Arizona is casting an eye to the atom for its energy future, at least if the Arizona Corporation Commission has anything to say about it. The Commission held its premiere workshop on "Advancing Nuclear Power Generation" on May 21, determined to educate the public and stakeholders about the role of nuclear in meeting the state's escalating energy demands. Vice Chairman Nick Myers and Commissioner René Lopez steered the discussion, which revolved around the potential growth of Advanced Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S., with a spotlight on Arizona's unique interests.
"With the load growth that is coming to our state, from data centers, industrial, and even residential, nuclear is an important part of that growth discussion," said Vice Chairman Myers in a statement obtained by AZCC. Commissioner René Lopez added, "Nuclear power has proven to be a safe and reliable cornerstone of Arizona’s baseload energy for the past 40 years," cementing the place of nuclear in Arizona's energy narrative.
During the workshop, presentations were given by representatives from Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, and Georgia Power Company, among others. A standout presentation by X-energy detailed their cutting-edge Generation IV high-temperature gas-cooled pebble bed reactor, indicating future trends in nuclear technology. Experts from the field dissected the current state of nuclear power and addressed both opportunities and, barriers in the scaling up of new nuclear power ventures in the U.S.
Notably, APS, along with TEP and SRP, are on the cusp of possibly securing a U.S. Department of Energy grant to scout out a fresh nuclear generation site. An announcement regarding the grant is expected before the year's end, a critical juncture for the utilities' nuclear ambitions. Commissioner Lea Márquez Peterson expressed her support. "I appreciated the update from our utilities on their nuclear efforts and believe it is important to continue to educate Arizona residents on the importance of nuclear energy to meeting our current and future energy load," she told AZCC.
The Arizona Corporation Commission has thereby tasked the local electric utilities with drafting a comprehensive report, which will be presented in the subsequent "Advancing Nuclear Power Generation" workshop. The Commission is seeking actionable recommendations from utilities and stakeholders to facilitate the advancement of nuclear energy in the state. "What kind of support from this Commission do you need? Are there legislative changes needed? What about at the federal level? Basically, let us know of anything that we can do to help facilitate the speedy implementation of more nuclear generated electrons on the grid," Vice Chair Myers concluded.
Commissioner Lopez echoed the sentiment in his closing remarks and looks forward to a collaborative effort between APS, SRP, TEP, and other stakeholders to bolster support for nuclear development at all government levels. Each workshop in the series aims to coalesce information and strategies to ensure nuclear power can viably satisfy Arizona's looming energy requirements.
