Arizona Could Be Going Nookyular

Forgive me. I allowed a certain former President to draft the headline.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer spoke about Arizona’s economic future last week, offering her contention that the Grand Canyon State should strive to become an energy hub. Like many states, she suggested Arizona focus on renewable energy. Additionally, however, she sees nuclear as a "cornerstone" option for the future.  

Republican Gov. Jan Brewer says Arizona’s economic future may hinge on making the state a hub for renewable- and nuclear-energy development that can both power the state and drive job creation.

Speaking Tuesday in Phoenix at a gathering of the Business Summit of the West, Brewer laid out what she called "a vision for Arizona’s second century." It’s one that leans heavily on the production of wind, solar and other leading-edge technologies as she looks to position the state as a leader in green energy.

Brewer also said it’s time to revisit an older power source: nuclear.

"Let there be no doubt. Let there be no mistake. Let there be no mischaracterization: I’m a strong advocate for the development of more nuclear energy in Arizona," Brewer told the conference of elected officials and business leaders at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa. "Nuclear power is at the cornerstone of our clean-energy future."

Her words come two decades after the completion of the state’s Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. The triple-reactor plant 50 miles west of downtown Phoenix was the nation’s last such facility to come online.

Despite a few horrific accidents in the past, nuclear power is making a comeback as a low-emission energy alternative due to many safety improvements in the past few decades.

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