The Arizona Public Service (APS) AZ Sun Program is celebrating its fifth anniversary by marking a number of achievements in production and coverage of solar panels.

The company manages a network of more than 1 million solar panels at nine solar plants located around the state.

APS officials said the local energy production network has helped Arizona's oldest utility keep up with peak demand since the panels continue collecting energy, even when customers are using it most.

“Our customers don’t typically give much thought to the energy we produce and send to their homes; they just want that light to turn on at the flip of a switch,” APS Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Schiavoni said. "But on hot summer days, when our customers are using the most amount of energy, we need generation resources that can match their energy demands and ensure continued reliability in every corner of the state. Our AZ Sun Program and its nine solar plants are delivering exactly what they were meant to on sunny days – electricity from sun up to sun down.”

Since the first plant opened in 2011, APS' solar network has produced more than 1 billion kilowatt hours and created approximately 2,000 jobs.