Regulators Put Nuclear Plant on the Most-Watched List for Safety Violations (AZ Republic)
Desert dwellers know they can cope with the heat by cool seeking the shade of a Palo Verde tree. But operators of Arizona's Palo Verde nuclear plant are in the hot seat, and relief might be years away.
February 23, 2007
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission put the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station on its most-watched list yesterday. As a newly designated "Category 4" plant, Palo Verde will have to make dramatic changes or be shut down.
There are five categories of regulation for nuclear power units. When a plant reaches category 5, it is shut down for unacceptable performance. There are 103 power units at about 60 plants in the U.S., and 95 of the units are in categories 1 and 2.
Arizona Public Service (APS) runs Palo Verde's three nuclear units, which are in category 4 as of February 23, 2007. They earned that rating by having major problems that are expanding in multiple areas of operation.
Only two other units in the country are in category 4. By definition, category 5 has zero units; an Ohio plant reached category 5 and was shut down.
The NRC has in recent years put three other stations under its category 4 looking glass. Operators quoted in a local paper said the road to recovery was long and hard.
"Other monitored plants point to rough road ahead" Arizona Republic