Guest ContributorA broad coalition of the Arizona business community coalition is cheering the announcement that a new interstate natural gas pipeline would be coming to the state.
Industry advocates say the project, which is to be constructed, owned, and operated by Transwestern Pipeline Company, is essential to providing Arizona with the enhanced natural gas capacity necessary to secure the state’s energy future.
Once complete, the new pipeline will deliver natural gas to Arizona from the Permian Basin in West Texas. The increased supply will support state utilities like APS, SRP, and TEP to generate energy to meet growing demand from businesses and homeowners.
“Arizona’s economic future depends on reliable, scalable energy infrastructure that keeps pace with our rapid growth,” said Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry. “This project is more than a pipeline—it’s a signal to job creators that Arizona is serious about staying competitive, attracting investment, and building a resilient energy future.”
Natural gas generates 45% of the state’s electricity and is essential to utilities to meet their customers’ demand during hot summers. More than 1.4 million residential, commercial, and industrial customers rely on the natural gas distribution system for their home comfort and business needs, including in sectors like semiconductors, EV batteries, and other advanced manufacturing.
“Reliable and affordable energy is essential to powering innovation across industry sectors, from advanced manufacturing to technology start-ups,” said Grace Appelbe, executive director of the Arizona Manufacturers Council “We applaud the announcement of Transwestern’s new pipeline project that will ensure sustainable economic growth in Arizona for decades to come.”
The coalition supporting the new pipeline represents several industries across the state, ranging from agriculture to tourism, manufacturing, construction and real estate development, and several chambers of commerce, urban and rural.
“Natural gas is a key component of our state’s economic success,” said Julie Pastrick, president and CEO of the Greater Flagstaff Chamber. “With existing pipeline capacity 100% committed, Transwestern’s proposed infrastructure project will provide Arizona with a critical new source of long-term supply and meet needs of rural Arizona.”
The coalition last month wrote to the Arizona Corporation Commission to urge support for expanded natural gas infrastructure.
The following groups endorsed the Transwestern announcement:
Arizona Cattle Feeders Association
Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Arizona Farm and Ranch Group
Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association
Arizona Manufacturers Council
Arizona Multihousing Association
Arizona Restaurant Association
Arizona Rock Product Association
Arizona Small Business Association
Arizona Trucking Association
Associated General Contractors of America Arizona Chapter
Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce
Coolidge Chamber of Commerce
East Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance
Apache Junction Chamber of Commerce
Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce
Chandler Chamber of Commerce
Gilbert Chamber of Commerce
Mesa Chamber of Commerce
Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce
Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce
Tempe Chamber of Commerce
Eloy Chamber of Commerce
Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce
Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce
Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce
Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Greater Phoenix Leadership
Greater Vail Area Chamber of Commerce
Green Valley Sahuarita Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center
Homebuilders Association of Central Arizona
Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce
Marana Chamber of Commerce
National Association of Industrial Office Properties (NAIOP) Arizona Chapter
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce
PHX East Valley Partnership
Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau
Sky Islands Regional Partnership (formerly Sierra Vista Area Chamber of Commerce)
Southern Arizona Home Builders Association
Southern Arizona Leadership Council
The Chamber of Southern Arizona
United Dairymen of Arizona
Valley Partnership
West Valley Chambers of Commerce Alliance
Buckeye Chamber of Commerce
Glendale Chamber of Commerce
Peoria Chamber of Commerce
Northwest Valley Chamber of Commerce
West Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce
Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce
Yuma County Chamber of Commerce
Photo courtesy https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
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