Transcript Helping Governments Go Solar

Helping Government Go Solar
Steven Eddy, AICP
Government Relations
August 21, 2014
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TEP/UniSource Energy Services
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Tucson Electric Power
serves 414,000
customers in Tucson
metropolitan area
UniSource Energy
Services serves 243,000
customers in northern
and southern Arizona
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—
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UNS Gas: 150,000
UNS Electric: 93,000
Parent company UNS
Energy acquired in
August 2014 by Fortis,
largest investor-owned
utility company in
Canada
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Renewable Energy Leadership
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Springerville Solar System
— Once ranked as the
world’s most productive
grid-tied solar array
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TEP named Solar Electric
Power Association (SEPA)
Investor Owned Utility of
the Year in 2012
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Innovative programs
— Bright Tucson
Community Solar
— Fixed-price (proposed
for 2015 – stay tuned)
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Bright Tucson Community Solar Program
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Flexible, low-cost plan
Customers buy “blocks”
of solar energy
generated by local
utility-scale
photovoltaic systems
Program rate replaces
fossil fuel charges, fixed
for 20 years
Rate initially higher, but
savings can be realized
over time as traditional
energy charges increase
Discounted rates
available for bulk
government buyers
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City of Tucson
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10 MW of Community
Solar capacity
— Contract approved
in 2013, locked in
before rate increase
Source: 35-MW NRG
array in Avra Valley
— On Tucson Water
land, generating
lease revenue
Usage reflected on
multiple accounts
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Pima County
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5 MW of Community
Solar capacity
— Approved in 2012
Source: 5 MW Prairie
Fire system near
Valencia/Kolb
Usage reflected on
multiple accounts
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Fort Huachuca U.S. Army Base
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TEP to build, own and operate 18 MW array on Sierra Vista base
Will provide system output to Fort Huachuca under existing rates
Helping U.S. Army achieve its renewable energy goals at no up-front cost
TEP ownership helps avoid interconnection delays, permitting pitfalls
Coming online in 2014
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