Oro Valley is named Community Partner of the Year by TEP

Published on March 29, 2018

On March 27, 2018, Tucson Electric Power (TEP) presented its fifth annual TEP BrightEE Awards to 12 organizations that educate, inform and inspire the community about sustainability and energy efficiency. Among this year's recipients was the Town of Oro Valley, receiving the award for Community Partner of the Year.  


According to the TEP press release, "the Town of Oro Valley was honored for its energy efficiency improvements and for taking steps to make its community more sustainable. The town upgraded inefficient lighting with LED bulbs, saving both energy and money. It also began harvesting rainwater and deployed a "˜Green Team' to work toward integrating sustainable thinking and goals in its management and operations."

The Town recently completed a sizable and smart energy efficiency project at the Community Center. "This distinction goes well beyond just one project," said Oro Valley's Planning and Zoning Administrator Bayer Vella. "It is an indication of our commitment to the journey of energy efficiency. A culture of conservation develops when an organization continually strives to improve performance while reducing use. The end product is responsible energy use, cost savings for our tax payers, and alignment with the Your Voice, Our Future General Plan."

That General Plan, which was ratified by voters in 2016 and serves as a blueprint for Oro Valley, states: The Oro Valley community strives to positively impact the environment and lead by example through education and other efforts. These include promoting energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling, reducing air pollution and other efforts that will ultimately make Oro Valley cleaner and healthier.

"Our BrightEE Award recipients have demonstrated their leadership in sustainability efforts. We hope their achievements will inspire others to follow in their footsteps," said Catherine E. Ries, TEP's Vice President of Customer and Human Resources. "TEP is pleased to serve as an energy partner for our customers to help them make wise energy choices that support their sustainability initiatives."

For more information on this award, as well as full list of this year's recipients, click here to view the original TEP press release issued March 27, 2018.