Phoenix, Ariz. – The Arizona Corporation Commission works vigorously to ensure that our regulated utilities are prepared to produce enough capacity to meet peak demand during the hot summer months. Chairman Jim O’Connor is pleased to report that our state continues to meet these challenging electricity demands without interruption, saying “Hotter temperatures and monsoon winds put even more pressure on our electric grid, as we demand increasing amounts of power each year from our utilities. Thankfully Arizona has top notch utilities with dedicated employees that coordinate to keep our power reliable across our state.”  This year, utilities were anticipating an even higher electricity demand than last year’s record highs.  Here is a snapshot of the state’s three largest utilities’ performance over the last two weeks during an unrelenting excessive heat warning:

Company                Highest Peak Demand to Date in 2024      Record High in 2023

APS                          8,100 MW on July 8, 2024                              8,200 MW

SRP                          8,087 MW on July 8, 2024                             8,163 MW

TEP/UNS                 2,917 MW on July 8, 2024                             2,969 MW                             

 

In April, the three largest utilities assured the Commission that they are prepared to produce a combined total of more than 23,000 gigawatts of electricity to meet daily summer demands. Arizona utilities produce power from diverse sources, including natural gas, coal, nuclear, steam, solar, battery, wind, hydroelectric, and storage facilities, as well as investing in short-term purchases.

 Company               # Customers             Capacity                     Peak Forecast 

APS                       1.3 million                       9,742 MW                   8,403 MW     

SRP                       1.1 million                       9,385 MW                   8,257 MW

TEP/UNS                 719,000                           3,500 MW                   2,974   MW

 

The Commission encourages Arizonans to be mindful and help reduce electric demand during peak hours.  “Each of us can continue to do our part to lessen the demands on our power grid during critical times of the day, especially between 4pm and 7pm, by turning up our thermostats an additional degree or two and delaying the use of our major appliances or charging vehicles until the later evening or early morning hours,” said Chairman O’Connor. 

The Commission remains committed to rigorously regulating resource planning to make sure that our energy landscape remains affordable, reliable, and responsive to the needs of Arizonans.  The Commission also ensures that regulated utilities remain proactive in maintaining the power grid throughout the year and that the infrastructure remains safe and dependable.