SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

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                                (Amendment No. )

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                         Arizona Public Service Company
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                         Arizona Public Service Company
                                 P.O. BOX 53999
                           PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85072-3999

                           NOTICE AND PROXY STATEMENT
                For Annual Meeting of Shareholders To Be Held On
                              Tuesday, May 20, 1997

To the Shareholders:

     The  seventy-seventh  annual  meeting of  shareholders  of  Arizona  Public
Service  Company  will be held in the  offices of the Company at 400 North Fifth
Street in  Phoenix,  Arizona  at 10:00 a.m.  on  Tuesday,  May 20,  1997 for the
following purposes:

     1)  To elect a Board of  Directors  to serve for the ensuing  year or until
         their successors are elected and qualified; and

     2)  To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting
         or any adjournment thereof.

     This Proxy  Statement is furnished in connection  with the  solicitation of
proxies on behalf of the Company's  Board of Directors.  So far as management is
aware, the matters described in this Proxy Statement will be the only ones to be
acted upon at the meeting. If any other matters properly come before the meeting
or any adjournment thereof, the proxy committee named in the enclosed proxy will
vote on those matters in accordance with its judgment.

     Shareholders  are  requested  to mark,  date,  sign and mail  promptly  the
enclosed  proxy. A  postage-paid  envelope is provided for mailing in the United
States. You are entitled to revoke your proxy at any time before it is exercised
and vote your shares in person if you attend the meeting.

     The management of the Company cordially invites you to attend the meeting.

                                              By order of the Board of Directors

                                                                 NANCY C. LOFTIN
                                                     Vice President, Chief Legal
                                                           Counsel and Secretary

Approximate date of mailing to shareholders:
April 1, 1997

                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

     It is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed  proxy to vote for
the nominees  listed  below to serve as members of the Board of Directors  until
the next annual meeting of  shareholders  or until their  successors are elected
and qualified.  If, between the mailing of this Proxy  Statement and the meeting
date, any such individual becomes unavailable to serve, the proxies may be voted
for a person properly nominated or the number of directors to be elected will be
reduced. The following information has been furnished by the respective nominees
as of March 12, 1997. The term  "Pinnacle  West" refers to Pinnacle West Capital
Corporation, the Company's parent.

                                    Nominees


O. Mark  DeMichele,  63, has been a  director  since  1982.  From 1988 until his
retirement in February 1997, Mr. DeMichele was the Company's President and Chief
Executive Officer.

Martha O. Hesse,  54, has been a director  since 1991. She is President of Hesse
Gas Company.  In 1990 Ms. Hesse served as Senior Vice President of First Chicago
Corporation (financial services),  and from 1986 to 1989 she was Chairman of the
Federal Energy Regulatory  Commission.  She is also a director of Pinnacle West,
Mutual Trust Life Insurance Company and Laidlaw Inc.

Marianne  Moody  Jennings,  43, has been a director  since March 1987.  She is a
Professor  of Legal and Ethical  Studies in Business at the College of Business,
Arizona State University.  In addition,  Ms. Jennings is a textbook author,  and
since 1977 she has been a consultant for various firms.  Ms.  Jennings is also a
columnist for The Arizona Republic.

Robert G. Matlock, 63, has been a director since April 1993. He has, since 1984,
been an  independent  management  consultant  to various  governmental  agencies
involved in  developing  nuclear  energy  resources  and to utilities  operating
nuclear facilities.

John R. Norton III, 67, is Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive  Officer of
J.R. Norton Company (agricultural  production),  Phoenix, Arizona, and was first
elected as a director of the Company in January 1984.  Mr. Norton  resigned as a
director  in May  1985  to  accept  appointment  as  U.S.  Deputy  Secretary  of
Agriculture,  a position he held until  February  1986.  In February 1986 he was
reelected  as a  director  of the  Company.  Mr.  Norton is also a  director  of
Pinnacle West,  Aztar  Corporation  (casino  hotels),  and Terra Industries Inc.
(agricultural chemicals).

William J. Post, 46, has been a director since September 1994. Mr. Post has been
the Company's  President and Chief Executive Officer since February 1997. He had
been the Company's  Chief  Operating  Officer since September 1994, as well as a
Senior Vice  President  since June 1993.  Prior to that time, he had served as a
Vice  President  and officer of the Company since 1982. In February 1997 he also
assumed the position of President  of Pinnacle  West after having  served as its
Executive  Vice  President  since June  1995.  Mr.  Post is also a  director  of
Pinnacle West.
                                        2

Donald M. Riley,  53, has been a director  since June 1987.  He is President and
General Manager of Gilpin's  Construction  Company,  Inc. (general  contractor),
Yuma, Arizona.

George A.  Schreiber,  Jr., 48, was appointed as a director  effective  February
1997. Mr. Schreiber was elected to the positions of Executive Vice President and
Chief  Financial  Officer of both the Company and  Pinnacle  West as of February
1997.  From  February  1990  to  January  1997  he  was  Managing   Director  at
PaineWebber, Inc. He is also a director of Pinnacle West.

