Palo Verde — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 6008
- Capacity
- 4209.6 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Nuclear
- Technology
- Nuclear
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Maricopa, AZ
- Operating Since
- 1986
- Generators
- 3
- Operator
- Arizona Public Service Co
- Parent Company
- Pinnacle West Capital
- Annual Generation
- 31,321,808 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 84.9%
- Balancing Authority
- Salt River Project
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
Palo Verde
OperatingNuclear
Ranked #1 of 1 Nuclear plants in AZ#2 of 57 nationally
4209.6 MW Nuclear operating in Maricopa, AZ — Salt River Project
EIAGEMWD
4,209.6 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Nuclear
Technology
1986
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
33.3881, -112.8617
County
Maricopa, AZ
Nearby Plants
- Sun Streams 4BESS600 MW · 3.1 km
- Sun PondBESS170 MW · 3.8 km
- Mesquite Generating Station Block 2Natural Gas691.6 MW · 4.8 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Arizona Public Service Co | Arizona Public Service | Arizona Public Service |
| Owner(s) | Arizona Public Service Co, El Paso Electric Co, Los Angeles Department of Water & Power, Public Service Co of NM, Salt River Project, Southern California Edison Co, Southern California P P A | Pinnacle West Capital | Arizona Public Service |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
The Palo Verde Generating Station is a nuclear power plant located near Tonopah, Arizona about 45 miles (72 km) west of downtown Phoenix. Palo Verde generates the second most electricity of any power plant in the United States per year, and is the second largest power plant by net generation as of 2021. Palo Verde has the third-highest rated capacity of any U.S power plant. It is a critical asset to the Southwest, generating approximately 32 million megawatt-hours annually.
Read more on WikipediaPalo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, located in Maricopa County, Arizona, has a total capacity of 4209.6 MW across three nuclear generators. The plant began operating in 1986 and is owned by Pinnacle West Capital, with Arizona Public Service Co. as the operator. It is the largest power plant in Arizona and the second-largest nuclear plant in the United States. The plant operates within the Salt River Project balancing authority and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
In the most recent year with available data, Palo Verde generated 31,321,808 MWh, achieving a capacity factor of 84.9%. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $1,188.14 per kW, according to FERC filings. The plant's primary fuel source is nuclear (NUC).
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
Salt River Project
Grid Voltage
500 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
2.8M MWh
Latest Month
31.3M MWh
Annual Generation
84.9%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2023 – Dec 2025
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1HIGH
$3,291/kW
Installed Cost
$23.6/MWh
Operating Cost
Southern California Edison Company
Reporting Utility
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (10)Beta
Regulatory·permitting
APS seeks license extension for Palo Verde Nuclear Plant
Arizona Public Service (APS) plans to renew operating licenses for all three units at Palo Verde Generating Station, extending operations to the mid-2060s, ensuring continued energy supply.
APS (operator)
Power Engineering·1 weeks ago
Industry·other
Palo Verde Energy Educational Center in Buckeye
Built in the mid-1970s, Palo Verde Generating Station isn't your typical nuclear power plant. Almost all thermal power plants — those that...
Palo Verde Generating Station (operator)Buckeye (other)
Atlas Obscura·3 months ago
Industry·other
Why are sirens going off around West Valley nuclear plant?
PHOENIX – Every year, the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station is required to test its emergency notification system, including sirens and...
Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (operator)Phoenix (other)
KTAR News 92.3 FM·3 months ago
Industry·other
Nuclear plant's emergency sirens will be tested this week near Buckeye
The Palo Verde Generating Station's warning sirens will be tested twice on Dec. 4. The nuclear facility is located west of Buckeye.
Palo Verde Generating Station (operator)Buckeye (other)
12News·3 months ago
Last updated 2026-03-25
View all 10 articles