REFERENCE TITLE: nuclear energy; Palo Verde; support

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

2025

HCR 2022

Introduced by

Representatives Carter P: Biasiucci, Blackman, Carbone, Carter N, Diaz, Gillette, Gress, Griffin, Heap, Keshel, Kolodin, Kupper, Livingston, Lopez, Marshall, Martinez, Montenegro, Nguyen, Olson, Peña, Powell, Taylor, Way, Weninger, Willoughby, Wilmeth;  Senators Carroll, Shamp

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Supporting the Palo Verde generating station.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Whereas, Arizona is home to the most productive nuclear power plant in America, the Palo Verde Generating Station in Tonopah, Arizona, which generates more than 32 million megawatt hours of electricity annually. This is enough power for more than 4 million homes and businesses; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station has been one of the nation's largest power producers of any kind for nearly 30 years; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station is the largest source of clean energy in the West; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station supplies nearly 70 percent of Arizona's carbon-free energy; and

Whereas, the costs of nuclear energy are lower than the costs of solar power, but nuclear energy is superior to solar power in that it can be produced at night and during cloudy weather without sunlight; and

Whereas, nuclear energy facilities operating in 30 states produce electricity for one out of every five homes and businesses in the United States; 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 a $2.3 billion economic impact annually to local economies; and

Whereas, the Palo Verde Generating Station has approximately 2,000 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 $123 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, energy consumers who are well informed regarding the safety of modern nuclear energy production support the continued production of nuclear energy as a noncarbon producing energy source; and

Whereas, a nationwide survey conducted in May 2024 revealed that 56% of Americans support nuclear power; and

Whereas, there are significant advancements in nuclear energy technology with the development of nuclear reactors that are more efficient, produce less waste and reduce proliferation risk; and

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

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

That the Members of the Legislature support the Palo Verde Generating Station and the safe and efficient use of nuclear energy to supply the energy consumption needs of the people of Arizona.