Richard Snell,  66, has been a director since July 1975. He was elected Chairman
of the Board of the Company  concurrent  with his  selection  as Chairman of the
Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Pinnacle West in February 1990.
Mr. Snell  resigned  from the position of President of Pinnacle West in February
1997; he remains  Chairman and CEO. He is also a director of Aztar  Corporation,
Banc One Arizona Corporation and Central Newspapers, Inc.

Dianne C. Walker, 40, has been a director since June 1994. She is an independent
consultant  on electric  utility  mergers and  acquisitions  and asset  purchase
transactions.  Ms.  Walker  served as an  electric  energy  consultant  for Bear
Stearns  from January 1990 to December  1994.  Ms.  Walker is also a director of
Satellite Technology Management, Comdial Corporation, and Microtest, Inc.

Ben F. Williams,  Jr., 67, has been a director since December 1970. He practices
law as a sole practitioner in Tucson, Arizona. Mr. Williams was a partner in the
law firm of Lesher and  Williams,  Tucson,  Arizona,  from  January 1992 to June
1994.  Prior to 1992,  Mr.  Williams  practiced  law as a sole  practitioner  in
Douglas, Arizona.


                                VOTING SECURITIES

     Each of the 75,260,320  shares of the Company's  capital stock  (71,264,947
shares of common and 3,995,373 shares of preferred)  outstanding at the close of
business on March 12, 1997 entitles the holder to notice of, and to vote at, the
meeting or any adjournment  thereof, but shares can be voted at the meeting only
if the holder is present or represented by proxy.
                                        3

                     PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF VOTING SECURITIES

     No  director  or  director-nominee  is the  beneficial  owner of any of the
outstanding  capital stock of the Company  except for Mr. Thomas G. Woods,  Jr.,
who  beneficially  owns,  in trust with his wife,  700  shares of the  Company's
$2.625 Cumulative Preferred Stock, Series C, which is less than 1% of the class.

     The  following  table  shows each  person who at the close of  business  on
December 31, 1996 was known by the Company to  beneficially  own more than 5% of
any class of the capital stock of the Company:


                                                                       Percent
Title of           Name and Address of           Amount and Nature of    of
 Class               Beneficial Owner            Beneficial Ownership   Class
 -----               ----------------            --------------------   -----

 Common     Pinnacle West Capital Corporation         71,264,947       100.00%
              400 East Van Buren, Suite 700            (Direct)
                     Phoenix, AZ 85004
                                        4

                      OWNERSHIP OF PINNACLE WEST SECURITIES
                                  BY MANAGEMENT

     At March 12, 1997, shares of Pinnacle West common stock  beneficially owned
by the indicated persons or groups were as follows:

                                                 Shares
                                              Beneficially              Percent
                                                Owned (1)               of Class
                                                ---------               --------
Non-Employee Directors and Nominees
- -----------------------------------

Martha O. Hesse                                    16,700
Marianne M. Jennings (2)                              110
Robert G. Matlock (2)                               1,000
John R. Norton III (2)                             33,500
Donald M. Riley                                       420
Wilma W. Schwada (2)(3)                             1,320
Dianne C. Walker                                      100
Ben F. Williams, Jr. (2)                            2,147
Thomas G. Woods, Jr. (2)(3)                         3,400

Employee Directors and Officers
- -------------------------------

O. Mark DeMichele (2)                              77,631
Jaron B. Norberg (2)(3)                            49,541
William J. Post                                    73,643
George A. Schreiber, Jr.                           11,200
Richard Snell                                     447,023

Other Officers Named on Page 10
- -------------------------------

Jack E. Davis (2)                                  24,579
William L. Stewart (2)                             49,211

All directors, nominees and executive
 officers as a group (26 persons) (2)           1,021,047                  1.17%
 ------------------------------------

- ----------

(1)  Includes  shares  which may be  acquired by the  exercise of stock  options
     within 60 days as follows:  14,000 for Ms.  Hesse;  17,500 for Mr.  Norton;
     46,179 for Mr. Post; 390,833 for Mr. Snell; 9,156 for Mr. Davis; 11,833 for
     Mr.  Stewart and 616,339 for all directors and officers as a group.  In the
     case of  officers,  also  includes  shares of  restricted  stock and vested
     shares, as of December 31, 1996, in the Company's savings plan.

(2)  Includes in the cases of: Mr. Norton, 500 shares held by his wife and 2,000
     shares held in a trust for Mr.  Norton's late mother for which he serves as
     trustee; Ms. Schwada, 1,320 shares held in a family trust; Mr. Williams, 47
     shares held by his wife and 500 shares held in joint tenancy with his wife;
     Mr. Woods, 3,400 shares held in a trust in which investment
                                        5

     and voting power is shared; Mr. DeMichele, 59,677 shares held in a trust in
     which  investment  and  voting  power is  shared;  and  shares  as to which
     investment  or  voting  power is  shared  with  spouses,  as  follows:  Ms.
     Jennings,  110; Mr. Matlock, 1,000; Mr. Norberg,  44,188; Mr. Davis, 6,625;
     and Mr.  Stewart,  10,878.  Also includes for the group,  141,146 shares in
     which voting or investment power is shared with others.

