By Dylan Sullivan | NRDC
New power sector modeling, conducted by renowned energy firm ICF, using assumptions based on publicly-available information developed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), finds that Arizona’s Palo Verde nuclear power plant stays open and operates around-the-clock, even as utilities build enough renewable energy capacity, like wind and solar farms, to meet a 50 percent by 2030 renewable portfolio standard (RPS).
The new study is consistent with other analyses from financial firms and the U.S. government, which have found that Palo Verde can continue to operate and make money for its owners, even when other nuclear power plants in the U.S. face financial difficulty.