Tucson Electric Power Details 15-Year Strategy to Transition Energy Mix Away From Coal
Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has outlined a 15-year plan to transition its energy mix away from coal, with plans to convert coal-fired units to natural gas and end ownership in coal plants by 2030-2031. The utility also intends to significantly…
Tucson, AZ, November 4, 2026 — Tucson Electric Power (TEP) has announced a comprehensive 15-year strategy aimed at shifting its energy generation portfolio away from coal. The plan includes concrete steps to phase out coal reliance while integrating more renewable energy sources and natural gas power generation.
Under the outlined strategy, TEP plans to convert existing coal-fired power units to natural gas. Furthermore, the utility intends to cease its ownership in coal plants entirely by the years 2030 and 2031. This marks a significant move towards modernizing its energy infrastructure and reducing its dependence on coal as a primary energy source.
In parallel with the reduction of coal power, TEP is set to substantially expand its capacity for solar power generation and battery storage. The utility projects a significant increase in both solar and battery storage capacity, with a target year of 2041 for these enhancements. This expansion aims to bolster the integration of renewable energy into the grid and improve grid reliability.
The plan also involves the addition of new natural gas generation. This component of the strategy is designed to complement the transition, providing a reliable power source as TEP integrates a larger share of intermittent renewable resources like solar energy.
The specifics regarding the exact timeline for the conversion of coal units to natural gas, the precise capacity targets for solar and battery storage by 2041, and the details of the new natural gas generation projects were not further elaborated in the provided summary.
Story summarized from the original created by Marc Monroy on www.kgun9.com, see more information here.