(3)  Ms. Schwada and Mr. Woods,  at mandatory  retirement  age, are not standing
     for re-election as directors.  Mr. Norberg,  electing to retire early, will
     also not stand for re-election.


                          THE BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES

     The full Board of Directors met twelve times in 1996. No director  attended
fewer than 75% of the meetings of the full Board and of the  committees on which
he or she served.

     The  Company's   Audit  Review   Committee   reviews  the  performance  and
independence  of the  Company's  independent  accounting  firm,  makes an annual
recommendation  to the full Board with respect to the  appointment  of the firm,
approves the general  nature of the  services to be  performed by the firm,  and
solicits and reviews the firm's  recommendations.  The  Committee  also consults
with  the  Company's   internal  audit  group  and   periodically   reviews  the
relationships among that group,  management of the Company,  and its independent
accountants.  The Committee met four times in 1996 and consisted of Ms. Hesse as
chairman, Ms. Schwada and Messrs. Norton, Williams and Woods.

     The Human Resources Committee makes  recommendations to the full Board with
respect to executive  salaries,  bonuses and benefits and regularly  reviews the
Company's  policies  in all of the  foregoing  areas.  Its  report on  executive
compensation  policy follows,  and its members are identified at the end of that
report. In addition, the Committee also recommends prospective new Board members
to the full Board.  The  Committee  may consider  shareholder  suggestions  with
respect to new nominees for the Board if the suggestion is sent to the Secretary
of the  Company at the  address on the cover page of this Proxy  Statement.  The
Committee met four times in 1996.

     In 1996,  non-employee  directors  received an annual  retainer of $18,000.
With certain  exceptions,  non-employee  directors  also  received $900 for each
board meeting attended and $700 for each committee meeting attended.

     The  Company  has  a  directors'   retirement  plan  which,   with  certain
exceptions,  provides  to  non-employee  directors  over the age of 65 an annual
payment of $12,000 upon their retirement from the Board. This payment is limited
to the number of credited  years that the director  served on the Board or until
the director dies,  whichever occurs first. With limited  exceptions,  directors
will be credited only for years of service on the Board prior to age 65.

     The Company has a consulting agreement with Robert G. Matlock & Associates,
Inc., of which Mr. Robert G. Matlock is President and Chief  Executive  Officer,
under  which they are paid $150 per hour  (maximum  of $40,000  per year),  plus
expenses,  for consulting services relating to the Company's nuclear operations.
In 1996, $8,367, was paid under this agreement.
                                        6

                     REPORT OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE

     The Company's  Human Resources  Committee (the  "Committee") is composed of
six  directors,  none of whom  currently  is, or has ever  been,  an  officer or
employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.  The responsibilities of the
Committee  include  reviewing  annually,  and  recommending to the full Board of
Directors,  the cash compensation paid to the Company's  officers,  establishing
annual  goals for such  officers,  and  approving  the payment of  variable  pay
incentives  when such goals are met.  Pursuant to these  duties,  the  Committee
obtains information  regarding stock incentive plans authorized by Pinnacle West
shareholders,  under which stock options and other  long-term  incentives may be
awarded to the  Company's  officers  and key  employees  by the human  resources
committee of the board of Pinnacle West.  Information regarding the compensation
objectives  and  philosophy of the Pinnacle West human  resources  committee was
taken from that committee's  report contained in the proxy statement relating to
Pinnacle West's 1997 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

     The  executive  compensation  policy,  as  developed  and  adopted  by  the
Committee,  is incentive-based and provides for short- and long-term  incentives
in the form of bonuses and equity.  The policy is designed to reward  individual
performance  in  critical  areas of the  Company's  operations,  including  cost
management,  earnings performance,  customer service,  safety, and environmental
concerns.  Incentive  goals are  developed  annually  to focus on the  Company's
profitability  and its  operational  results  in the  short and long  term.  The
Committee  recommends  Board approval of the compensation of Company officers in
accordance  with the  achievement  of  incentive  goals  and  comparable  median
industry levels.

     The  Committee's  overall  compensation  philosophy  is to (I)  attract and
retain qualified  individuals critical to the Company's success,  (ii) reinforce
strategic  objectives  through the use of  incentive  compensation  programs and
(iii) promote long-term stock ownership by executives. The Committee applies its
own  compensation   philosophy  (and  specifically  its  bias  toward  rewarding
performance) to comparative information provided by independent consultants.  In
1996,  information  was  provided  by the  consultants  for a  number  of  other
organizations  engaged  primarily  in the electric  utility  business and having
characteristics  similar to the Company.  In addition,  information was provided
for a general industry group consisting of companies of similar size.

