Employees Are Tested, Line Crews Maintain Social Distancing, and Campus Maintenance Increases
For Immediate Release
July 6, 2020
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
BENSON –Arizona G&T Cooperatives (AzGT) has initiated a number of changes recently in an effort to increase employee and visitor safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Free Testing: All employees were given the opportunity to receive free antibody testing to to see if an employee has had the virus. ARCpoint Laps of Tucson conducted on-site testing at AzGT’s Apache Generating Station as well as at the Benson campus, making results available to employees within minutes. In addition, employees who did not attend the on-site events could be tested for a set period at ARCpoint Labs in Tucson. While individual results remained confidential, the lab shared overall results with AzGT so the cooperative could evaluate how the virus has affected its workforce and potential workforce immunity.
Line Crews Maintain Social Distancing: New procedures have been implemented to assure the safety of AzGT transmission line crews. This was on display recently north of Benson along Three-Links Road on the Apache-Hayden 115 kilovolt line. Here, a crew performed preventive maintenance, replacing two damaged transmission poles. Normally, repairs would involve one person driving one bucket truck, with two crew members in the bucket. This time, the crew used two trucks with one driver in each, and one crew member in each of the two buckets. This allowed personnel to keep at least six feet apart, diminishing the risk of spreading the virus.
Maintenance Increases at Benson Campus: Many of AzGT’s 200-plus employees are working from home to avoid contracting the virus from others in the workplace. With an average of just 25 personnel working at the cooperative’s Benson campus, facilities maintenance crews have moved into high gear, making strides in maintenance and improvements. They are replacing light fixtures and ceiling tiles, cleaning air ducts, and disinfecting areas. The office footprint of an AzGT trading partner, ACES West Regional Trading Center, is being renovated to provide more staff and conference space. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning units are receiving new filters at both the Benson headquarters and Apache Generating Station. Restroom doors are being renovated to allow for touchless access, and hand sanitizers are being placed at all entry/exit doors.
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.