Case Study: Arizona Public Service achieves proactive predictive maintenance at scale with Petasense

Arizona Public Service justifies large-scale implementation of Wireless Predictive Maintenance

Arizona Public Service (APS), the largest electric utility in Arizona, needed a way to monitor critical equipment at its unmanned Sundance peaker plant after entering the California ISO market caused starts and run hours to rise sharply. Because the plant often operated when no one was onsite, APS needed a wireless predictive maintenance solution that was cost-effective, secure, environmentally robust, and scalable.

APS selected Petasense’s wireless predictive maintenance system, including Vibration Motes and Transmitters, to monitor more than 100 rotating assets across the plant. Petasense helped APS collect over 1.4 million readings in six months and catch 13 defects, including bearing issues, misalignment, soft foot, cavitation, and a broken cooling fan. The system also enabled early intervention on pump issues, reduced vibration after repairs, and supported APS’s shift toward proactive maintenance, with plans to expand to additional sites.

Arizona Public Service

Donald Lamontagne

Equipment Reliability Engineering