The $3.3 billion LAX Skylink train won't carry passengers until at least Feb. 5, 2027, a month later than projected. Electrical explosions on the tracks and a standoff between two city agencies over solar power keep pushing the finish line further out.

Lead contractor LAX Integrated Express Solutions, known as LINXS, disclosed the new target date in its latest monthly progress report, first reported by the Los Angeles Times. The previous projected opening was Jan. 6, 2027. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), which oversees the project, has not confirmed either date.

The report warned that the delay "will continue to increase on a day-for-day basis" until LAWA and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) reach an agreement on solar power for the train, according to the Times. LINXS said in a separate disclosure filing that LAWA, as the landowner, should sign the solar connectivity agreement with LADWP but has declined to do so, the Times reported.

LADWP officials declined to comment on the agreements, citing pending litigation, according to the Times.

The solar dispute is not the only problem. An Oct. 8 report to the project's lenders from an outside advisor confirmed four arc blasts that damaged the train's power rail and guide beam during testing, according to the Times. LINXS's own monthly report documented three arc flashes on Sept. 23 and Sept. 25, as Yo Venice and NBC Los Angeles also reported. Technicians completed repairs and restarted testing.

The 2.25-mile elevated train was supposed to open in 2023 under former Mayor Eric Garcetti's administration. Construction began in 2019. Project costs have grown by roughly $1.4 billion since then.

Before passengers can board, the system must complete 30 consecutive days of testing without a major malfunction. Any serious failure resets the clock to day one. The train also needs sign-off from an independent engineering firm, airport clearances and a finalized solar power agreement.

The delays have become a campaign issue in the mayor's race. City Councilmember and mayoral candidate Nithya Raman held a news conference Thursday, Oct. 29, in front of one of the train's future stations.

"If her own departments can't resolve a disagreement holding up a multi-billion dollar project … Where is the Mayor? She is once again missing in action," Raman said, according to NBC Los Angeles. Raman told reporters that if she unseats Mayor Karen Bass, her first-week priority would be to convene airport, LADWP and contractor officials to break the logjam, the Times reported.

Bass said the project was approved and launched before she took office. She pointed to contractor disagreements and safety concerns as causes for the delays.

"We obviously don't want people on the people mover until we are guaranteed that it is safe," Bass told KNX News radio, according to the Times. "I anticipate that that should be by the first of the year because if it's not, then one of the contractors is going to face severe financial penalties."

Bass appoints the heads of both LAWA and LADWP. The Times reported that the mayor's office did not respond to questions about whether the two agencies are expected to sign the solar power agreement before the train opens.

After the Times story and Raman's news conference, LAWA issued a statement saying "litigation and disputes are not holding up the progress on the train," and that the primary delay is LINXS's inability to complete required testing. LINXS has sued the city over the project's delays. An independent grand jury report found the contractor largely responsible, according to the Times.

Once operational, the fare-free train will connect airport terminals to parking, rental car facilities, a new ride-hail pickup area and Metro's LAX/Metro Transit Center. The system has six stations, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal.

LAWA has said it will not set a firm opening date until all testing is complete.