Electrical Fault Causes Major Power Outage in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – An electrical fault at a substation caused a significant power outage for Tucson Electric Power (TEP) customers on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The outage began around 2 p.m. and affected more than 18,000 customers, peaking at 18,495. The blackout impacted several neighborhoods in Tucson, Catalina, and Oro Valley.

TEP reported that the electrical fault occurred at a 46-kilovolt substation that provides service to multiple areas of the city. Power was restored after approximately one hour and ten minutes, with TEP working diligently to bring services back online.

“After determining it was safe to re-energize our equipment, we were able to bring most customers back into service,” said a TEP spokesperson. As of 4:30 p.m., approximately 300 customers remained without power.

During the outage, reports indicated that traffic lights throughout Tucson and Oro Valley were non-functional. The Oro Valley Police Department deployed officers to Oracle Road to help direct traffic. The OVPD advised residents to treat intersections with non-operational traffic lights as four-way stops.

Authorities emphasized the importance of safety during the disruption, particularly urging drivers to choose alternate routes to avoid congestion. TEP continues to investigate the cause of the fault and is monitoring the substation to prevent future issues.