Summer means hotter temperatures. We expect the energy market in the West to be tight. There may be times when we ask our Members to voluntarily conserve electricity during peak times – 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This is not meant to be a hardship. Energy conservation can be as simple as turning off lights or appliances when you do not need them.

Here are ways you can conserve energy:

• Take advantage of air circulation from ceiling fans. Circulating the air in a room can make a major difference in comfort while limiting energy use. In the summer, use the switch on your fan to rotate the blades counterclockwise and push cool air down.
• Run large appliances such as the washer, dryer and dishwasher after 8 p.m. or early in the morning. Running these appliances at cooler hours saves the air conditioning from working as hard. Wash clothes with cold water, which can cut one load’s energy use by more than half.
• Keep window coverings closed during the day to block the sun’s heat. Consider adding solar screens or window tinting.
• Improve/replace weather stripping around doors and windows. A combination of proper insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, shading, and ventilation will usually keep homes cool with a minimum of energy use.
• Turn off lights and unplug unused appliances, such as coffee makers, game consoles, cellphone chargers and TVs – which still draw some power while turned off or in standby mode.
• The less water you use, the less energy you use. Check your toilet for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the color appears in the bowl without flushing, your toilet has a leak. Also, fix leaky showerheads and faucets. A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year. Faucet and shower aerators are inexpensive devices that reduce the amount of water flow.
• Replace old appliances with new energy efficient appliances. If your refrigerator or dishwasher is more than 10 years old, the money you can save on energy use for a new appliance could pay for itself in just a few years.

With just a few small changes, you can relax in comfort this summer while saving money. For more energy saving tips, visit www.trico.coop/sustainable-energy/home-energy-savings.

Providing year-round reliable power to our Members is a top priority for Trico, and we are constantly working to improve and serve you better. One way that we strive to improve is by devoting a lot of time to planning and preparing for the things we can expect and the unexpected.

In Southern Arizona it is a safe bet that summer will be hot, and we work hard to plan and prepare for summer power needs years in advance. Monsoons are more difficult to predict. We know they will come, but we don’t know where the strongest winds, heaviest rain, or most intense lightning will strike. With summer storm season upon us, I thought it would be a good time to tell you about a few measures we are taking to ensure you continue receiving the reliable power you depend on.

Every year Trico’s employees work together to plan for summer storms and that includes a meeting that brings together every department to confirm everyone knows their role. We discuss how we will respond to storm damage, how we will communicate with Members, what materials and supplies we will need for the summer, and how to keep our employees and Members safe. Every year we try to learn from the prior year and get better.

The result is, Trico is ready for storm season. If we experience any power outages or damage to the system, our crews will be ready to make repairs as soon as conditions are safe, our warehouse will be ready to provide the materials needed, and our communications team will be ready to get the latest news out to Members.

Even with the challenge of continued supply chain shortages, Trico has a stock of poles, transformers, and other equipment, and we have coordinated with suppliers in case we need additional materials. We may not know exactly where Monsoons will hit, but we track detailed weather forecasts, and use the information we do have to be prepared.

We also encourage our Members to be prepared for summer storms, with information on social media, our website, the LiveWire, and at community meetings. Here are a few storm safety tips to help you prepare:

• If you experience a power outage, remember to check our outage map at
• trico.coop/outages for the latest updates.
• High winds may bring power lines down. If you encounter downed lines while driving, turn around. Lines may still be energized. Never drive near or over them.
• Heavy storms and rainfall have the potential to create flash floods. If you encounter standing water while driving, turn around and find a safer route.
• Make sure your cellphone, devices, and portable power banks are charged and ready to go.

Stay informed by following us on social media at facebook.com/TricoElectricAZ, instagram.com/TricoElectricAZ and twitter.com/TricoElectricAZ.

It took a team effort to rebuild the Green Valley Substation

Built in 1973, the Green Valley Substation (Green Valley Sub) needed an upgrade. So, in May 2022, Trico hired the firm TOR Engineering to come up with a plan for the rebuilding of the Green Valley Sub.

“Given the age of the substation, its limitations and the fact that we just finished rebuilding the 69 kV transmission line from the Bicknell Substation to Green Valley, it made sense to rebuild it,” said Roger Patnode, the Project Lead.

A decision was made to rebuild the whole substation.

“Starting with the Three Points Substation, we came up with a standard way of designing the 25 kV side of the substations,” Patnode said. “We’re using the same design for the new Adonis Substation and when we rebuild the Marana Substation.”

Like the SaddleBrooke Substation, Trico controls the 69 kV transmission line into the Green Valley Sub. At our other substations, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative Association (AEPCO) handles the 69 kV transmission line.

“At Green Valley, we designed the 69 kV side with a ring bus,” he said. “It provides us with more flexibility for expansion in the future.”

A ring bus configuration is an extension of the sectionalized bus arrangement and is accomplished by interconnecting the two open ends of the buses through another sectionalizing breaker. This results in a closed loop or ring with each bus section protected by a circuit breaker.

The rebuild was done in two phases. In July 2022, Trico started rebuilding the 25 kV side of the substation, south of the existing substation. The Green Valley Sub remained energized during this phase. In November 2022, the old substation was deenergized and demolished and the new 69 kV side was built during this phase.

“We picked up the Green Valley Sub circuits from Bicknell,” Patnode said. “We were able do it because loads are low in the winter.”

The Green Valley Sub was reenergized by May 2, 2023, just in time for summer. Patnode said a lot of work from different departments went into the rebuilding of the Green Valley Sub.

