Tucson Electric Power Company

Tucson Electric Power Company is a regulated public utility and the principal subsidiary of UniSource Energy, representing approximately 81% of UniSource Energy’s assets as of December 31, 2008. TEP generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 400,000 retail electric customers in a 1,155 square mile area in Southern Arizona. TEP also sells electricity to other utilities and power marketing entities primarily located in the Western U.S. In addition, TEP operates Springerville Unit 3 on behalf of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. (Tri-State).

In September 2009, TEP agreed to buy power from two solar energy systems, a 25-megawatt photovoltaic array and a 5 MW concentrating solar power plant, to be built in Arizona by January 2012. TEP agreed to buy power from both systems for 20 years. The project developers can use the 20-year purchase agreements to secure financing.

New Coal Plants
Springerville Generating Station Unit 3 and Springerville Generating Station Unit 4 are two new coal plants at the Springerville Generating Station site, which already had two other existing 380 MW units. TEP operates the unit and output is divided among TEP (100 MW), Salt River Project (100 MW) and Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (218 MW). Coal is supplied by the North Antelope Rochelle Mine, south of Gillete, Wyoming.

Springerville Units 3 and 4 were the subject of a lawsuit brought by Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest on behalf of Western Resource Advocates and Grand Canyon Trust. After a series of court decisions and hearing, a settlement was reached that allowed construction of the plants in exchange for lowered emissions and investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency programs.

Contact details
Tucson Electric Power Company P.O. Box 711 Tucson, AZ 85702-0711 Phone: (800) 328-8853 Website: http://www.tucsonelectric.com/

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