In short: Tucson Electric Power (TEP) homes paid about 15.6¢ per kWh in 2024 and lost about 68 minutes of power on ordinary days, 113 counting major events (EIA). New solar customers from October 2026 get only 4.62¢ for exported power, so in Tucson solar pays through self-use, and TEP pays well for sharing a home battery.
Below: TEP’s solar, battery and EV rules, the co-op that serves the northwest and south of the metro, and the fast permit route the city and county use. For statewide rules (the Form 310 solar credit, tax exemptions, contractor licensing), see our Arizona energy guide.
Tucson at a glance
- Tucson Electric Power: the utility for the Tucson metropolitan area, with about 413,000 home customers. About 15.6¢ per kWh in 2024; 113 minutes without power per customer with major events, 68 without, about one interruption a year (EIA-861, 2024).
- Trico Electric Cooperative: serves northwest Tucson and Marana south to Green Valley and Sahuarita (Pima County). About 14.2¢ per kWh; 150 minutes out with major events, 83 without.
- Sun: about 5.79 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001–2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,690 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Pima County “very high” for heat waves and inland flooding, and “relatively high” for lightning and wildfire.
- Planned wildfire shutoffs: TEP’s program, begun in 2025, could affect about 1,300 of its customers in mapped high-risk areas.
- Public charging: 466 public charging ports at 177 locations in Tucson (AFDC, October 2026).
Your utility and what it means
TEP is regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission and uses net billing. Power you use as your panels make it saves the full retail price; power you export earns the Resource Comparison Proxy (RCP) rate. TEP’s current rate is 4.62¢ per kWh for October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027, and you keep the rate in place when you requested interconnection for up to 10 years. TEP updates the rate each year, and it cannot drop more than 10% in one year. See TEP’s export rate page.
- Time-of-use hours: TEP’s on-peak hours are 3 to 7 p.m. on summer weekdays (May to September) and 6 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on winter weekdays. Weekends are off-peak. Solar fades right as the summer peak runs.
- Energy Storage Rewards: $120 per kW your battery delivers, averaged over a season’s events, in summer and winter seasons, up to 100 events a year. TEP says a typical battery could earn about $720 a year. No solar is required, and you can keep a reserve for backup. TEP also warns that joining can raise your energy costs, especially on demand plans. See Energy Storage Rewards.
- EV charger rebate: 75% of the cost of a networked Level 2 charger, up to $300, if you stay on a time-of-use plan for two years. In October 2026 TEP showed 30% of the rebate funds left; check the EV page.
Trico Electric Cooperative is a member-owned co-op with its own solar and interconnection rules. If your bill says Trico, ask the co-op for its current export rate and programs before you sign anything.
Backup power in Tucson
On ordinary days TEP’s grid is steady, but major events added about 45 minutes per customer in 2024, and monsoon storms bring lightning and flash flooding. Heat is the main risk: FEMA rates it Pima County’s top hazard. Homes near the mountains and wildland edges should also check TEP’s shutoff map; TEP says shutoffs should be rare and it will give as much notice as possible. If someone relies on medical equipment, sign up for TEP’s Medical Device Alert program.
- Essentials and a cool room: a home battery, charged by solar or the grid, switches over by itself and can earn TEP rewards the rest of the year.
- Longer or whole-home backup: a standby generator with a transfer switch installed by licensed pros; see generator installation.
- Short outages: a portable power station for phones, Wi-Fi, a CPAP and a fan.
Our backup power guide compares them; the battery backup calculator and generator sizing tool size the job. Generators go outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust pointed away, with carbon monoxide alarms inside (CPSC).
Solar in Tucson
By our rough estimate a kW of panels makes about 1,690 kWh a year here. Used in your home at TEP’s 2024 average price, that is worth about $265 a year; exported at 4.62¢, about $80. Those are estimates, not quotes. The lesson: size solar to your daytime use, shift laundry, pool pumps and pre-cooling to midday, and think about a battery for the evening peak.
Federal home solar credits ended after 2025; Arizona’s credit and tax exemptions are on the state page. Try the solar potential tool and solar savings calculator, and read how solar installation works, solar costs and net metering vs net billing.
Home batteries in Tucson
Tucson is one of the better places for a home battery. It stores midday solar that would otherwise earn 4.62¢, covers the 3 to 7 p.m. summer peak, and can be enrolled in TEP’s Energy Storage Rewards. TEP’s program accepts only listed battery models, so check before you buy. Keep the battery out of direct afternoon sun. See home batteries, battery costs and battery installation.
EV charging in Tucson
Tucson has 466 public ports, but most owners charge at home. At about 30 kWh per 100 miles and TEP’s 2024 average price, that is roughly $4.70 per 100 miles (our estimate); charging off-peak on a time-of-use plan lowers it. TEP also has an EV plan with a super off-peak period. Pair the charger rebate with a time-of-use plan, and have a licensed electrician install the 240-volt circuit. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Tucson: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- City of Tucson: Planning & Development Services accepts SolarAPP+ for licensed contractors on eligible rooftop systems, including solar with battery storage. Once approved there, the permit is issued within 24 hours. Homes in historic or neighborhood preservation zones, hillside areas or flood hazard areas use the standard process.
- Unincorporated Pima County: the county’s Solar One Stop also uses SolarAPP+, plus a county permit fee.
- Utility: TEP or Trico must approve solar and grid-tied batteries before they are switched on.
- Who does the work: an Arizona-licensed contractor, who should pull the permits. Ask the city what a generator or EV charger circuit needs.
- HOAs: A.R.S. 33-1816 bars HOAs from banning solar; they can set reasonable placement rules. Get approval first.
Cities we cover
- Tucson
Get help in Tucson
Are you a licensed installer in Tucson? Join SolutionEnergy and get requests from homeowners and businesses →
Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Tucson area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.
Tucson energy questions
What does TEP pay for exported solar in 2026?
TEP’s export rate in effect from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027 is 4.62¢ per kWh. You keep the rate in place when you requested interconnection for up to 10 years. Power you use yourself still saves the full retail price, about 15.6¢ on average in 2024.
Does TEP pay me for my home battery?
Yes, through Energy Storage Rewards: $120 per kW delivered, averaged over each season’s events, with up to 100 events a year. TEP says a typical battery could earn about $720 a year. You do not need solar, but only listed battery models qualify, and TEP notes your energy costs may rise.
Am I on TEP or Trico?
Most of the Tucson metro is TEP. Pima County lists Trico Electric Cooperative for northwest Tucson and Marana south to Green Valley and Sahuarita. Your bill tells you for sure, and the answer decides your solar rules and programs.
How fast can I get a solar permit in Tucson?
For eligible rooftop systems, fast. The City of Tucson accepts SolarAPP+, an automated code check, and issues the permit within 24 hours of approval, including systems with batteries. Homes in preservation, hillside or flood hazard areas use the standard review.
Could a wildfire shutoff affect my home?
Only if you are in one of TEP’s mapped high-risk areas, about 1,300 customers in all. Enter your address on TEP’s wildfire safety map. If you are inside, sign up for alerts and consider a battery or generator.
Sources
EIA-861, 2024 data (price = residential revenue ÷ sales); TEP RCP, time-of-use, Energy Storage Rewards, EV and wildfire safety pages; Pima County utility list and Solar One Stop; City of Tucson Planning & Development Services; A.R.S. 33-1816; NASA POWER, 2001–2020; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025; AFDC station data; CPSC. All read October 2026. Estimates are ours and labelled.