<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-12</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000941138</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UNISOURCE ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UNS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001231045</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PIGNATELLI JAMES S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 S. CHURCH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>UE183</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TUCSON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AZ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>85701</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman, President and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>251.52</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>18.35</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>26255.26</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Deferred Comp</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Purchases and dividend equivalents (with respect to dividends declared by the Issuer on its Common Stock) credited during 2003 under the UniSource Energy Corporation (&quot;UNS&quot;) Management &amp; Director's Deferred Compensation Plan.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Vincent Nitido, Jr., attorney for reporting person</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-26</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

