According to The Arizona Republic, Arizona Public Service (APS), Arizona’s largest electric utility and a subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, is proposing a plan to offer $144 million to aid three coal country and Native American communities where the company plans to close its remaining coal-run power plants.[1] Under the plan, APS would increase investments in Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe and Joseph City area while retaining workers, providing electricity to regions in the Navajo Nation that are off the power grid, and developing renewable energy projects. APS is the majority owner of the Four Corners Power Plant on Navajo land which employs 327 people, 80% of them Native American. 350 people work at a Navajo Nation-owned coal mine next to the plant. Four Corners is scheduled to close by 2031. APS is also the majority owner of the Cholla Power Plant in Joseph City, which employs roughly 200 people and is scheduled to close by 2025, with one of the three remaining units closing in 2020. According to the CEO of APS Jeff Guldner, APS is trying to prevent layoffs with the 2020 closure.
[1] https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/energy/2020/11/06/arizona-public-service-co-offering-144-million-tribes-coal-country/6180829002/