TEP upgrading infrastructure in Midtown for faster service during outages

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tucson Electric Power is upgrading infrastructure in Midtown for faster service during outages.

TEP is adding lines, poles, and a transformer to their Midtown substation on Mabel and Alvernon.

They’re planning on upgrading infrastructure such as putting in new lines, poles, and a transformer.

They said the new upgrades are going to improve service because the distribution lines are going to have a higher capacity.

They said that is going to give customers more flexibility when it comes to installing personal infrastructure like electric vehicle charging stations at their homes or business, rooftop solar systems, and battery systems. They said customers’ energy use is growing and because of that, they needed to make upgrades to their systems that were installed in the seventies.

“If there’s an outage of some kind, either from storm damage, or a piece of equipment fails, whatever the case might be, by having new equipment with more capacity, it would essentially allow us to get the lights back on faster,” TEP spokesman Joe Barrios said.

When the upgrades are made, TEP said customers’ monthly bills may be higher, but said it’s a little too early to tell. If they do want to change rates, that would need to be approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission.

Construction is expected to start in 2026 and it’s going to start operating at the end of 2027.