12 Nov (NucNet): Voters in Arizona overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have required 50% of Arizona’s electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030, the Washington-based Nuclear Energy Institute said.
The ballot initiative, known as Proposition 127, lost by a margin of 70% opposed to 30% in favour.
The NEI said if it had passed, the proposed amendment would have erroneously excluded the three-unit Palo Verde nuclear power station from its definition of clean energy.
“We’ve said throughout this [mid-term election] campaign there is a better way to create a clean-energy future for Arizona that is also affordable and reliable," Arizona Public Service Chairman, president and chief executive officer Don Brandt said. “As the nation’s largest producer of reliable emission-free energy, Palo Verde is the anchor of Arizona’s clean-energy future. Any serious plan to reduce carbon emissions has to include nuclear energy and Palo Verde.”
