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Global Renewable News

TEP Solar Array at Fort Huachuca Helps U.S. Army Achieve Energy Goals

February 12, 2015

Tucson Electric Power (TEP), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fortis Inc. (TSX:FTS), joined military and federal officials to dedicate a large solar array at Fort Huachuca that will help the U.S. Army achieve its renewable energy and energy security goals.

The 17.2 megawatt (MW) array, completed in December, produces enough power to satisfy one-quarter of the base's energy needs, equivalent to the annual electric usage of about 3,000 homes. The system will offset approximately 58,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year while reducing other emissions associated with generating an equivalent amount of power with fossil fuels.

"This system provides Fort Huachuca with a secure source of clean renewable power at no additional cost," said David G. Hutchens, TEP's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We worked closely with leaders at the base, the Pentagon and the U.S. Army's Office of Energy Initiatives (OEI) to develop a unique solar solution for a very valuable TEP customer."

TEP owns and operates the system, which ranks among the largest solar arrays on any U.S. Department of Defense installation around the world. Because TEP is combining its output with grid resources to serve the base under existing rates, the system helps the Army work toward its goal of deploying one gigawatt of renewable energy resources by 2025 without increasing the base's energy costs.

"A privately developed solar array could have increased Fort Huachuca's total energy costs by as much as $2 million per year," said Philip J. Dion, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Customer Solutions for TEP. "We developed a much more cost-effective solution that preserves TEP's longstanding role as the sole provider of safe, reliable power for one of southern Arizona's most critical assets."

E.ON, a partner on other successful TEP solar projects, managed design and construction of the array. The system is linked to an existing TEP substation, and any excess output flows back into the company's local grid for use by other customers.

The Fort Huachuca system adds to a robust renewable energy portfolio that has earned TEP a place among the nation's leading solar utilities. TEP has approximately 330 MW of total renewable generating capacity, enough to meet the electric needs of about 70,000 homes.

Solar power plays an important part in TEP's increasingly diverse generating portfolio. The company is reducing its overall coal generation capacity by more than 30 percent over the next five years through increased use of renewable power, energy efficiency and natural-gas generation, including a recently acquired share of the Gila River Power Station in Gila Bend.

TEP provides safe, reliable electric service to approximately 414,000 customers in southern Arizona. For more information, visit . TEP is indirectly, wholly owned by Fortis Inc., a leader in the North tep.comAmerican electric and gas utility business. Fortis Inc. shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.com or www.sedar.com.

About Fortis

Fortis Inc. is a leader in the North American electric and gas utility business, with total assets of more than $25 billion and fiscal 2013 revenue exceeding $4 billion. Its regulated utilities account for approximately 90 per cent of total assets and serve more than 3 million customers across Canada and in the United States and the Caribbean. Fortis owns non-regulated hydroelectric generation assets in Canada, Belize and Upstate New York. The Corporation's non-utility investment is comprised of hotels and commercial real estate in Canada.

For more information

Fortis Inc.
139 Water St - Ste 120
St. John's Newfoundland
Canada A1B 3T2
www.fortisinc.com


Joseph Barrios, Media Contact
UNS Energy Corporation
(520) 884-3725


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