The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
TEP has served our community for more than 130 years and provides 99.9% reliability, a standard that’s easy to take for granted.
Going forward, however, reliability won’t be enough. We’re transforming our local energy grid to ensure it remains dependable while becoming cleaner, more flexible, and more resilient.
TEP is firmly committed to a cleaner energy future for our community. We’ve already reduced carbon emissions by about 40 percent since 2019, and we are working toward net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re moving forward with purpose — expanding wind, solar and storage systems, modernizing our grid, exploring zero carbon resources like nuclear energy and long duration hydro-pumped storage, and partnering with customers to make meaningful progress.
This year, several new energy facilities will come online to help us continue that progress. Our evolving portfolio features more renewable resources than ever as we prepare to phase out our use of coal-fired generation by 2032.
In 2021, we doubled our community-scale clean energy resources with two massive wind projects and a large solar-plus-storage system. Since then, we’ve steadily worked to bring more clean energy online. This year, we’ll begin receiving energy from our largest solar resource yet: the 160-megawatt (MW) Babacomari Solar system. Soon after that, an expansion of the Wilmot Energy Center will be completed, adding 100 MW of solar and 100 MW of battery storage.
Before summer, we expect the second phase of our Roadrunner Reserve battery facility to be operational. Like the first phase, it will be capable of storing 800 megawatt hours — enough energy to power about 42,000 homes for four hours. Looking ahead to 2027, completion of the Winchester Solar project will add another 80 MW of solar and 80 MW of battery storage to our clean energy portfolio.
While these renewable energy resources will help us reduce carbon emissions, they cannot carry the load by themselves. The electric grid operates in real time; every watt must be delivered to customers at the moment it’s needed. Wind and solar are vital, but they alone can’t meet all our energy needs. Our grid requires backup from resources that can quickly ramp up or down to meet changing demand.
Energy storage helps bridge that gap. Last year, our Roadrunner Reserve system helped us satisfy record-setting energy demand on a late summer afternoon with solar power generated earlier that day. But batteries are not yet deployed at a scale that allows us to forego conventional resources.
That’s why natural gas plays a key role in our transition. Gas-fired plants emit roughly half the carbon dioxide of coal units while providing reliable, around-the-clock power. Nationwide, the shift from coal to natural gas and the growth of renewables have driven power-sector emissions down nearly 41 percent since 2005, according to EPA data.
At TEP, we’re converting our coal plants at Springerville Generating Station to operate on natural gas — an investment that will form the backbone of a more flexible, sustainable energy system and reflect our long-term commitment to the health of our community and planet.
It was also the most affordable option. The capital cost is expected at about $200 million, compared to a new natural gas-fired unit at $1.5 billion, and much more for solar-plus-storage. This approach not only promotes affordability but also preserves local jobs and helps us maintain top-tier reliability.
Threats to reliability, such as extreme weather, demand action, but so does our community’s need for affordable, reliable power. We need to deliver on all these priorities. That’s why we’re combining solar, wind, storage, and natural gas to make practical, immediate progress toward a sustainable future.
Our employees live and work in this community, and we share your commitment to protecting it. Thank you for trusting us for more than 130 years. Together, we’ll continue to power Tucson with integrity and a shared vision for a cleaner, stronger tomorrow.
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