Sustainable Portfolio Principles

SRP continually evaluates ways to expand our use of environmentally sensitive supply- and demand-side options, explore additional ways to displace the use of fossil fuels, and provide opportunities for the introduction of new technologies and ideas. SRP does this by implementing eight key Sustainable Portfolio Principles.

  • Principle 1 — Sustainable Resources: SRP will evaluate and implement all supply-side and demand-side measures that either offset or do not emit greenhouse gases or that reduce the use of conventional natural gas, oil, gasoline and coal. Sustainable resources include electric generation from renewable energy sources, certified Renewable Energy Credits, customer-owned renewable resources, conservation, behavioral programs, energy efficiency and pricing measures. Sustainable resources do not include conventional natural gas or nuclear resources.


  • Principle 2 — Complementary Goals: SRP's Sustainability Portfolio goals will produce the maximum sustainable energy benefit for the lowest reasonable cost to SRP's customers. Consistent with SRP Board-approved pricing principles, sustainable resources will be managed to ensure gradualism (smoothing the impacts of cost movements), cost relation (establishing prices based on relationships to costs), equity (treating all types of customers fairly) and sufficiency (ensuring SRP's financial well-being).


  • Principle 3 — Resource Planning: During the annual resource planning process, SRP will seek to achieve an appropriate balance between owned and purchased resources, and conservation/energy-efficiency measures. To control customer costs, preference will be given to least-cost options. Preference will be given to options that promote public education and awareness.


  • Principle 4 — Outreach: SRP will collaborate with customers, Arizona universities and other public and private entities to develop and expand the use of sustainable energy technologies.


  • Principle 5 — Encourage Innovation: SRP will actively encourage and recognize innovation in, and use of, sustainable energy technologies by employees, outside experts, the public and customers.


  • Principle 6 — Customer Education: SRP will undertake comprehensive education efforts to inform customers and stakeholders of its sustainability efforts. SRP will publish an annual report to document the performance of its principles, review and discuss the performance of its programs, and outline its future intentions and direction. Additionally, SRP will host meetings to discuss planned program changes and will provide customers and stakeholders with information on SRP's various efforts in support of cost-effective emissions control.


  • Principle 7 — Compliance: All sustainable resource options adopted will comply with SRP's current purchasing policies, pricing policies and competitive procurement principles.


  • Principle 8 — Flexibility: SRP may revise these principles as necessary to ensure that they remain in the best interests of SRP and our customers.
    • We will proactively seek opportunities to exceed the yearly target.


    • We will undertake comprehensive education efforts to inform customers and stakeholders of our sustainability efforts.

Reaching our goal

SRP has established a goal that by FY20, SRP will meet a target of 20% of its expected retail energy requirements with sustainable resources. This target includes the percentage of retail energy requirements met with annual aggregate energy-efficiency savings, hydroelectric generation and other renewable generation, including that which is directly attributable to certain customers (such as rooftop solar and Community Solar). This target will be set at 9% in FY12 and increase at a rate of approximately 1.375% per year until the final 20% is reached. SRP will proactively seek opportunities to exceed the yearly target. As an incentive for early or accelerated acquisition, the environmental attributes of such resources may either be applied to future years or sold, to reduce customer costs.

SRP will target the following annual incremental energy-efficiency savings contingent upon economics and support from federal, state and municipal governments:

  • FY12–FY14: 1.50% per year


  • FY15–FY17: 1.75% per year


  • FY18–FY20: 2% per year

The following chart shows SRP's current Sustainable Portfolio plans through FY20:

SRP Sustainable Portfolio

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