PHOENIX - Security officials at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station detained a contract worker with an explosive device in the back of his truck Friday, and the plant was put on lockdown.
Capt. Paul Chagolla with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said sheriff's officials have rendered the device safe and that investigators were interviewing the worker.
Meanwhile, Palo Verde spokesman Jim McDonald said the station was operating normally and there was no threat to the public.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Victor Dricks described the device as a small capped pipe that contained suspicious residue. He said security officials put the nuclear station on lockdown as soon as they spotted it, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving the facility.
"Our Security personnel acted cautiously and appropriately, demonstrating that our security process and procedures work as designed," said Randy Edington, the chief nuclear officer, for Arizona Public Service Co., which operates the plant, said in a statement. "These actions are clearly in line with our goal of ensuring the health and safety of the public and our employees."
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Palo Verde is the nation's largest nuclear power plant. Located in Wintersburg about 50 miles west of downtown Phoenix, the plant supplies electricity to about 4 million customers in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California.
Jim Melfi, an inspector with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said an "unusual event" was declared at the facility. This is the lowest of four emergency categories that the plant can declare.
"Usual events occur frequently," Dricks said. "There's an unusual event every couple of days somewhere."
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