Contacts:
- Magen Howard, (520) 586-5561, C: (419) 901-6600, email Magen Howard
- J.D. Wallace, (520) 586-5157, C: (520) 235-4203, email J.D Wallace
BENSON – Arizona G&T Cooperatives was recently featured in a webinar designed to train other rural electric cooperatives in how to promote Community Wellness Through Community Partnership.
“We wanted to feature Arizona G&T Cooperatives as a G&T that is very involved in philanthropic efforts and in helping improve the overall wellbeing of the communities it serves,” said Scott Bialick, senior program manager for business development for Touchstone Energy, the strategic communications cooperative that serves about 700 of the nation’s not-for-profit and mostly rural electric co-ops.
The percentage of cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in nonmetro areas overtook those of metro areas in November. Rural areas have also struggled with rising unemployment and business closures as a result of the pandemic. That’s why Touchstone Energy, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the National Rural Economic Development Association joined together to sponsor a series of webinars titled Community Wellness Through Community Partnerships.
The webinar covered AzGT’s support of:
- COVID testing events through Chiricahua Community Health Centers Inc. (CCHCI), co-sponsored with Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, in Willcox, Benson and Sierra Vista
- Sponsoring Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of southern Arizona
- Matching donations through CoBank’s Sharing Success program to install power for the RMHC mobile dentistry unit at CCHCI’s Benson clinic
- Using Sharing Success to continue sponsorships and donations to food banks and other organizations
- Low-interest rural economic development loans through REDL&G, a USDA program, to fund:
- A new aircraft fueling facility at the Benson airport
Benson Hospital’s Family Health Care Clinic and its physical, speech and occupational therapy clinic - A digital record-keeping project at Northern Cochise Community Hospital in Willcox
- And the Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group office in Benson.
- A new aircraft fueling facility at the Benson airport
Emily Vickers of CCHCI commented on the impact of AzGT’s support for public COVID-19 testing. “The funding provided for testing at the height of the outbreak literally saved lives,” she said.
Bialick explained why AzGT and Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative were selected to share their stories through the webinars: “Showcasing these best practices will inspire other communities to take an active role in improving their hometowns.”
About Arizona G&T Cooperatives
Arizona Electric Power Cooperative (AEPCO) and Sierra Southwest (Sierra) together comprise Arizona G&T Cooperatives. AEPCO owns and operates the 625-megawatt (combined gross) Apache Generating Station, located at Cochise, east of Benson. AEPCO also owns, operates and maintains 866 miles of electric power transmission line—including line owned in part with other utilities—and 36 substations to provide wholesale electric power from Apache to 6 Member distribution cooperatives in southern Arizona, western New Mexico, northwestern Arizona and California.
Sierra is the vehicle to develop new ways to serve the renewable energy needs of AzGT Member cooperatives and customers, and helps maximize solar and other renewable tax credits. Sierra has initiated 2 utility-scale solar projects. AEPCO’s 20 megawatt (MW) Apache Solar project is located on AEPCO property adjacent to and northeast of Apache Generating Station. The second project includes SunAnza Phase I, a 2 MW solar array, as well as SunAnza Phase II, which includes an additional 1.35 MW solar array and a battery storage system, all on property owned by Anza Electric Cooperative adjacent to its headquarters in Anza, California.
Combined, the distribution cooperatives that receive AEPCO’s wholesale power serve more than 161,000 meters representing more than 420,000 individual residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial member/consumers.
The Class A Member cooperatives that receive wholesale power from AEPCO include Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative, Duncan; Graham County Electric Cooperative, Pima; Mohave Electric Cooperative, Bullhead City; Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, Willcox; Trico Electric Cooperative, Marana; and a California member, Anza Electric Cooperative, Anza.
These Member cooperatives own AzGT and, by extension, AzGT’s Member distribution cooperatives are owned by their members—the people at the end of the line who use the power.
AEPCO also serves 5 Class D energy services Members which are scheduling and trading customers and which include the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, Phoenix, AZ; Lincoln County Power District #1, Pioche, NV; Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; Southwest Public Power Agency, Maricopa, AZ; and Valley Electric Association, Pahrump, NV.
AEPCO is also a Member/owner of ACES, a nationwide energy management company that helps its Members and customers buy, sell, and manage energy more efficiently and with less risk. The AEPCO/AzGT Benson campus hosts the ACES West Regional Trading Center (WRTC), which benefits AEPCO/AzGT Members and customers.