     Base Salaries.  The Committee reviews each executive  officer's base salary
annually.  To determine an appropriate  salary level,  consideration is given to
individual performance, level of responsibility, prior experience and expertise,
and base pay of officers  performing  similar  functions at  comparable  utility
companies. Base salaries for Company officers, as a group, were below the median
salaries of the utility group. Some officers received above-average increases in
order to either  bring  them  closer to the  median or in  recognition  of their
expertise and importance to the organization.

     Bonuses.  The  Company  has  established  a policy of having a  significant
portion of compensation  achieved through incentives,  such as bonuses,  tied to
Company performance and the attainment of goals established by the Committee.

     Under the Company's variable pay plan for officers,  the total compensation
of  the  executive   officers  is  significantly   impacted  by  the  degree  of
accomplishment  in lowering  the cost of producing  electricity  (defined as the
unit cost ratio,  or UCR).  The amount of incentive  compensation  paid, if any,
depends upon the degree of success in meeting that goal. However,
                                        7

the plan  does not allow  any cash  incentives  to be paid  unless  the  Company
achieves a certain level of UCR reduction as established by the Committee at the
beginning of the year. In 1996, Company performance  exceeded all of the overall
corporate goals and a majority of the department key result area targets.

     Under the plan, targeted incentive payments for officers ranged from 13% to
20% of salary,  and could  reach from 37% to 60% of salary,  depending  on their
position and performance.  One hundred percent of Mr. DeMichele's cash incentive
payment,  and 40% of the other officers' cash incentive  payments,  are based on
overall corporate performance (i.e., UCR achievement).  The remaining 60% of the
cash incentive  payments for the officers (other than Mr. DeMichele) is based on
business unit results, as determined by Mr. DeMichele.

     Long-Term  Incentives.  The  human  resources  committee  of the  board  of
Pinnacle  West makes the  decisions on long-term  incentive  grants and believes
that the ultimate measure of management's  performance is its ability to deliver
rewards  to  shareholders  in the form of share  price  appreciation  and rising
dividends over time. To those ends, the Pinnacle West committee makes systematic
grants of  restricted  stock and stock  options to officers  and key  management
employees of Pinnacle West and its subsidiaries, including the Company, in order
that they may participate in those rewards through stock ownership.

     The Pinnacle West committee also believes that senior management personnel,
including those of its subsidiaries, should have a significant, ongoing personal
investment in Pinnacle West. To that end, restricted stock grants, besides being
compensatory  in nature,  are utilized to encourage the attainment and retention
of targeted levels of individual  stock ownership by conditioning  their vesting
upon the  ownership of certain  numbers of shares for  predetermined  periods of
time.

     The size of awards made by the human  resources  committee  of the board of
Pinnacle  West to the  Company's  participants  in the program is  determined by
making assumptions as to how,  generally,  Pinnacle West stock should perform if
Pinnacle West achieves its longer-term  goals,  and individual  grants were then
determined  by bringing the  recipient's  total  compensation  to a target level
relative to comparator groups, provided that the stock performs as assumed.

     This  Committee  concurs with the  position  taken by the board of Pinnacle
West and its program  regarding  grants of restricted stock and stock options to
officers and key employees of the Company.

     CEO  Compensation.  Upon reviewing the data received from its  consultants,
and taking into account Mr. DeMichele's impending retirement,  which occurred in
February 1997, the Committee did not increase Mr.  DeMichele's  base salary from
its 1995  level.  Mr.  DeMichele's  targeted  bonus  payment for 1996 was 20% of
year-end base salary,  but could reach up to 60% of salary,  depending  upon the
level of  attainment  of unit  cost  ratio,  the sole  determinant  of his bonus
payment.  His actual bonus received reflected the maximum targeted attainment of
UCR.  Mr.  DeMichele  was not  granted  options  in  November  1996,  due to his
scheduled  retirement.  He was  given a  restricted  stock  award,  however,  in
recognition  of the reduction of his personal  earnings  capacity as a result of
his early retirement.

     Tax Consideration. Publicly traded corporations generally are not permitted
to deduct, for federal income tax purposes,  annual compensation in excess of $1
million  paid  to any of  certain  top  executives,  except  to the  extent  the
compensation qualifies as "performance-based." While
                                        8

the  Committee  prefers  to reward  performance  through  the  bonus and  equity
participation programs,  certain features of these programs do not fit the law's
stringent definition of "performance-based," and limited amounts of compensation
may therefore not be deductible.

     The foregoing  report of the Human  Resources  Committee is provided by its
members:  Mr. Riley (Chairman),  Mmes.  Hesse,  Jennings and Schwada and Messrs.
Matlock and Williams.


                                PERFORMANCE GRAPH

     The annual  changes for the five-year  period shown in the following  graph
are based on the  assumption  that $100 was  invested on the last trading day in
1991 in Pinnacle West stock and in the market represented by each of two indices
(the Dow Jones Equity Market Index and the Edison  Electric  Institute  Index of
100  Investor-Owned  Electrics),  and that any dividends  were  reinvested.  The
common stock of Pinnacle West is used to measure the  performance of the Company
because  the  Company  is the  largest  subsidiary  of  Pinnacle  West  and  its
operations account for substantially all of Pinnacle West's operating revenues.

