Arizona Public Service has officially notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of its intent to renew the operating licenses for the Palo Verde Generating Station in Tonopah, Ariz.
The Phoenix-based energy utility said in a Monday press release it filed a notice of intent on March 13, informing NRC it plans to submit a subsequent license renewal by late 2027. If approved, the proposal could enable the West’s major nuclear station operating into the 2060s.
Arizona Public Service said it plans to seek license renewals for all three of its units. If renewed, Unit 1 would operate through 2065, Unit 2 through 2066 and Unit 3 through 2067.
Palo Verde is the largest power generator in the western United States, Arizona Public Service said. Arizona’s sole nuclear power plant, Palo Verde, has a generating capacity of 4,200 megawatts that serves Arizona, New Mexico, southern California and west Texas.
The Palo Verde units were initially licensed in the late 1980s with an operation life of 40 years. By 2011, NRC approved Arizona Public Service’s renewal application to extend Palo Verde’s operating licenses into the 2040s.
Palo Verde employs nearly 2,100 full-time workers and 800 to 1,000 seasonal workers and contributes $2.6 billion to the local economy, the utility said.
“Palo Verde Generating Station is essential to our customers, a strong contributor to Arizona’s economy and a cornerstone of our energy future,” Ted Geisler, Arizona Public Service president and CEO, said. “Our notice to the NRC is another step in ensuring Arizonans and the region continue to benefit from this critical resource for many more years to come.”
For nearly 40 years, Palo Verde was the largest nuclear energy producer in the United States. However, with the completion of Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in 2023 and 2024, Plant Vogtle in Georgia has surpassed Palo Verde in power production as the Georgia plant has a generating capacity of 4,500 to 4,800 megawatts.