Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station
The Palo Verde Generating Station is a nuclear power plant located near Tonopah, Arizona, in western Arizona. It is located about 45 miles (72 km) west of downtown Phoenix. Palo Verde generates the largest amount of electricity in the United States per year, and has the second largest rated capacity. It is a critical asset to the Southwest, generating approximately 32 million megawatt-hours annually.
| Palo Verde Generating Station | |
|---|---|
The Palo Verde Generating Station, aerial view. | |
| Official name | Palo Verde Generating Station |
| Country | United States |
| Location | Tonopah, Arizona |
| Coordinates | 33°23′21″N 112°51′54″W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | Unit 1: 25 May 1976 Unit 2: 1 June 1976 Unit 3: 1 June 1976 |
| Commission date | Unit 1: 28 January 1986 Unit 2: 19 September 1986 Unit 3: 8 January 1988 |
| Construction cost | $5.9 billion (1986 USD) ($13.4 billion in 2022 dollars) |
| Owner(s) | Arizona Public Service (29.1%) Salt River Project (20.2%) El Paso Electric (15.8%) So. California Edison (15.8%) PNM Resources (7.5%) SCPPA (5.9%) LADWP (5.7%) |
| Operator(s) | Arizona Public Service |
| Nuclear power station | |
| Reactor type | PWR |
| Reactor supplier | Combustion Engineering |
| Cooling towers | 9 × Mechanical Draft |
| Cooling source | Treated sewage |
| Thermal capacity | 3 × 3990 MWth |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 1 × 1400 MWe 1 × 1400 MWe 1 × 1400 MWe |
| Make and model | CE80 2-loop (DRYAMB) |
| Units cancelled | 2 × 1270 MWe |
| Nameplate capacity | 3937 MW |
| Capacity factor | 92.55% (2017) 82.80% (lifetime) |
| Annual net output | 31,920 GWh (2019) |
| External links | |
| Website | Palo Verde Generating Station |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
As of 2021, the Palo Verde Generating Station was the largest power plant in the United States by net generation. Its average electric power production is about 3.3 gigawatts (GW), and this power serves about four million people. The Arizona Public Service Company (APS) operates and owns 29.1% of the plant. Its other major owners include the Salt River Project (20.2%), the El Paso Electric Company (15.8%), Southern California Edison (15.8%), PNM Resources (7.5%), the Southern California Public Power Authority (5.9%), and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (5.7%). APS was granted a 20-year license extension to operate through 2045 for Unit 1, 2046 for Unit 2, and 2047 for Unit 3, with the option to submit a subsequent license renewal application for extended operation.
The Palo Verde Generating Station is located in the Arizona desert and is the only large nuclear power plant in the world that is not located near a large body of water. The power plant evaporates the water from the treated sewage from several nearby cities and towns to provide the cooling of the steam that it produces.