Governor’s Visit, Legislative Priorities Highlight Arizona Electric Cooperatives’ Winter Conference
For Immediate Release
Contacts:
- Geoff Oldfather, (520) 586-5465, C: (520) 444-3473, email Geoff Oldfather
- J.D. Wallace, (520) 586-5157, C: (520) 235-4203, email J.D. Wallace
Phoenix – Gov. Doug Ducey made it clear he is a fan of Arizona’s electric cooperatives when he addressed attendees at the Grand Canyon State Electric Cooperative Association’s winter conference in Phoenix recently.
“Thank you for the good work you do,” Ducey said. “Providing reliable, affordable energy is the backbone of any state and any economy. We’re not just talking about creature comfort, we’re talking about public health and safety. If you don’t do your jobs well, it affects lives.”
Ducey keynoted the GCSECA conference, held annually at the start of the Arizona legislative session. Electric cooperative CEOs and general managers, board members and other stakeholders gather each year to learn about regulatory and legislative issues that co-ops face.
Casey Ratlief, GCSECA director of government relations and grassroots advocacy, covered the co-ops’ state legislative goals:
Promoting legislation to reduce risk for electric cooperatives that want to provide broadband. “Ducey’s budget focuses a lot on rural communities,” Ratlief said, adding it would fund smart-highway broadband corridors and triple the rural broadband development grant program—moves the co-ops endorse.
Supporting legislation to pre-empt cities and counties from banning natural gas hookups. “In California, this is preventing builders and developers from including natural gas hookups,” Ratlief said. “If passed, the Arizona legislation would benefit our members with natural gas meters and would send a signal to those who would tinker with Arizona energy policy at the local level.”
Jorge Canaca, GCSECA director of federal regulations and regulatory services, discussed the need to expedite regulations that co-ops support, including the Affordable Clean Energy Act and Waters of the U.S. “Depending on election results, leaders may decide to rescind the rules if they aren’t finalized by a certain time,” Canaca said. He thanked the Arizona congressional delegation for supporting electric
co-op issues on a nonpartisan basis.
During the conference, electric co-op leaders visited members of the state House and Senate. Dave Lock, GCSECA CEO, said that co-ops and their issues are well known at the state capitol, and co-op leaders have built credibility by meeting one-on-one with lawmakers. “It makes a big difference to tell our story in person,” he said.
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 (MW) (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 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 1.4 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.