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Life in Arizona has changed a lot over 140 years, but some things remain as important as ever. For generations, we have grown alongside the state, taking care of the energy that powers growth and daily life. Since that first gas lamp was lit in 1886 at Central and Washington, the focus has stayed the same, supporting the people and communities who call Arizona home, today and into the future.
Lighting the Way Since 1886
What began with a single vision to bring light to a growing town has become a promise carried forward as Arizona continues to grow.
Our company was founded by Japanese immigrant Hachiro Onuki (who later changed his name to Hutchlon Ohnick) on April 29, 1886. Onuki came to the United States hoping to strike it rich. He came to Arizona, drawn by stories of people becoming wealthy in the silver mines of Tombstone. Yet when he arrived, he found that the silver boom had passed.
Undeterred, Onuki decided his future and his fortune would be found in Phoenix. He convinced two mine owners, W.C. Parsons and Josiah White, to join him in establishing a gas and electric works that would provide street lighting for the small cluster of buildings that made up Phoenix’s downtown.
Their venture, called Phoenix Illuminating Gas and Electric Company, was granted the area’s first electric and gas service franchise by the Phoenix City Council with the promise of providing street lighting “from dark to daylight on all nights, except when sufficiently lighted by the moon.”
Fast forward 140 years, we are preparing for a future poised to be as promising and transformative as when those streetlights first cast their glow.
Then & Now
Growing With Arizona, Every Step of the Way
From rugged terrain once crossed on horseback in places like Black Canyon City, north of Phoenix, to the modern tools used today, Arizona’s communities have continued to grow and change. As towns expanded and needs evolved, so did the mode of transportation to support them. The commitment remains the same, providing safe, reliable and affordable power that grows alongside the communities we live, work and serve.
New tools, new technology—Growing with Arizona
Technology has come a long way. If an outage happens, we work closely with our crews to restore power safely. Back in the day, maps were updated with push pins to track outages and land line phone calls to dispatch. Today, the system is securely monitored and dispatched in real time. As Arizona grows and technology moves forward, so does a lasting commitment to its homes, families and communities—now and for generations to come.
