Before we turn the page on another year, it’s worth reviewing some of the accomplishments we were most proud of in 2025.
From high reliability to lower summer rates, a new energy storage solution, and deeper partnerships with our customers, our achievements this year have left us well-positioned for a strong start in 2026.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the highlights:
January: Cutting Carbon Emissions
We started the year with good news. From 2011-2024, our customers partnered with us to achieve cumulative savings of more than 24 million tons of CO2 emissions by participating in our energy efficiency programs. Energy efficiency doesn’t just reduce costs at home; it also supports cleaner air and reduces the need for new energy resources as we work toward our aspirational goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050. We’ve already made significant progress. Between 2019 and 2024, our CO2 emissions dropped 38 percent thanks to coal plant retirements and new wind, solar and storage projects.
February: Celebrating Compassion
The month of love and friendship is a fitting time to highlight giving back. We celebrated TEP’s $1.6 million in 2024 philanthropic donations and more than 13,000 volunteer hours in support of about 170 local nonprofit groups. All donations come from company resources and are not recovered through customers’ rates.
Our customers joined us in giving back throughout the year. Thousands of customers stepped up to help by rounding up their bill to help others in need, contributing nearly $119,000. Since TEP’s HEERO program launched in 2011, customers have contributed more than $2 million dollars to support their neighbors.
March: Exploring New Energy Options
TEP announced it is working with neighboring power providers, Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project, to explore adding nuclear generation in Arizona.
The companies have a shared interest in evaluating the potential of emerging nuclear technologies to satisfy growing energy needs in the state. Nuclear energy will remain a valuable part of Arizona’s diverse energy mix, providing reliable and clean power 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
April: Energy Cost Savings
TEP customers enjoyed lower energy costs this summer – for the second year in a row – thanks to surcharge updates that took effect just in time for rising temperatures. Residential customers with typical summertime usage saw bill reductions of about $6 over the summer, with lower savings in months with cooler weather.
May: Honoring Teachers
TEP provides lessons about energy efficiency, electrical safety and renewable energy in local classrooms that reach about 14,000 students. As the school year came to a close, we honored Aaron Buckley, a sixth grade science teacher at Los Amigos Tech Academy, with a Bright Students Teacher Award for participating in TEP’s Bright Students program since 2018. Thanks to him, nearly 550 students at Los Amigos Elementary School have had the chance to learn more about energy and conservation.
June: Lighting Up the Navajo Nation
For the second year in a row, two utility crews headed up north to bring electricity to families in the Navajo Nation.
Over the course of two weeks, they installed 56 poles and ran wire to provide power to about 15 customers as part of Light Up Navajo.
July: 12 Years of Top-Tier Reliability
We entered summer storm season with a 12-year record of providing top-tier service to customers, once again making us one of the most reliable electric service providers in the country.
Since 2012, we have consistently achieved top-quartile reliability scores when compared to other energy providers, based on the System Average Interruption Duration Index. This metric represents the average length of time a customer is without service over the course of a year due to weather, maintenance, equipment failure and other factors.
The average TEP customer was without service for about 68 minutes in 2024 based on that year’s national scorecard. That compared to a nationwide average above 100 minutes, placing us well within the first quartile of results gathered by the Edison Electrical Institute.
August: New Battery System Helped Meet Record Energy Use
Demand on TEP’s local energy grid peaked at 2,502 megawatts (MW) between 5 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 6. That new record was driven by record high temperatures of 111 degrees during a sweltering stretch of hot, dry weather.
Our new Roadrunner Reserve battery energy storage system, which became operational just in time for summer, helped us satisfy that record energy demand by storing lower-cost energy until it was needed most.
The 200-megawatt (MW) system serves two key purposes: supporting grid reliability and improving efficiency. The system helped TEP avoid purchasing electricity during peak hours, when both demand and prices were at their highest. The system is the largest energy storage resource in TEP’s portfolio.
September: Helping Charities Share the Sun
In collaboration with other partners, TEP contributed $25,000 and technical support to the Nonprofit Solar Project. The group provides solar panels to select local nonprofit groups, helping them reduce energy costs and achieve their sustainability goals.
The project is an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona with Solar United Neighbors of Arizona, along with other private and corporate donors. For TEP, it’s a way to help our nonprofit partners better serve our community. Explore more here.
October: Customers Supported Summer Reliability
The Smart Rewards program concluded its third summer season, successfully saving energy and costs for the overall system. Participants receive gift cards for allowing slight adjustments to their smart thermostats during periods when energy demand is high.
More than 22,000 thermostats were linked to 10 events. Collectively, on average, each event saved the equivalent energy use of 9,700 homes. Watch a video to learn more about one customer’s experience with Smart Rewards.
November: Net Zero Hero Awards
TEP is working to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 while keeping energy affordable and reliable. But we can’t do it alone: we need our customers to help us get there, by partnering with us to save energy and shift usage to periods when we have more wind and solar power available.
We recognize our leading partners in these efforts annually with Net Zero Hero awards. We selected Tucson Medical Center and Tucson Unified School District from nominations we received from our employees and the community. Nominees included local businesses, nonprofit groups, and other entities that champion sustainability, embrace innovation and make thoughtful choices about the environment.
December: Giving Back
We haven’t tied a bow on the year just yet, but we’ve donated more than $1.6 million so far to more than 160 nonprofit groups focusing on community vitality, K-12 education, environmental stewardship, and social justice issues.
Our philanthropic efforts also included an additional focus on housing stability, as well as heat resiliency and wildfire mitigation. All donations come from company resources and are not recovered through customers’ rates.
Learn more and watch our crews light Winterhaven in support of our community’s annual holiday tradition.
