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We have specific programs in place to reduce and minimize hazardous, non-hazardous and nuclear waste. In addition, we track our hazardous waste shipped offsite through waste manifests. All our facilities were either classified as Small Quantity Generator (SQG) or Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG) in 2004.
We also work closely with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) which stringently control and oversee the management of nuclear fuels and their radioactive byproducts.
Our facilities employ a wide variety of pollution prevention activities based on their individual and diverse needs. The Deer Valley Service Center is charged with managing the waste and recycling for our service centers. Through a centralized facility, we are able to implement a variety of reuse and recycling activities.
In 2003, APS joined two EPA partnerships programs — WasteWise and Coal Combustion Products Partnerships (C2P2). WasteWise is a voluntary EPA program through which organizations work to minimize solid waste. C2P2 is a cooperative effort between the EPA and the industry to help promote the beneficial use of coal combustion products and the environmental benefits that can result.
Used Nuclear Materials
Palo Verde and other nuclear power plants produce two forms of radioactive waste: high-level waste and low-level waste. High-level waste consists primarily of spent nuclear fuel. This spent fuel is highly radioactive for many years, but can be safely stored in spent fuel storage pools or specially designed and licensed spent fuel storage casks.
We have existing spent fuel storage pools at Palo Verde and have recently constructed a new facility for on-site dry cask storage of spent fuel, while we are awaiting the completion of the Nuclear Waste Storage facility at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. DOE has announced the repository cannot be completed before 2010 and it does not intend to begin accepting spent nuclear fuel prior to that date.
With the existing storage pools and the addition of the new on-site dry cask storage facility, we believe spent fuel storage methods will be available for use by Palo Verde to allow continued safe operation through the term of the operating license for each of Palo Verde’s three units. On average, Palo Verde replaces 200 fuel assemblies annually.
Some low-level waste has been stored on-site in a low-level waste facility; however APS is currently shipping low-level waste to off-site disposal facilities. Examples of low-level waste include used protective clothing, resins and filters.
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