Future of Arizona nuclear plant may see hydrogen

PHOENIX — Managers of a three-reactor nuclear plant that went online in the 1980s are exploring whether production of hydrogen gas will be part of its future.

An idea being explored for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station is to use seasonally surplus electricity from the plant located in the desert west of Phoenix to separate water into oxygen and hydrogen gas, the Arizona Republic reports .

Uses for the gas could include powering fuel-cell cars and trucks or providing to nearby natural-gas plants that generate electricity.

The contemplated production of hydrogen stems from the fact that increased availability of solar power means Palo Verde’s electricity production isn’t needed as much during mild spring and fall weather as during the summer when air conditioners run full throttle in the Southwest.

The plant 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Phoenix is licensed to run into the 2040s, but officials said they will need to get creative to keep it going that long, or beyond.

“Some days we still end up with more energy being produced because of Palo Verde and all that solar than what we can really use,” said Jack Cadogan, senior vice president of site operations at Palo Verde for Arizona Public Service Co.

Phoenix-based APS manages the plant and is the largest co-owner. Others are Salt River Project, El Paso Electric Co., Southern California Edison, PNM Resources, Southern California Public Power Authority and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

APS officials are working with Idaho National Laboratory to research the economic feasibility of having a hydrogen generator near Palo Verde. A small test facility could be built near the nuclear plant in 2021.

APS and other utilities plan to add substantial amounts of solar to their systems, and that eventually will prompt Palo Verde to either shut down or run at partial capacity during mild weather.