                 Date       DJ Equity       EEI 100          PNW
               12/31/91       100.00         100.00         100.00
               12/31/92       108.61         107.59         117.27
               12/31/93       119.41         119.58         129.93
               12/31/94       120.33         105.74         119.16
               12/31/95       166.50         138.55         181.15
               12/31/96       205.57         140.22         206.94
                                        9

                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

     The following  tables on compensation  and stock options relate to the five
most highly  compensated  executive  officers of the Company.  Information given
with  respect to stock  options  and  restricted  stock  relate to shares of the
common stock of Pinnacle West.

                           Summary Compensation Table


                                                                  Long-Term Compensation
                                                                  ----------------------
                      Annual Compensation                                  Awards
- -------------------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------  ------------------
Name and                                                         Restricted
Principal                                                             Stock                       All Other
Position                      Year         Salary     Bonus      Awards (1)       Options     Compensation (2)
- --------                      ----         ------     ------     ----------       -------     ----------------
                                                                                   
Jack E. Davis                 1996       $193,669   $127,142        $69,168        11,000         $10,016
Exec. VP, Commercial          1995        174,763     66,057         32,928         6,000           8,020
Operations                    1994        161,660     57,803         26,600         7,000           3,119

O. Mark DeMichele (3)         1996       $409,904   $245,942       $603,648             0         $25,436
President & CEO               1995        409,904    245,942        526,848        21,000          24,037
                              1994        402,008    242,690        380,000        25,000          12,873

Jaron B. Norberg (4)          1996       $265,994   $122,670             $0             0        $455,037
Exec. VP & CFO                1995        259,344    126,819         76,832        14,000          15,230
                              1994        254,400    129,717         60,800        16,000           9,339

William J. Post (4)           1996       $325,000   $165,100       $106,896        17,000         $11,015
Sr. VP & COO                  1995        287,500    175,500         93,296        17,000          12,229
                              1994        195,522    145,672         64,600        17,000           5,265

William L. Stewart            1996       $349,693   $232,374       $285,776        17,000        $ 10,057
Exec. VP, Generation          1995        306,595    186,214         90,552        16,500          10,175
                              1994        307,869    152,400        237,200        69,000             818

(1)  The value of the  restricted  stock is based on the closing market price of
     Pinnacle West common stock on the date the restricted  shares were granted.
     The  restrictions  lapse on most restricted  stock awards made in 1996 upon
     (I) the passage of three years from date of grant or upon retirement  after
     the age of 60,  and (ii) the  holding of  certain  numbers of  unrestricted
     shares for certain  periods of time,  as  determined  by the Pinnacle  West
     Human Resources Committee at the time of grant.  Dividends that are payable
     in cash or stock will be withheld until the  restrictions  lapse.  6,000 of
     the  9,400  shares  granted  to  Mr.  Stewart  in  1996  did  not  have  an
     unrestricted stock matching requirement.

     The  aggregate  number  of  restricted  shares  held and  their  value  (in
     brackets)  as of  December  31,  1996 are as  follows:  Mr.  Davis -- 5,100
     [$161,925];  Mr. DeMichele -- 58,400  [$1,854,200];  Mr. Norberg -- 0 [$0];
     Mr. Post -- 10,200 [$323,850]; and Mr. Stewart -- 26,500 [$841,375].

(2)  This column  includes (I) the above market  portion of interest  accrued in
     1996 on funds deferred under a deferred  compensation plan in the following
     amounts:  Mr.  Davis -- $3,951;  Mr.  DeMichele -- $6,893;  Mr.  Norberg --
     $4,134;  Mr.  Post --  $5,261;  and Mr.  Stewart --  $1,851;  (ii)  Company
     contributions made during 1996 under the Company's Employee Savings Plan in
     the following  amounts:  Mr. Davis -- $4,220;  Mr. DeMichele -- $4,500; Mr.
     Norberg -- $4,500;  Mr. Post -- $4,500;  and Mr. Stewart -- $-0-; and (iii)
     premiums paid by the Company for life  insurance in the following  amounts:
     Mr. Davis --$1,854;  Mr. DeMichele -- $14,043;  Mr. Norberg -- $5,011;  Mr.
     Post -- $1,254; and Mr. Stewart -- $8,206.[Reg.  S-K Item 402(b)(2)(v)] Mr.
     Norberg received  $441,392 in additional  severance  benefits to compensate
     him for benefits he was losing by retiring early.

(3)  Mr.  DeMichele  retired  on  February  20,  1997,  at which  point the time
     restrictions  on his restricted  stock lapsed.  Additionally,  his 1995 and
     1996 grants did not contain unrestricted stock matching requirements.

