A state-level commission approved the energy request between a developer and Tucson Electric Power Wednesday, closing the loop on the final public vote before the massive data center slated for Pima County begins construction.
The vote by the Arizona Corporation Commission Wednesday evening, with four commissioners in favor and one against, was preceded by a lengthy public comment section with most speakers voicing their opposition to the agreement, as well as a sharp round of questions from several commissioners.
A core of activists with the No Desert Data Center coalition made the trip to Phoenix from Tucson for the nine-hour meeting. Wearing red shirts, they called for the commission to take a stand against the data center…