TUCSON, ARIZ. (KGUN) — As temperatures start heating up outside, our air conditioning will probably be cranked on, and that comes with a price tag.
Tucson Electric Power (TEP) serves a majority of the Tucson area, estimating about 458,000 customers. We looked into the four different plans and ways you can save some money in your pocket ahead of summer.
“Essentially, if you can avoid using energy and using a lot of energy at the same time during these peak hours, you can save money on your bill,” said Joseph Barrios, spokesperson for TEP.
There are four residential plans for TEP customers to choose from: Time of Use (TOU), Peak Demand, Demand TOU and Basic.
The Basic plan is the only plan that does not observe time-of-use hours. It has a basic service charge of $15, whereas the other three plans have basic service charges of $12. Hence, Barrios recommends having one of the three plans that observes time-of-use hours if you can be diligent of when you use the most energy throughout the day.
TEP recommends leaving your thermostat at 78 degrees once those temperatures start to heat up.
“I’m a little bit lower. I need to be cool at night. Or I won’t sleep well. I keep it about seventy degrees,” said one Tucson resident, Mark Quinnan.
“Ours is at 76, so we’re close,” said another Tucson resident.
If you can’t leave your thermostat at 78 degrees, there are common ways to alleviate that energy bill, such as using fans as much as possible, putting up curtains to block out the sun, and running appliances like a dishwasher or washing machines overnight if possible.
“For customers who are interested in our energy efficiency programs, we offer a rebate for smart thermostats, it’s a $35 rebate, smart thermostats can essentially learn how you use energy and they can help you save anywhere from 10-15% on your energy bill every year according to the manufacturer,” Barrios explains that TEP has programs customers can utilize.
For customers concerned about paying their TEP bill on time, Barrios says the best thing to do is to communicate with TEP about any problems you’re facing. “The best thing a customer can do is to call us and talk to us and let us know what their situation is and we might have resources that are available to help them out.”
Replacing old appliances is something the U.S. Department of Energy recommends for making your home more energy efficient. They have more information on that here.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