(4)  Mr. Norberg  retired from the Company on December 31, 1996. Mr. Post became
     President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company on February 20, 1997.
                                       10

                    Pinnacle West Stock Option Grants in 1996


                                       Percentage of
                         Options       Total Options
                         Granted      Granted to All       Exercise                             Grant Date
                         in 1996       Employees in          Price         Expiration             Present
Name                   (Shares)(1)         1996           (per share)         Date               Value(2)
- ----                   -----------        ------          -----------         ----               --------
                                                                                       
Jack E. Davis             11,000           4.22%            $31.44          11/20/06              $47,850

O. Mark DeMichele            -0-             -0-              N/A              N/A                     $0

Jaron B. Norberg             -0-             -0-              N/A              N/A                     $0

William J. Post           17,000           6.52%            $31.44          11/20/06              $73,950

William L. Stewart        17,000           6.52%            $31.44          11/20/06              $73,950

(1)  Options  vest  annually in  installments  of 33% per year  beginning on the
     first anniversary of the date of grant. All options not already exercisable
     will become  exercisable if an individual retires on or after the age of 60
     as was the case upon Mr. DeMichele's retirement. No SARs have been granted.

(2)  The Black-Scholes  option pricing model was used in determining the present
     value of the options granted.  The assumptions utilized in the model are as
     follows: 17.1% for expected volatility; 5.8 % for risk-free rate of return;
     4.5% for dividend yield and 5 years for the time of exercise.


                         Stock Option Exercises in 1996
                           and Year-End Option Values


                                                                    Number of Securities                  Value of Unexercised
                                                               Underlying Unexercised Options             In-The-Money Options
                                                                     at Fiscal Year-End                  at Fiscal Year-End (2)
                                                                     ------------------                  ----------------------
                                    Shares
                               Acquired on            Value
         Name                     Exercise      Realized(1)       Exercisable      Unexercisable       Exercisable     Unexercisable
         ----                     --------      -----------       -----------      -------------       -----------     -------------
                                                                                                               
Jack E. Davis                        6,666          $76,720             8,594             17,834           $62,826           $52,206

O. Mark DeMichele                    7,156          $48,875           105,433             22,334        $1,042,619          $159,619

Jaron B. Norberg                    53,357         $479,658                 0                  0                $0                $0

William J. Post                          0               $0            44,436             34,001          $465,777          $115,790

William L. Stewart                  39,666         $489,909            11,833             51,001          $100,752          $371,714


(1)  Value  of  options  exercised  is the  market  value of the  shares  on the
     exercise date minus the exercise price.

(2)  The value of options  equals the market value of Pinnacle West common stock
     on  December  31,  1996  ($31.75  per share)  minus the  exercise  price of
     options.
                                       11

                             EXECUTIVE BENEFIT PLANS

     Employees' Retirement Plan and Supplemental Excess Benefit Retirement Plan.
The  following  table   illustrates  the  annual   benefits,   calculated  on  a
straight-life annuity basis, that would be provided under the Company Employees'
Retirement  Plan and the  Supplemental  Excess  Benefit  Retirement  Plan to the
Company's  officers  who  retire at the  indicated  compensation  and  longevity
levels.


                                                              Years of Service
         Average Annual            ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        Compensation (a)                5(b)               10                 20                25(C)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           
                 $ 100,000                $ 15,000           $ 30,000           $ 50,000          $ 60,000

                   200,000                  30,000             60,000            100,000           120,000

                   250,000                  37,500             75,000            125,000           150,000

                   300,000                  45,000             90,000            150,000           180,000

                   400,000                  60,000            120,000            200,000           240,000

                   500,000                  75,000            150,000            250,000           300,000

                   600,000                  90,000            180,000            300,000           360,000

                   700,000                 105,000            210,000            350,000           420,000

                   800,000                 120,000            240,000            400,000           480,000

- ------------

(a)  Compensation under the retirement plan consists solely of base salary up to
     $150,000   (as  adjusted  for   cost-of-living),   including   any  amounts
     voluntarily  deferred under the Company's 401(k) plan. While the retirement
     plan does not include  amounts  voluntarily  deferred  under other deferred
     compensation  plans,  bonuses or  incentive  pay, the  Supplemental  Excess
     Benefit Retirement Plan does include, subject to certain exceptions,  these
     additional  components of compensation plus base salary beyond the $150,000
     limit.

(b)  Although  years of service begin  accumulating  on the date of  employment,
     benefits do not vest until the completion of five years of service.

(c)  Although the maximum number of years used in calculating benefits under the
     Employee's  Retirement Plan is generally  33-1/3, a greater maximum benefit
     is achieved under the Supplemental  Excess Benefit Retirement Plan after 25
     years of service.

