Skip to main content

Tag: environment

Trico staff work together to rescue baby hawks

Written by Monica Pugno on . Posted in Livewire.

While inspecting lines in Marana, Trico’s line inspector saw a bird’s nest on a pole. Trico linemen Bryan English and Shem Scott were sent to inspect the condition of the nest and found three eggs.

As part of our Avian Protection Plan, Trico contacted a wildlife specialist from Liberty Wildlife to assist.

Later, when Bryan went up to add rubber blankets to cover the energized conductors, he noticed two eggs hatched, so there were two baby hawks and one egg.

The babies and egg were safely transferred to a specialized cooler and were put in a portable incubator for transport to Liberty Wildlife.

Liberty Wildlife gave the baby birds fluids and the egg remained in incubation until it hatched.

Eventually, a Red-Tailed Hawk will take over as “mom” to help raise the babies.

Construction continues at Chirreon Solar & Battery Facility

Written by Monica Pugno on . Posted in Latest News.

Trico employees and contractors from SOLV Energy continue working at the Chirreon Solar and Battery Storage Facility, located on Edwin Road west of North Oracle Road within Pinal County.

Chirreon will have over 40,000 photovoltaic solar panels, and the 15-megawatt battery storage system will be capable of discharging 30 MWh of energy. The facility will help Trico delay the cost of transmission and distribution upgrades and manage load in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.

Chirreon is projected to be in service by summer 2022. Once operational the Chirreon facility will produce more than 30,000 megawatt-hours of energy each year, or enough to power about 3,000 average residential homes in the Trico service territory.

Spring into savings with these energy conservation tips

Written by Monica Pugno on . Posted in Energy Efficiency, Livewire.

There are many ways to reduce your household’s energy use, ranging from simple behavioral adjustments to extensive home improvements.

Here are some ways to conserve energy and save electricity in your home:

  • When streaming content, use the smallest device that makes sense for the number of people watching. Avoid streaming on game consoles, which use 10 times more power than streaming through a tablet or laptop. Streaming content with electronic equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR® rating will use 25% to 30% less energy than standard equipment.
  • When was your cooling system last serviced? Most manufacturers recommend an annual tune up for your home’s cooling system. Spring is a great time to schedule this service so you can beat the summer rush when the pros are busiest. A qualified professional can check the amount of refrigerant, accuracy of the thermostat, condition of belts and motors and other factors that can greatly impact the efficiency of your system.
  • Energy efficiency can have a major impact on lowering your monthly energy bills. For example, upgrading to energy-efficient LED bulbs would save the average household about $100 each year. ENERGY STAR appliances – such as refrigerators, dishwashers and water heaters – also have considerable savings over their lifetimes. An energy-efficient clothes washer, for example, could save you about $50 each year on energy and water bills.
  • There are also no-cost changes to your behaviors that can help you save each month. For example, standby power – the electricity used when appliances are turned “off” or in standby mode – costs the average household about $100 each year. By unplugging devices (or using a power strip) when not in use, you can immediately start saving on your bills – same with turning off lights or adjusting the thermostat by a few degrees.
  • Smart thermostats learn your heating and cooling habits and automatically adjust to your preferences. They can also be programmed or adjusted remotely using a Wi-Fi connected device, such as your phone or tablet. Homeowners can save an average of 10-12 percent on heating bills and 15 percent on cooling bills.

Click here for more energy saving tips.