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Safety rating for nation's biggest nuclear plant lowered

POSTED: 6:17 p.m. EST, February 22, 2007

Story Highlights· Downgrade means plant will be subjected to more

inspectors

· Nuclear Regulatory Commission made the decision

· It comes after three years of problems with safety systems at the

plant

· One of its emergency diesel generators had been broken for 18 days

 

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PHOENIX, Arizona (AP) -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Thursday

downgraded the safety rating of the nation's largest nuclear plant,

subjecting it to more inspectors and a level of scrutiny shared by

just one other plant in the nation.

 

The NRC made the announcement following three years of problems in

various safety systems at the Palo Verde nuclear plant west of

Phoenix.

 

Inspectors in September found that one of its emergency diesel

generators had been broken for 18 days. Emergency generators are

critically important at nuclear reactors, providing electricity to

pumps, valves and control rooms if the main electrical supply fails.

 

Only FirstEnergy Corp.'s Perry nuclear plant in Ohio has a safety

rating as bad as Palo Verde's, NRC spokesman Victor Dricks said.

 

APS, a subsidiary of Phoenix-based Pinnacle West Capital Corp., said

it will not appeal the ruling.

 

" It is important to know that despite the operational difficulties

over the last few years, at no time was the safety of the public or

our employees at risk, " APS chief executive Jack Davis said on the

company Web site.

 

Palo Verde can provide enough electricity for nearly 4 million homes

and is owned by a consortium of utilities in Arizona, Texas,

California and New Mexico.

 

 

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in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are

cold and are not clothed. "

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