     For officers,  the Company's  Supplemental  Excess Benefit  Retirement Plan
provides enhanced benefits.  Benefits payable under this plan that are in excess
of the  benefits  payable  under the  Company's  retirement  plan  (which,  as a
qualified  defined  benefit  pension plan,  is limited  pursuant to the Internal
Revenue Code), are payable from the general assets of the Company. The number of
credited years of service for each of the individuals named on page
                                       12

10 and their 1996  remuneration  covered by the Company's  plans are as follows:
Mr. Davis -- 24 years,  $259,726;  Mr. DeMichele -- 36 years (see description of
Mr. DeMichele's  employment agreement below),  $655,846; Mr. Norberg -- 25 years
(see description of Mr. Norberg's  employment and severance  agreements  below),
$392,813;  Mr.  Post -- 24  years,  $500,500  and Mr.  Stewart  -- 3 years  (see
description of Mr. Stewart's employment agreement below),  $535,907. The amounts
shown in the table are not expected to be subject to any reduction or offset for
social security benefits or other significant amounts.

     Employment and Severance Arrangements.  In April 1978 Mr. DeMichele and the
Company  entered into an agreement  under which the Company,  in calculating Mr.
DeMichele's pension benefits, granted Mr. DeMichele credit for 17 years of prior
employment  with another  company.  Mr.  DeMichele's  credited  years of service
disclosed  above (36) include the credit for his prior  employment.  The Company
will also  compensate  Mr.  DeMichele for  increased  retiree  medical  premiums
resulting from a change in the premium  structure that became effective  January
1, 1997.

     In August 1996 the Company entered into an agreement with Mr. Stewart which
provides a retirement  benefit  calculated by adding a base amount of 20% of his
average  monthly  wage and 10% of his  average  monthly  wage  for each  year of
service up to a maximum of 100% of his average monthly salary. He becomes vested
in this benefit  upon  completion  of four years  employment.  In addition,  Mr.
Stewart is to receive 2,000 shares of restricted  Pinnacle West stock  annually.
The Company also agreed to purchase Mr.  Stewart's  home for $1.1  million,  the
appraised value and the amount for which the Company  believes it could be sold,
and to allow him to live there as long as he remains an employee of the Company.
Mr. Stewart  recognized  $100,000 in appreciation on the sale of his home to the
Company.

     In July 1995 Mr.  Norberg and the Company  entered into an agreement  under
which the Company,  in calculating Mr. Norberg's pension  benefits,  granted Mr.
Norberg credit for four  additional  years of  employment.  In December 1996 Mr.
Norberg and the Company  entered  into an  agreement  whereby  Mr.  Norberg,  in
recognition  of his retiring  early,  received a severance  payment equal to one
year of his base  salary plus  additional  monies to  compensate  him for equity
awards  that  would have  vested  within the next  year.  Mr.  Norberg  was also
credited with five additional  years of service and one year of age for purposes
of calculating his pension  benefits.  Mr.  Norberg's  credited years of service
disclosed  above (25)  include the  additional  years  credited to him under his
agreements  with the  Company.  Additionally,  at the  discretion  of the  Chief
Executive Officer, Mr. Norberg may provide up to six hundred hours of consulting
services to the Company in each of the two years  following his  retirement at a
rate of two hundred dollars per hour.

     Effective January 1, 1992, the Company established a deferred  compensation
plan for directors and officers of the Company.  Effective  January 1, 1996, the
Company  established  a revocable  trust for the purpose of funding the benefits
under the deferred  compensation  plan.  Upon the occurrence of certain  events,
which generally  include the sale of substantially  all the Company's  assets, a
merger  or  consolidation  in which the  Company  is not the  surviving  entity,
certain  changes  in the  composition  of the  Board  of  Directors  or  someone
acquiring  20  percent or more of the  Company's  voting  stock,  the trust will
become  irrevocable  and the Company will be required to fully fund the benefits
earned under the deferred  compensation plan within 60 days after the occurrence
of that event.
                                       13

     The Company has entered into severance  agreements,  which are identical in
content,  with each of its executive  officers.  The  agreements are intended to
provide stability of key management for the Company. Under the agreements,  each
officer will receive a payment and other severance  benefits having an aggregate
value of not more than 2.99 times the  officer's  "base  income" (the average of
the officer's annual  compensation over the five years preceding the year of the
"change in  control")  if,  during the  two-year  period  following a "change in
control" of the Company, the officer's employment is terminated or the terms and
conditions of his or her employment are significantly and detrimentally altered.
"Change in control" includes any change in control event required to be reported
under  the  Securities   Exchange  Act  of  1934,  an  unrelated  third  party's
acquisition of 20% or more of the Company's voting stock or substantially all of
the assets of the Company,  a merger or  acquisition of the Company in which the
Company is not the surviving corporation unless the Company's  shareholders have
the same proportionate interest in the surviving corporation, or a change in the
majority  of the members of the  Company's  Board of  Directors  over a two-year
period,  which change is not approved by  two-thirds of the members of the Board
then  serving who were  members  immediately  prior to the change.  No severance
benefits  will be  payable  to an  officer  who  has  attained  age 65 or  whose
termination is on account of retirement,  voluntary  termination,  disability or
death,  or "for  cause," as defined in the  agreements.  An officer  will not be
deemed to have  voluntarily  terminated  his or her  employment if the officer's
termination is due to a material adverse change in his or her duties, status, or
perquisites,  failure to re-elect or redesignate  the officer to a position held
prior to the "change in control," a significant  relocation of the officer's job
without his or her consent, or a material breach by the Company of the officer's
severance agreement.  Each of the executive severance  agreements  terminates on
December 31 of each year,  upon six months' advance notice by the Company to the
officer; if such notice is not given, the agreement will continue for successive
one-year periods until the notice is given.



