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Saguaro Power Plant Expansion Project
aps
Location: Red Rock, Arizona
Estimated completion date: 2030
Arizona Public Service (APS) is planning ahead to support reliable energy for homes and businesses by proposing an expansion at its existing Saguaro Power Plant in Red Rock, Arizona. The Saguaro Power Plant is a key part of Arizona’s energy infrastructure, operating in Pinal County since 1954. As we consider expanding the Saguaro Power Plant, we understand you may have questions about what it could mean for you and your community. We’ll continue to share updates and provide ways for you to share comments and ask questions throughout the project.
Project Overview
APS is beginning the permitting process to add two new generating units at the Saguaro site. As proposed, this expansion could add about 720 megawatts (MW) of additional energy, enough to support about 119,000 homes. Expanding at this existing site allows APS to make efficient use of infrastructure already in place, supporting reliable energy for our customers. The proposed expansion would go through required environmental review and permitting before construction could begin, likely in 2028, if approved.
Why Natural Gas
More people and businesses are choosing to call Arizona home, and energy needs continue to rise. Natural gas plays an important role by:
- Providing around-the-clock energy
- Delivering on demand power during peak use, especially late afternoons and evenings
- Supporting renewable resources as part of a diverse energy mix
Project Map
Community Engagement
APS is committed to transparent communication and ongoing engagement with the community. As the project moves forward, APS will:
- Share updates through newsletters and online information
- Hold virtual and in person open houses
- Be available by email and phone to answer questions
- APS expects to be in the community in summer 2026 to share more information about the project and listen to feedback.
Stay Informed
For questions or comments regarding the project, please contact (520) 231-4411 or saguaroexpansion@aps.com.
Community Updates
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you looking to add natural gas generation?
Natural gas is critical to delivering reliable service for our customers. It provides affordable, 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.
What types of units will be added to the Saguaro Power Plant?
We plan to add two simple-cycle units, each capable of adding about 360 MW of flexible generation. They can start and stop quickly, making them well suited to serve peak demand (when customer use is highest).
Are you expanding this plant to serve data centers?
No, this expansion would support increasing energy demand from our existing customers and business-as-usual growth. It is not targeted for extra-large energy users like data centers. Learn more about how we’re protecting customers while planning for big energy needs at aps.com/datacenters.
Why add these units at the Saguaro Power Plant rather than another location?
We originally planned to add this generation in Gila Bend but opted to move two proposed units to Saguaro. Our goal is to maximize existing infrastructure already in place to serve customers reliably and affordably. When selecting sites, we consider transmission capacity, permitting timelines and other factors that would favor timely resource development. We believe this project can support in-service of a new resource by 2030 to meet our customers’ needs.
What impact would the power plant have on the community/environment?
Impact studies for the proposed expansion are underway. Air quality results will be reviewed as part of the air permit process with Pinal 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 Pinal County air quality regulations.
