After a week of sweltering temperatures around metro Phoenix, when both of the area's major electric utilities reported new records for high use, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has asked the state's power companies to detail their action plans to prevent outages and help customers if emergencies arise.
The governor's Friday letter to power companies also invites them to a roundtable meeting to prepare for future heatwaves "by improving grid resiliency, home weatherization and energy efficiency."
The letter requests that the utilities address how they will prevent power disconnection, mitigate and repair grid outages, help customers in an emergency outage (and) provide services for customers who may fall into arrears. It also asks them about providing additional community services to mitigate the impact of the heat wave.
The two major electricity providers around metro Phoenix, Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project, acknowledged receiving the letter.
APS said it plans to provide a response to the governor's office, while SRP said it welcomes "the open discussion with Gov. Hobbs and (looks) forward to sharing how we are ensuring grid reliability, providing customer assistance and increasing community support during this unprecedented heat wave."
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APS on Tuesday highlighted its heat wave plans, including having crews at the ready, and it urged customers to conserve energy during peak hours between 4 and 7 p.m. Each day this week, peak usage was between 5 and 6 p.m., according to the company.
"The threat this heat poses to Arizonans cannot be understated," the governor wrote, noting the deaths that have already occurred this summer. Maricopa County has seen 18 confirmed heat-related deaths and another 69 deaths that are suspected to be related to the heat as of July 15.
"As this devastating heat wave continues, the risk of heat-related deaths, illness and injury will only increase," Hobbs' letter reads.
Hobbs spokesman Christian Slater said the letter was sent to Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power, Southwest Gas, Mesa and electricity co-operatives that provide service in rural areas.
The letter also cites an announcement by the state workplace-safety agency earlier this week that its inspectors would focus on high-heat hazards and conduct targeted inspections of industries that are considered high-risk, such as agriculture and construction.
While Hobbs is seeking more information from the companies that keep Arizonans cool, one of the state’s top regulators touted the ability of local power utilities to meet heightened demand.
Jim O’Connor, Arizona Corporation Commission chairman, described the utilities' performance as a “triumph,” calling it a collaborative effort involving diligence, foresight and preparation. “We've proven time and again that we're all in this together,” he said in a prepared statement.
Ted Geisler, APS' president, supported that view.
“Despite historic levels of energy usage, APS and its customers experienced no issues related to power supply, and that does not happen by accident," he said in a statement. "It takes years of planning, maintaining a diverse energy mix, investing in and strengthening the electric system, and most importantly, teams of people who are dedicated to keeping the lights on for customers when they need us most."
SRP said it invests in the power grid to mitigate the risk of a prolonged outage and conducts careful planning to ensure the company has enough generation capacity to meet peak energy needs.
"When an outage does occur, our crews are available around the clock to restore power safely and as quickly as possible," the company said in a statement. "SRP carries spare equipment in preparation for storm events to expedite power restoration and recovery time."
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Given this summer’s heat wave, SRP added that it would make temporary changes to its disconnection policy and would not stop service for nonpayment for any residential and commercial customers through July. Customers in an SRP program known as the Economy Price Plan will not be disconnected for nonpayment through August.
SRP urged customers facing problems paying their bills to contact the utility "as quickly as possible so we can offer solutions to help them avoid a worsening financial situation." SRP offers various options to help customers with past-due balances, including extending due dates and making other payment arrangements.
APS does not shut off power for nonpayment during the warmer months. "APS maintains a seasonal hold on disconnects for non-payment, meaning from June 1 through Oct. 15 we do not shut off power for past-due accounts," said Yessica del Rincon, a spokeswoman for the utility, in an email. "We also waive late fees during this period."
Statistics provided by O’Connor show each of the state’s three main electricity providers have exceeded their peak summer forecasts in recent days, yet each still has more capacity.
In the case of APS, which supplies power to various parts of the state including much of metro Phoenix, the company forecast a peak summer power need of 8,184 megawatts but recently hit 8,191, he indicated.
APS said Thursday's energy use by its more than 1.3 million customers, at 8,193 megawatts, was a record. The total from July 14 through 20 recorded the seven highest peak-use days in APS history.
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Salt River Project forecast a peak of 7,747 megawatts but reached 7,798, while Tucson Electric Power forecast 2,955 and hit 3,369, according to O'Connor.
SRP, which also serves much of metro Phoenix, said it recently set yet another record for power delivered at 8,163 megawatts late Tuesday afternoon.
Utilities cite different measurements for power use. SRP estimates one megawatt is capable of powering about 225 average-sized homes, while APS estimates one megawatt powers roughly 160 homes.
O’Connor cited several factors that he said distinguished Arizona from other states facing temperature extremes.
One is using a diversified mix of fuel sources including nuclear power, coal, natural gas, renewable energy such as wind and solar power, as well as energy stored in batteries for release during periods of peak demand. Another is self-sufficiency, in which he said Arizona isn’t dependent on power imported from other states, though utilities here do tap these sources when needed.
Proactive maintenance is another key factor, with much work conducted prior to summer months, he said. Then there's grid interconnectivity and communication among utilities during peak summer months so that each company is kept informed about needs, potential disruptions and other challenges.
Some utilities have agreements with customers who voluntarily allow them to adjust thermostats during peak demand periods.
According to O'Connor, SRP and APS have nearly the same amount of power capacity at 9,498 and 9,401 megawatts, respectively, with Tucson Electric Power at 3,612.
Reach the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.
Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669. Follow her on Twitter @sbarchenger.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ Gov. Hobbs asks APS, SRP for action plans to prevent power outages
