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Desert Sun Power Plant Project
aps
Estimated completion date – Phase One - 2030
Project description
We plan to build a new natural gas plant, the Desert Sun Power Plant, west of Gila Bend. The Desert Sun site would be capable of adding up to 2,000 megawatts (MW) of reliable and flexible generation to the state’s energy portfolio. Construction is expected to begin in 2028.
Phase one (expected to be in service in late 2030) would support increasing energy demand from our existing customers, plus anticipated growth in residential and business customers.
Phase two is earmarked to support extra-large energy users, such as data centers. Following a “growth pays for growth” strategy, the units would be paid for by those extra-large energy users.
To support the plant, we also expect to add infrastructure in the area, including extra-high-voltage transmission lines. We will evaluate route options and engage with the local community as part of our transmission siting process.
Project need
Desert Sun is needed both to support our existing customers and the “business-as-usual” growth we see, and to begin addressing unprecedented requests from extra-large energy users, such as data centers. Natural gas is critical to deliver reliable service for all customers. It provides flexible, on-demand energy (including during the late afternoon and evening hours when customer energy use is highest) and supports around-the-clock energy needs. Natural gas is an important part of a diverse energy mix and a critical partner to the solar, wind and battery energy storage we’re adding to our system.
Project vicinity
Community input
We are committed to sharing information about the project and engaging with the local community. Studies are underway, and we will be in the project area in early 2026 to share more information. We will provide updates via newsletter, hold virtual and in-person open houses and can be reached via email or phone.
For questions or comments regarding the project, please contact us at 928-370-8774 or DesertSun@aps.com.
Resources
News Release: APS Uses 'Growth Pays For Growth' Model to Develop New Natural Gas Plant
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural gas is critical to delivering reliable service for our customers. It provides flexible, on-demand energy (including during the late afternoon and evening hours when customer energy use is highest) and supports around-the-clock energy needs.
Natural gas is an important partner to the renewable resources we’re adding to our system. Cost-competitive renewables and battery energy storage are critical to our energy portfolio but cannot entirely provide the capacity and reliability required to meet the needs of our customers, especially as energy demands continue to grow. When solar and wind come offline and battery energy storage systems are depleted after a few hours, natural gas helps fill the gap.
Overall, a balanced and diverse energy mix – including nuclear, natural gas, solar, wind, battery energy storage, coal and customer demand response programs – supports reliability while keeping energy bills as low as possible for our customers.
Yes. Phase one is needed to support our existing customers and the “business-as-usual” growth we see. Phase two would begin addressing unprecedented requests from extra-large energy users, which includes not only data centers but also advanced manufacturing and other customers with high demands for energy. Our new subscription model provides a path for these extra-large energy users to fund the infrastructure required without compromising reliability and affordability for the families and businesses that count on us for energy today and into the future.
We are implementing a new subscription model to accelerate the infrastructure needed to serve extra-large, high-load factor energy users, including data centers. Under the subscription model, extra-large energy users can cover infrastructure costs and take on project development risks.
- APS will build or acquire a portfolio of generation assets designed to accommodate new load growth.
- Prospective extra-large customers will finance the necessary capital to accelerate construction and service delivery of the generation assets (either a portion or the entire amount).
- These customers must agree to a long-term contract of at least 20 years with rates negotiated at the time of contract execution (subject to approval by the Arizona Corporation Commission).
Impact studies for the proposed plant are underway. Air quality results will be reviewed as part of the air permit process with Maricopa County and the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure air quality in the area remains within established guidelines to protect public health.
We will use stringent, state-of-the-art control technologies, such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR), to limit emissions, as required by the federal Clean Air Act and Maricopa County Air Pollution Control Regulations.
We expect to need two new switchyards (one at the plant site and one to connect to the larger grid) and at least one extra-high-voltage transmission line to bring this much-needed energy to our customers.
We will evaluate route options and engage with the local community as part of our transmission siting process.
APS typically procures resources through a competitive all-source request for proposal (RFP) process. The selected resources represent the “best-fit, least-cost” option for our customers. Phase one of Desert Sun, which would serve all customers, must compete against all resource options as part of that process. However, because phase two would be directly financed and paid for by specific extra-large, high-load factor customers through APS’s subscription model, these resources fall outside of our typical procurement process, and bids for phase two will not have to compete against other resources. Nonetheless, we will still use the RFP process to enable contractors that could construct the units for phase two to compete against one another for that work.
