Press Release-05-157, NRC Approves Power Uprates for Palo Verde Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 3

Press Release-05-157: NRC Approves Power Uprates for Palo Verde Nuclear Plant, Units 1 & 3

ML053220173
Person / Time
Site:	Palo Verde
Issue date:	11/18/2005
From:	Office of Public Affairs
To:
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Press Release-05-157
Download: ML053220173 (1)

Text

NRC NEWS U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Office of Public Affairs Telephone: 301/415-8200 Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 E-mail: opa@nrc.gov Web Site: http://www.nrc.gov No.05-157 November 18, 2005 NRC APPROVES POWER UPRATES FOR PALO VERDE NUCLEAR PLANT, UNITS 1, 3 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved a request by the Arizona Public Service Company to increase the generating capacity of Units 1 and 3 at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station by 2.9 percent. The NRC staff determined that the licensee could safely increase the power output of the reactors primarily through replacing the plants steam generators.

The power uprates at each unit, located near Phoenix, Arizona, increases the net generating capacity of the reactors from 1270 to 1313 and 1317 megawatts electric, respectively, for Units 1 and 3.

The licensee intends to implement the uprate by the end of December for Unit 1, and by the end of 2007 for Unit 3.

The NRC previously published a notice about the power uprate application in the Federal Register providing the public an opportunity to comment or request a hearing. No comments or hearing requests were received by the NRC.

The NRC's safety evaluation of the requested power uprate for the plant focused on several areas, including nuclear steam supply systems, instrumentation and control systems, electrical systems, accident evaluations, radiological consequences, operations, and technical specification changes.