APS Earns EPA’s Highest ENERGY STAR Honor
Only Arizona Company to Receive Sustained Excellence Award this Year

March 23, 2010

Arizona Public Service is the only Arizona company to receive the U.S. Environmental Agency's highest honor in 2010. The EPA presented APS with a Sustained Excellence Award for the utilities continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency.

Pictured, left to right: Tom Hines, Contract Services, Marketing; EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson; Orlick; and Sandy Lockard, Senior Account Representative, Marketing

APS received the award at a ceremony in Washington D.C. on March 18. The award recognizes the APS ENERGY STAR^®  Homes Program for promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Award winners were selected from more than 17,000 organizations across the country that participate in the ENERGY STAR program. Prior to this year, just eight utilities nationwide have earned the Sustained Excellence Award since the ENERGY STAR program began in 1992.

"To be honored by the EPA is significant because it further validates the effort we are making to create a sustainable energy future for Arizona," said Terry Orlick, APS Director of Customer Information and Programs. "This initiative includes greater deployment of renewable energy to our customers, continued development of the most state-of-art technologies and an emphasis on finding new ways to save energy.

"At APS we like to say a better tomorrow starts today. We believe the ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award demonstrates our unwavering commitment to reaching that better tomorrow."

This week, APS is hosting the national EPA ENERGY STAR Homes Partner meeting, which kicks off today in Phoenix. The company's leading role in the three-day conference underscores its commitment to leadership in supporting the design and construction of energy efficient homes. Sam Rashkin, EPA's National Director of ENERGY STAR Homes, will be leading the event.

"We are pleased to recognize APS as one of the leading sponsors transforming the nation to more energy efficient homes," said Rashkin. "We are thankful for ENERGY STAR partners like APS who help make this program a success for EPA, participating homebuilders and local consumers."

A major component of the APS ENERGY STAR Homes Program centers around education and outreach the company performs with builders and potential homebuyers alike. The program also offers incentives to builders who adhere to the more efficient standards.

Since its inception three-and-a-half years ago, the program has grown to include more than 6,200 homes across Arizona that now are certified and completed under the standard of being at least 15 percent more energy efficient than typical homes. Over their lifetime, these homes will save 14,000 tons of greenhouse gases and enough energy to light every home in Phoenix for one year. The program includes almost 40 builder participants and over 125 communities in Arizona.

Additionally, APS has commitments for more than 17,500 future homes to be built as APS ENERGY STAR Homes.

"EPA is recognizing APS with our highest ENERGY STAR award - the 2010 Sustained Excellence Award," said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. "APS's continued leadership and commitment to energy efficiency is a testament to what we can accomplish to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our global environment."

The ENERGY STAR awards are given to a select group of organizations that exhibit outstanding leadership year after year. APS has been honored the past three years with the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award. In 2007, the company won for Excellence in Program Delivery of its APS Residential CFL Lighting Program. In 2008 and again in 2009, APS won for Excellence in Program Delivery of its APS ENERGY STAR Homes Program. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program.

About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 17,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

About APS
APS, Arizona's largest and longest-serving electricity utility, serves about 1.1 million customers in 11 of the state's 15 counties. With headquarters in Phoenix, APS is the principal subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corp. (NYSE: PNW).

Jenna Henry
(602) 250-4403

Steven Gotfried 
(602) 250-3040