Arizona’s largest utilities look at nuclear power to meet demand

Phoenix (Azfamily) – Arizona’s three largest supply providers see ways to help accommodate the state’s growing energy needs, and nuclear power seems to be their top election.

In a written statement Wednesday Arizona Public Service (ApS), SALT RIVER PROJECT (SRP) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) would work with searching a number of locations, including previous sites of coal plants, to potentially build a new nuclear power plant to meet Arizona’s rapidly growing demand for electricity.

“The energy needs in Arizona are rising rapidly,” said ApS president Ted Geisler. “To ensure a reliable and affordable electrical supply to our customers, we are required to maintain a diverse energy mix. While a new nuclear generation would take more than a decade to develop, planning and exploring the possibilities must begin now. We work with nearby tools to assess the possibility of a new nuclear generation along with other resources to accommodate the state’s growing energy needs. “

It is no surprise that nuclear power is considered a potential solution. Arizona’s population growth shows no signs of slowing down, and new tech-centric companies with high energy requirements continue to flow to the state. As summer temperatures rise and last longer, the grid is often strained by increased use of air conditioning and the growing demand for electric vehicles.

The largest nuclear power plant in the West

Located west of Metro Phoenix near the distant city of Arlington, Arizona, is the largest nuclear power facility in the western United States.

Palo Verde Generation Station began operations in June 1985, delivering electricity to almost four million homes and businesses throughout Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas.

It is still the only nuclear plant in the world that is not located near a body of water. Instead, Palo Verde uses regained wastewater from nearby cities to cool its reactors, thereby eliminating its dependence on fresh water.

While ApS is the primary operator of Palo Verde, the plant is partly owned by seven different power supplies, including SRP. Tep. San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG & E)and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (Ladwp).

Like many other nuclear power facilities in the United States, Palo Verde is approaching its expected life expectancy.

Reactor 1 was originally scheduled for closure this year. In 2008, however, the nuclear regulatory commission (NRC) awarded an extension for all three reactor units at Palo Verde, with the first reactor now planned to be closed in 2045.

The energy requirement continues to climb in the wake of the recent hotter than usual summers

In August 2024 Arizona Corporation Commission reported that both ApS and SRP set new items to the maximum demand for electricity. On August 4, the high temperature in Phoenix was 116 degrees.

Utility provider	2024 spit demand	Record high in 2023
Arizona Public Service	8.212 MW	8.162 MW
SALT RIVER PROJECT	8.219 MW	8.163 MW
Tucson Electric Power	2,917 MW	2,969 MW

How it works

Small modular reactors (SMRs) and large reactor projects are part of the equation for nuclear power.

SMRs are significantly smaller and cheaper than traditional reactions. Unlike conventional reactors, they can be built in a factory and then transported.

According to the US Ministry of Energy, they often vary in size from Tens of thousands of megawatts to hundreds of megawatt and can use light water or other refrigerants to operate. As a reference, experts say a megawatt can operate about 160 Arizona homes.

The First SMRs were used for the military in the 1950s But is still a relatively new source of energy. Most SMR projects are still planned, but in early 2024, China became the first to turn on an SMR For commercial purposes.

Right now, Palo Verde is generating about 14,000 megawatts.

Is it worth the cost?

“New nuclear generation could give Arizona reliable, carbon-free energy around the clock to drive economic growth as we helped ourselves make progress towards a future with pure energy,” said TEP president and CEO Susan Gray in a news message that advertised the investigation. “We know that the timeline of development would be long, so it makes sense for our state’s energy providers to begin this preliminary evaluation as soon as possible.”

But economic growth could also come at a price.

Associated Press reported that one Idaho-based project The goal of supplying 40 years of electricity to $ 55 per Megawatt-time. Project costs still rose to $ 89 per day. Mwh, According to a report by Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.

Not only could the project take up to a decade or longer but concern over costs has done Critics wonder if it’s worth using In the transition to a clean, carbon -free future.

Recently AP reported that the first US nuclear reactor Being built from scratch for decades came for seven years as planned and was $ 17 billion over the budget.

Outlet reported: “The Vogtle Reactors cost Georgia Power and three other owners $ 31 billion (…) Add $ 3.7 billion that the original contractor Westinghouse paid Vogtle owners to get away from construction and the total amount is approaching $ 35 billion. “

What is the next?

ApS, SRP and TEP have submitted a joint application for a federal grant which, if approved, would support a three-year selection process and a possible application for early space for federal regulators.

In a news message, supply providers said they expect to have a preferred nuclear place in the late 2020s, with the added nuclear operation ready to go in the early 2040s. ApS says they are obliged to 100% pure power by 2050, up from their current 54% Clean Energy Mix.

At the end of 2024, the energy department released a document that says the US nuclear capacity has the potential to triple by 2050. The United States had made such a promise a year before under The United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Last year, Amazon advertised An agreement with Energy Northwest and X-Energy to finance the construction of four new nuclear reactors on the Columbia River in Washington.

Closer to the home, Texas A&M recently revealed four developers with plans to build SMRs at its College Station Campus and call the project “Energy Proving Grounds. “

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