“It was a joint effort,” he said. “It starts with engineering. Then procurement – acquiring the needed equipment and materials. Operations and the Substation and Meter Technicians were also involved in the project. Kudos to everybody who worked on the project.”

Patnode said the two new 20 MVA transformers should last at least 30 years.

“The original transformer was 50 years old and still working when it was retired,” he said.

The Avion Solar Facility has been providing Trico with clean energy since 2018, and now we have added battery energy storage to the system.

On May 9, 2023, Trico held a ribbon‑cutting ceremony at Avion, attended by representatives from the Town of Marana, the Marana Chamber of Commerce, Torch Clean Energy and Solv Energy. The Town of Marana Mayor Ed Honea, Sarah Born from Torch and Trico CEO & GM Brian Heithoff gave speeches about the battery energy storage system and what it means to Trico’s Members and the Town of Marana.

“It’s an honor to be here and see how innovative Trico is with what they do in the community,” Mayor Honea said. “The batteries are really important because they provide service for us in times of emergency.”

The annual energy output of the Avion solar system is over 30,000 MWh per year, which is enough to power approximately 3,000 average residential homes. The 15 MW/30 MWh battery system matches the Chirreon Solar and Battery Storage Facility. The batteries can power about 4,000 homes for two hours.

“This will not only help us to provide some resilience but more importantly help us to save money when we discharge the battery over the most expensive part of the day so just another way Trico is looking out for its Members’ best interest,” Eric Hawkins said.

“The cornerstone of our plan is to have a balanced portfolio, so we intend to invest more in battery and solar while continuing to work with our partners to invest in new efficient natural gas technology,” Mr. Heithoff said. “The whole portfolio we put together is working together to ensure that we provide reliable service to our Members.

“(Avion) is tied for the largest battery installation of any cooperative in Arizona, and we are tied with ourselves for the Chirreon and Avion Solar sites. We are proud of that.”

Avion Solar & Battery Facts

Here are some facts about the project:

Solar Commissioned: December 14, 2018

System: 10 MW Single-axis tracking

Number of panels: 40,716 solar photovoltaic modules

Annual energy output: Over 30,000 MWh annually, which is enough to power approximately 3,000 average residential homes.

Battery System: 15 MW/30 MWh. The batteries can power about 4,000 homes for two hours.

Renewable Energy: About 33 percent of Trico’s retail sales come from renewable resources.

By Rylee Schull

In March 2023, Trico employees Sabrina and Bryan English, an IT Specialist and a Journeyman Lineman respectively, embarked on a 3,852-mile round trip from Trico to Nashville, Tennessee, and back in a Ford Lightning F-150 all-electric truck.

Sabrina and Bryan went to Nashville for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) PowerXchange and TechAdvantage conferences. They made stops at electric cooperatives along the way, including Columbus Electric Co-op in New Mexico. On the way back, they stopped at First Electric Cooperative in Jacksonville, Arkansas. "They were so welcoming, and we appreciated them letting us charge the Lightning," Sabrina said.

While at a charger, they met an employee from Craighead Electric Cooperative in Arkansas who was also heading to the PowerXchange conference and driving a Ford Lightning. It’s always a happy coincidence to meet with our co-op family.

"After this experience, we both agreed we would travel with an electric vehicle again like this," Sabrina said. "Charging times allowed us to take breaks, get our steps in, shop, and most importantly save money and the environment by not buying gas and reducing our carbon footprint. Chargers were easily accessible and available at frequent stops across our route. We only had one issue with a charger, but after calling Electrify America (an EV public charging network across the U.S.) they were able to fix the problem quickly and get us on our way."

The journey took a total of 78 hours, including stops and charging time, which was faster than expected due to the efficiency of the

350 kW chargers. Despite the freezing temperatures impacting range, with 221 miles at 90% charge compared to 273 miles, the average charge times were only 35 minutes. The total charging cost of $385 was roughly a third of what they would have paid for gas. Overall, the trip was a success and highlighted the potential for all-electric trucks to handle long-distance travel.

Trico is proud to continue meeting the needs of our Members, including learning more about EVs and providing upcoming rates/options for our Members with EVs.

To look back at Sabrina and Bryan’s journey, visit Trico’s Facebook page at facebook.com/TricoElectricAZ or Instagram at instagram.com/TricoElectricAZ.

Answers to your questions

Our Members had questions about the trip. Here are the answers to those questions.

Where do you find charging stations?

There are a few ways to find charging stations, but here are the top two options Sabrina and Bryan used:

1) Electrify America is a great option that you can use to map out your entire route. It will show you where all their chargers are located, and typically they have quick chargers available!

2) Many EVs have built in navigation that can help route you to chargers to make sure you won’t run out of power before getting to the next station.

Does the weather affect the mileage?

The freezing temperatures did impact range, with 221 miles at 90% charge compared to 273 miles.

Outside temperatures, particularly colder weather, can impact the range of an EV. Unlike a gas-powered vehicle, where the heat is mostly coming from the engine, an EV must produce cabin heat and manage an optimal battery temperature with energy that comes from the battery, which can reduce battery range.

Are electric vehicles reliable for road trips?

You can make a long road trip without fear of getting stranded, as long as you plan ahead. That means juggling route-planning apps and billing accounts with various charging companies, which can get confusing. And be prepared for the unexpected, like glitchy charging equipment touchscreens, billing questions and inoperable plugs.

How far can you travel in an electric vehicle?

Many of today's EVs have a range well over 100 miles per charge, with some models reaching more than 300 miles per charge.