Tucson Electric Power is joining Arizona’s other two largest electric utilities on a long-term proposal to have a new nuclear power plant built to help meet the state’s rising power demand, officials say.
The utilities — TEP, Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project — jointly announced the proposal Wednesday.
“New nuclear generation could provide Arizona with reliable, around-the-clock carbon-free energy to power economic growth while helping us make progress toward a clean energy future,” Susan Gray, TEP president and CEO, said in the news release.
“We know the development timeline would be long, so it makes sense for our state’s energy providers to begin this preliminary evaluation as soon as possible.”
The utilities say they will contemplate a range of possible locations. Those will include sites where coal plants have been or will be retired.
Nuclear power is part of an important, diverse energy mix for the state, the utilities say.
APS, the state’s largest utility, will spearhead the effort. The plan will consider both small and large nuclear reactors, with a possible new power plant envisioned at least 15 years out.
“To ensure a reliable and affordable electric supply for our customers, we are committed to maintaining a diverse energy mix,” said Ted Geisler, president of APS, in the news release.
SRP is “exploring all options to meet the growing energy needs of the Phoenix metropolitan area affordably, reliably and sustainably,” said Jim Pratt, its general manager and CEO.
A small nuclear reactor can generate about 300 megawatts, the utilities said. A large reactor, like the Palo Verde Generating Station about 45 miles west of downtown Phoenix, can generate about 1,400 megawatts.
Tucson Electric Power, Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project jointly announced a proposal Wednesday that could have a new nuclear reactor operating in the state in about two decades. Currently, the Palo Verde Generating Station west of Phoenix, shown, is Arizona’s only nuclear power facility.
Each megawatt of electricity provides enough power for about 160 homes in Arizona, the utilities say.
The utilities have applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
If approved, the grant would help cover the process of selecting and preparing a site to apply to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an early-site permit.
A site could be picked late this decade. A new plant could be operational by the early 2040s, the release said.
APS has about 1.4 million residential and business customers covering 11 of the state’s 15 counties. SRP serves about 1 million customers in the greater Phoenix area.
TEP has about 450,000 customers across Southern Arizona.
