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Cooling tower collapses at San Juan Generating Station

PNM says incident is under review
The San Juan Generating Station outside Farmington in northwest New Mexico is seen during the evening across the plant’s cooling pond. One of the cooling towers collapsed in late June. (Courtesy of PNM)

FARMINGTON – A cooling tower at the San Juan Generating Station collapsed June 30.

Ray Sandoval with the Public Service Co. of New Mexico said Friday that while it does not normally comment on operational issues, the department wanted to provide an “accurate statement.”

“On June 30, an incident occurred at the San Juan Generating Station where a cooling tower collapsed,” Sandoval said. “There were no injuries, and the cause of the collapse is under review.”

PNM notified the New Mexico Environment Department that the Unit 1 cooling tower had collapsed, said Maddy Hayden, spokeswoman for the Environment Department. Because of the collapse, the same unit’s boiler also shut down.

“PNM indicated they plan to submit an air-quality permit application to the Environment Department to bring new cooling towers and, subsequently, the Unit 1 generating unit back online,” Hayden wrote in an email to The Durango Herald.

The cleanup and investigations continue, Sandoval said.

mmitchell@durangoherald.com



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