| The Palo Verde Nuclear Generating
Station, located about 55 miles west of Phoenix,
has been the largest power producer of any kind
in the United States since 1992. Its three units
are capable of generating nearly 4,000 megawatts
of electricity.
Because of its desert location, Palo Verde is
the only nuclear plant in the United States that
does not sit on a large body of water. Instead,
it uses treated effluent from several area municipalities
to meet its cooling water needs, recycling 20
billion gallons of wastewater each year.
Palo Verde, the largest single commercial taxpayer
in Arizona, is operated by APS and is owned by
a consortium of seven utilities in the Southwest.
APS owns 29.1 percent of the plant.
The steam generators in Unit 2 were successfully
replaced during the fall of 2003. At fiscal 2004
year-end, the plant was poised to replace the
steam generators in Unit 1, with Unit 3 to follow
in 2007. |