REFERENCE TITLE: nuclear energy; beneficial policies

State of Arizona Senate Fifty-third Legislature Second Regular Session 2018

SCM 1003

Introduced by Senators Griffin: Allen S, Barto, Borrelli, Brophy McGee, Burges, Fann, Farnsworth D, Gray, Kavanagh, Kerr, Petersen, Pratt, Smith, Worsley, Yarbrough, Yee

 

A CONCURRENT memorial

 

urging federal and state regulators to implement policies designed to recognize the benefits of nuclear power.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

To the Chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and the Board of Directors of the Arizona Public Service Company:

      Your memorialist respectfully represents:

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station has been the nation's largest power producer of any kind for 25 years; and

Whereas, the generating station is a critical asset to the southwest, generating more than 32 million megawatt-hours annually, which is enough power for more than four million people; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station is the nation's largest source of clean energy; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station supplies a remarkable 80 percent of Arizona's clean energy; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station is the only nuclear power plant in the country that is not located on a body of water and instead uses recycled water from surrounding communities to cool the plant in an environmentally sustainable way; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station is the largest single commercial taxpayer in Arizona; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station provides an economic impact of more than $2 billion annually through taxes and employee salaries; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station has 2,500 full-time employees and requires the services of an additional 1,000 contractors during periods of maintenance; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station purchases over $130 million in products and services from more than 1,200 Arizona businesses; and

Whereas, Palo Verde employees donate approximately $1 million each year to local charities; and

Whereas, the premature closure of a nuclear power generating station would necessitate reliance on sources of power that are more expensive and less reliable; and

Whereas, Arizona's economic competitiveness depends on safe, affordable and reliable power.

Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:

1.  That the various federal and state regulators of nuclear power producers implement policies that are designed to recognize the benefits provided by nuclear power and to protect nuclear generating facilities from conditions that could lead to premature closures and the resulting impacts to the reliability and affordability of energy.

2.   That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the Chairman of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and the Board of Directors of the Arizona Public Service Company.