September 17, 2025
PHOENIX – The Arizona Corporation Commission today reauthorized a 24-year-old certificate of environmental compatibility to Gila Bend Power Partners LLC, allowing the group to begin construction of an 845-megawatt, combined cycle methane gas plant on the outskirts of Phoenix without meaningful public input.
The Commission originally granted Gila Bend Power Partners a certificate of environmental compatibility in 2001 and subsequently extended it three times despite a lack of meaningful progress on the project. With today’s vote, the Commission ignored a formal request from Western Resource Advocates that the certificate reauthorization be sent back to the Power Plant and Transmission Line Siting Committee. The Committee’s certificate of environmental compatibility process enables communities, including those already disadvantaged and burdened by existing energy projects, to have a voice in the construction of new facilities.
Once again, the Commission has failed to act in the best interests of the public. There is no doubt that a new 845-megawatt methane gas plant will result in substantial environmental and community impacts. The residents of Gila Bend have received almost no timely notice that this facility will be built in their community. By placing this matter as a routine item on a consent agenda, the Commission decided an approval granted more than two decades ago is good enough, and the community’s input wasn’t needed.
Today’s approval is similar to a request made by Arizona Public Service (APS) in 2023 to extend a certificate of environmental compatibility originally granted in 2001 to construct two new units at the Sundance Plant. In December 2023, the Commission granted the request, agreeing with internal staff that the application did not propose a substantial change to the original certificate of environmental compatibility request and there were “minimal environmental impacts associated with reauthorization of the units.”
However, APS’ request was to add units to an existing facility, not to build a large new combined cycle gas plant, which due to the nature of these facilities will have substantially more impacts. Further, the Commission’s staff has noted previously that Gila Bend Power Partners has failed to comply with various requirements of the certificate of environmental compatibility granted in 2001, including filing this extension request after the required deadline.
Media Contact:
James Quirk, 908-902-3177, james.quirk@westernresources.org
