Republican Corporation Commissioners and utility companies painted a glowing picture of the future of nuclear energy in Arizona during a commission workshop meeting on Wednesday.

The “Advancing Nuclear Generation Workshop” meeting featured presentations from local utility companies, power companies in Georgia and Canada and a nuclear power company, all with the goal of promoting the development of new nuclear generation plants in Arizona to address growing energy needs. 

Commissioner René Lopez called nuclear energy “a tool in the toolbox that has been sitting on the shelf for the last 40 years that we haven’t been pulling out.”

Executives from Arizona Public Service, Tucson Electric Power and Salt River Project gave an update on their application for a U.S. Department of Energy grant focused on identifying a new site for additional nuclear generation. According to Brian Cole with APS, the utilities should know by the end of 2025 whether they have been awarded the grant, but plan to continue with the nuclear generation plans even if they are not selected.

The companies also plan to keep any future nuclear project “an Arizona project” focused on addressing Arizona’s energy needs. Palo Verde Generating Station, the state’s current nuclear plant, is co-owned and used by power companies in California, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas. 

Representatives from APS said Palo Verde could be expanded under the plan from utility companies to increase nuclear generation, but only if it is determined to be the best site available. There are some concerns that there would not be enough water resources for an expansion at Palo Verde.

Sandy Bahr, the director of the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon chapter, and Diane Brown, the director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group, both urged commissioners to hold another workshop discussing the downfalls of nuclear energy. Both noted that the presentations during Wednesday’s workshop focused almost entirely on the benefits of creating new nuclear generation plants.

“Based on today’s presentations, I can see why you are enamored with nuclear,” Brown said during the meeting’s public comment period. “However, I would urge you to compare nuclear with other energy and ask detailed questions to see how it does or does not stack up.”
Lopez, who helped organize the workshop, said the next meeting will focus on risks and how to address them. A third workshop will explore potential rule changes or policies to promote future nuclear energy generation, Lopez said.

Have questions or comments? Contact Reagan Priest on X @reaganspriest or at [email protected]