Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, and Tucson Electric Power are collaborating to assess possible locations for new nuclear capacity, including the retirement of coal plants. The utilities have applied for a US Department of Energy grant to support a three-year site selection process for potential small modular reactor projects. The goal is to provide reliable, around-the-clock carbon-free energy to meet Arizona’s growing energy needs.
The Palo Verde nuclear power plant currently provides 27% of Arizona’s electricity and 61% of the state’s carbon-free generation. With energy demand in Arizona increasing rapidly, the utilities are exploring the potential of new nuclear generation to maintain a diverse energy mix. The planning and exploration of options are crucial as new nuclear generation would take more than a decade to develop.
Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power, and Arizona Public Service are committed to evaluating emerging nuclear technologies to power Arizona’s future sustainably and affordably. Tucson Electric Power aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and believes that new nuclear generation could play a significant role in achieving this goal. The utilities are collaborating to determine how new nuclear generation could fit into Arizona’s energy future.
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