                                     GENERAL

      Cost of Solicitation.  The cost of the solicitation of proxies, which will
be by mail,  will be borne by the Company.  Brokerage  houses and others will be
reimbursed  for  their  out-of-pocket   expenses  in  forwarding   documents  to
beneficial owners of stock.

     Independent  Public  Accountants.  It is  anticipated  that  the  Company's
financial statements as of December 31, 1997 and for the year then ended will be
examined by Deloitte & Touche LLP,  independent  certified  public  accountants.
Representatives  of that firm are  expected to be present at the annual  meeting
with the  opportunity  to make a statement if they so desire and to be available
to respond to appropriate questions.

     Voting Procedures. A majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote in
person or by proxy at the meeting  will  constitute  a quorum for the conduct of
business.

     For the election of directors, the individuals receiving the highest number
of votes will be elected.  The number of votes to which each shareholder will be
entitled is to be determined by multiplying the number of shares of common stock
owned as of the March 12,  1997  record  date by the number of  directors  to be
elected,  and any  shareholder may cumulate his or her votes by casting them all
in person or by proxy for any one nominee, or by distributing them among
                                       14

two or more  nominees.  Broker  "non-votes"  with  respect to any matter are not
considered  shares  present  and will not affect the outcome of the vote on such
matter.

     Shareholder  Proposals for Next Annual  Meeting.  In order to be considered
for  inclusion  in the proxy  statement  and form of proxy  relating to the 1998
annual  meeting  of  the  Company's  shareholders,  a  proposal  intended  by  a
shareholder  for  presentation  at that meeting must be submitted in  accordance
with the applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and received
by the Company at its principal executive offices on or before December 2, 1997.
Proposals  to be  presented  at the annual  meeting  which are not  intended for
inclusion  in the  proxy  statement  and  form of  proxy  must be  submitted  in
accordance  with the applicable  provisions of the Company's  Bylaws,  a copy of
which  is  available  upon  written  request  delivered  to  the  Office  of the
Secretary.  The Company  suggests that proponents  submit their proposals to the
Office of the Secretary by Certified Mail -- Return Receipt Requested.
                                       15

                         Arizona Public Service Company
                                 P.O. Box 53999
                           Phoenix, Arizona 85072-3999


April 1, 1997

Dear Shareholders:

The 1997 Annual Meeting of  Shareholders  of Arizona Public Service Company will
be held in the  offices  of the  Company  at 400 North  Fifth  Street,  Phoenix,
Arizona on May 20, 1997 at 10 a.m. Phoenix time.

Your vote is  important.  Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting,  please
review the enclosed proxy statement, complete the proxy form below and return it
promptly in the envelope provided.

Sincerely,


Nancy C. Loftin
Vice President, Chief Legal
          Counsel & Secretary


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROXY FORM          Arizona Public Service Company             PROXY FORM

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


This  proxy is  solicited  on behalf of the Board of  Directors  for the  Annual
Meeting on May 20, 1997.


The undersigned hereby appoints William J. Post and Nancy C. Loftin, and each of
them,  proxies for the  undersigned,  each with full power of  substitution,  to
attend the Annual Meeting of  Shareholders  of Arizona Public Service Company to
be held May 20, 1997 at ten a.m., Phoenix time, and at any adjournment  thereof,
and to vote as  specified  in this Proxy all the shares of stock of the  Company
which the  undersigned  would be entitled  to vote if  personally  present.  The
proxies of the undersigned  may vote according to their  discretion on any other
matter that may properly come before the meeting.

Voting with respect to the election of Directors may be indicated on the reverse
of this card.  Nominees for Director  are: O. Mark  DeMichele,  Martha O. Hesse,
Marianne Moody Jennings, Robert G. Matlock, John R. Norton III, William J. Post,
Donald M. Riley,  George A. Schreiber,  Jr., Richard Snell, Dianne C. Walker and
Ben F. Williams, Jr.

    This proxy will be voted as specified on the reverse. If no specification
        is made, this proxy will be voted FOR the election of Directors.

                              Election of Directors

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of Directors.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                       FOR*        WITHHOLD   
     1. Election of Directors (see other side)         [ ]            [ ]



     *For all nominees, except vote withheld from the following:

     -----------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                        ----------------------------------------
                                             Signature                Date

                                        ----------------------------------------
                                             Signature                Date


                                           Please sign as your  name(s)  appears
                                           to the left. Joint owners should both
                                           sign.     Fiduciaries,     attorneys,
                                           corporate officers, etc. should state
                                           their capacities.

                                   Any proxy given previously if hereby revoked.





- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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