PHOENIX – Arizona Public Service (APS) marked its 140th anniversary on April 29, with a community beautification investment and the largest single day of volunteerism in company history.
Founded during Arizona’s copper mining boom long before statehood, APS has grown alongside the state it calls home – from a pioneering, locally rooted utility to serving more than 1.4 million homes and businesses with safe, reliable and affordable energy across Arizona’s vibrant and rapidly evolving communities.
To honor that shared history, APS is celebrating by giving back to the state that has shaped the electric company for generations.
Central to the anniversary celebration is a $1.4 million commitment, funded by APS shareholders, to beautification projects across APS’s service area throughout 2026 – building on the company’s year-round community engagement efforts. The investment will support parks, schools, museums and other gathering spaces – projects that reflect local pride and the communities they serve.
On April 29, APS employees volunteered in communities statewide as part of the company’s largest ever Day of Service. In a nod to its anniversary year, employees will plant 140 trees, participate in restoration projects with the Arizona Game & Fish Department and support multiple nonprofit organizations focused on community wellbeing.
Locally, contributions include improvements to Tanner Park, located on Main Street in Joseph City. The park will receive upgraded gazebos, restrooms and lighting, repaired volleyball courts, new benches and tables, additional trees and undergo a volunteer cleanup.
In Holbrook, Hunt Park will enjoy several improvements including resurfaced basketball and tennis courts, conversion of existing space to pickleball courts, an updated skate park, enhanced perimeter fencing, new gazebos and modern playground features such as a zipline.
“APS employees live, work and raise their families in the same communities we serve,” said Ted Geisler, APS president and CEO. “Our 140th anniversary will reflect who APS is at our core – people who care deeply about Arizona and believe that showing up, rolling up our sleeves and serving side by side makes our communities stronger.”
As Arizona experiences unprecedented population and energy growth, APS remains focused on delivering safe, reliable electricity at the lowest possible cost while planning thoughtfully for the future.
That long-standing vision led to landmark investments such as the Palo Verde Generating Station, a first-of-its-kind nuclear power plant in the desert, operating on recycled wastewater and producing electricity for 4 million homes and businesses across the Southwest. The plant began operations in 1986 and positioned Arizona as a national leader in reliable, around-the-clock, carbon-free power.
From agricultural electrification in the early 1900s to present-day Arizona featuring world-class chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), APS has shared in the journey to support job creation and economic development. As the state advanced with the rise of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (1935), the cool breeze of in-home air conditioning (mid-1900s), the semiconductor boom of the ‘80s, and ongoing population growth, APS has modernized Arizona’s energy grid to reliably serve its customers.
“It’s been amazing to watch Arizona become a thriving hub for opportunity, innovation and community,” added Geisler. “Through it all, our focus has remained the same: showing up for Arizona with reliable power and being a good neighbor to the people who call this place home. Every household, school, hospital and business we serve depends on us. We are humbled by that responsibility and look forward to being a trusted partner long into Arizona’s future.”
After setting new peak demand records each of the past three summers – reaching 8,643 MW on Aug.
7, 2025 – APS expects peak demand to exceed 13,000 MW in the next 14 years alone, just a tenth of its 140-year existence.
Projects are being funded by APS shareholders and will not impact customer rates.
