Tempe, Arizona sits just east of Phoenix, one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the United States. It’s also home to the Sun Devils of Arizona State University (ASU), a leading public research university. Just east of the ASU campus sits the Ocotillo Power Generation Plant. Because of its proximity to the city’s center, this facility has been an iconic part of the Tempe skyline for decades.

And, for the first time in nearly 60 years, the Octollio Power Plant is undergoing a complete modernization effort that features Five GE LMS100 Plus Gas Turbine Generators. Arizona Public Service (APS) partnered with Black & Veatch for engineering, procurement, and construction management on this modernization effort to erect these five units in parallel along with the balance of upgraded plant equipment.

Now the modern Ocotillo Power enables more renewable energy into APS’s system, because its new quick-start generators can be up and running in less than six minutes – delivering energy to customers when clouds roll in or the sun sets and solar production wanes. This type of flexible generation is critical as APS works to provide 100% clean energy for customers by 2050.