infrastructure, environmental regulations, and regulations around the sale and distribution of electricity. C. Financial Considerations 1. Municipalizing energy distribution will require significant upfront investment. The study needs to work with Business Services and the City Manager’s Office to assess its ability to finance the acquisition or construction of energy infrastructure. This could involve issuing bonds, securing loans, or other financing mechanisms. The City would also need to consider the ongoing costs of operating and maintaining the utility, these costs as well as potential savings should be outlined as well.
